the expectation of co-operation from the vessels below the town, the commander of the Essex (Commodore Porter) ran the gauntlet of the upper batteries, and approaching the Arkansas, delivered his fire at the distance of about five feet, at the same time attempting to sink her by running her down. The Essex missed her blow, and ran aground directly under the Confederate batteries, and exposed to the fire of riflemen from the shore. Finding a further attack hopeless, and perceiving that the lower fleet made no demonstrations of coming to his assistance, Commodore Porter having got his vessel afloat, put her head down stream, and passing the lower batteries, anchored below the town.

This incident was the last of any moment which happened during the first siege of Vicksburg. The scheme of cutting the canal through the isthmus had failed, and on the 24th of July the fleet of Commodore Farragut having embarked the military force under General Williams, steamed down the Mississippi to Bâton Rouge, whilst the upper fleet took up a position opposit t! e mouth of the Yazoo River. Thus the siege may be said to have terminated, and the hitherto almost continuous success of the gunboats received a check, which was the more galling, as a larger force had been brought into action during the attack on Vicksburg than in any previous operations on the Western waters.

In order to furnish a connected narrative of the siege, we have been induced to forestall the chronological order of the events of the war. The campaign of the Peninsula had closed in a manner unexpected to the Federals; and as the results of that campaign tended materially to influence the conduct of the war in the West, in so far as the resources of both parties were drawn to Virginia, it will be advisable for the present

to leave the Mississippi River and return to the armies on the Chickahominy. Irrespective, however, of military and naval matters, and indeed engaging men's attention even more than the movements of armies, was the conduct of the Federal authorities at New Orleans, which excited to the utmost the indignation of the South, and even awoke an almost corresponding feeling in the nations of Europe.

It will be remembered that the military force which occupied the city of New Orleans was commanded. by General Butler, who after the surrender exercised the functions of the governor of the place. How he conducted that government, and how by his acts he roused a spirit of unconquerable hatred in the breasts of a proud race, it must be our province to inquire. On the 1st of May the troops landed at New Orleans, and General Butler immediately issued a proclamation, placing the city under martial law. He directed that the inhabitants should surrender their arms; that no assemblages of people should congregate in the streets; that no flags or other emblems except that of the United States and the foreign consulates should be exhibited; and that the newspapers should not publish articles tending to inflame their readers against the Government or troops of the United States, or, without authority, issue any news of the war or of the movements of troops. The functions of the courts of justice in respect of serious offences were also suspended, and their duties taken by courtsmartial. Such a course of action was no doubt necessary to secure the safety of the troops and the peace of the city. The character of the population of New Orleans was turbulent even in quiet times; much more was it expected that it would

break forth into aggressive acts when the presence of an invader had aroused the passions of the inhabitants, and when the taunts of the other states and cities of the South for the easy surrender of the city might possibly provoke her populace to insurrection. If, therefore, General Butler had confined himself to the severity doubtless necessary in dealing with a conquered but still refractory people, few except those biassed by party feeling could have blamed him; but when he overstepped the limits of what may be called the rights of the conqueror, and especially when he gave his consent to the execution of an individual for an act performed prior to the occupation of the town by the Federal army, his conduct ceased to be justifiable on the plea of military necessity, and earned the designation of tyranny, whilst the act alluded to may almost be stigmatised as one of murder.

On the 27th of April, the day following the reply of the Mayor to Commodore Farragut's demand for the surrender of the city, a party of Marines had been landed and the American flag hoisted on the Mint. The same was also attempted at the Custom-house; but owing to the excitement of the crowd it was thought better to desist. The Marines then re-embarked on board the ship of war, and the city was left in charge of the civil authorities. A short time subsequent, a crowd collected round the Mint, and the United States flag was torn down and dragged through the streets. The act was performed by a citizen of the name of Mumford. the 1st of May, as has before been stated, the troops landed and formally took possession of the city; their general, Butler, at the same time issuing a proclamation of martial law. This law, therefore, came in force on the 1st of May, and could not in justice take cogni

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sance of acts performed prior to its declaration; but the United States flag was torn down prior to the 29th of April, and therefore Mumford ought not to have been tried for any infraction of martial law. For what, then, was he tried? The Confederates had long since been recognised as belligerents, and therefore entitled to be treated as such, and not as rebels. Mumford had given his allegiance to the Confederate Government, and owed none to the Federal authorities; therefore he could not be tried on the charge of treason to the United States Government. The flag was flying in a city which owned the supremacy of the Confederate Government; and although the enemy had by force raised the United States flag over one of her principal buildings, yet he had left no guard to protect it, had not taken possession of the city, nor had substituted any law in place of those already in force. When, therefore, Mumford was arrested by order of General Butler, was tried by courtmartial and sentenced to execution, and when that sentence was sanctioned. and enforced, General Butler was regarded by the people of the Confederate States as guilty of deliberate murder.

The execution did not take place until the 7th of June. Mumford met his death with firmness and courage. He was hanged in front of the Mint at New Orleans, protesting, immediately before his death, that he did not consider that he was about to suffer justly. Such was one of the acts which excited an universal feeling of hatred to General Butler throughout the Confederacy. But even this did not render his name so odious as his conduct relative to the ladies of New Orleans. On May 15, the following order was issued :

'Head-quarters, Department of the Gulf. 'New Orleans, May 15.

'As officers and soldiers of the United States have been subject to repeated insults from women calling themselves ladies of New Orleans, in return for the most scrupulous non-interference and courtesy on our part, it is ordered hereafter, when any female shall by mere gesture or movement insult or show contempt for any officers or soldiers of the United States, she shall be regarded and held liable to be treated as a woman about town plying her avocation.

By command of Major-General BUTLER,

'GEORGE S. STRONG, A.A.G.'

What could be more atrocious than such an order? It is a well-known fact that one of the great difficulties which a general has to encounter is to restrain the licentiousness of the troops under his command, and their disregard of the civil rights of the population with whom they may be brought in contact; and yet here was the Commander-in-Chief of the Federal forces of the Gulf actually encouraging, and even commanding, violence towards ladies, and leaving it to the discretion of every blackguard bearing the uniform of the United States to insult and ill-treat defenceless women, of whatever rank or position, he might encounter in the streets. When the intelligence of the order reached New York, derived as it was from Southern sources, it was regarded as a fabrication of the enemy in order to inflame the anger of the people against the captors of New Orleans. For this purpose it was doubtless used. General Beauregard immediately issued copies of the order, and directed that, for the information of his army, it should be read on parade. He appended to it the following address to his men :