The Beast And Ladies

Union Major General Benjamin Butler issued General Order Number 28 in New Orleans, Louisiana on May 15^th 1862, calling for any woman insulting a Union soldier to be treated as a prostitute.

Following the Battle of New Orleans, Union Major General Benjamin Butler became the military commander of the city on May 1^st 1862.  Many of people who lived in the city had strong Confederate sympathy, and the women expressed these feelings by insulting the Union soldiers stationed in the city.  With these actions in mind Butler issued General Order Number 28 also known as the “Woman’s Order” on May 15^th 1862.  It stated that any woman insulting or showing contempt for a Union officer or soldier should treated as a woman “plying her avocation” or like a prostitute.  Some of the action the “Ladies” of New Orleans took, where to spit on passing soldiers, and one woman emptied her chamber pot on Union Captain David C Farragut.  It took away the ability of the women of New Orleans, to hide behind the treatment expected by a lady.

The Order read; "As the officers and soldiers of the United States have been subjected to repeated insults from the women (calling themselves ladies) of New Orleans, in return for the most scrupulous noninterference and courtesy on our part, it is ordered that hereafter when any female shall, by word, gesture, or movement, insult or show contempt for any officer or soldier of the United States, she shall be regarded and held liable to be treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation."

After Number 28 was posted, most women stopped their actions.  The few who continued were arrested and placed on Ship Island.  The most notable of these women was Eugenia Levy Philips who laughed at a passing Union officer’s funeral procession.  This order was quite controversial at home and overseas.  It would lead to Butler’s nickname of “Beast” Butler, and to his being removed from command of New Orleans on December 16^th 1862.

If you’re interested reading more about this subject check out General Benjamin Franklin Butler

A Northern Born Confederate

Northern born and raised, Confederate Brigadier General Johnson Kelly Duncan died December 18^th1862 from malaria fever.

Johnson Kelly Duncan was born in Chanceford, York, Pennsylvania March 19^th 1827.  He received an appointment to the United States Military Academy, graduating 5^th out of the class of 1849.  He started his military career as a Second Lieutenant in the Third Artillery with fighting against the Seminole Indians in Florida.  In 1855 with the rank of First Lieutenant, Duncan left the army and moved the Louisiana.  He worked in New Orleans as an architect, surveyor and the Chief Engineer of the Board of Public Works.

When the Civil War started Duncan sided with those of his southern home, and enlisted in the Confederate service, becoming the Colonel of the 1^st Louisiana Artillery.  He was promoted to Brigadier General January 7^th 1862, and placed in command of the defenses of the Lower Mississippi.  When Union Admiral David Farragut captured Fort Jackson on April 28^th 1862, Duncan became a prisoner of war.  After a prisoner exchange on August 27^th 1862, Duncan was assigned to Confederate General Braxton Bragg as his Chief of Staff.  While on this duty, he contracted Malarial and died December 18^th 1862 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Duncan is buried in the Confederate Cemetery in Franklin, Tennessee.

A Run Up River

Union Admiral David Farragut tried to run his fleet by the batteries at Port Hudson March 14^th 1863.

Around eleven on the night of March 14^th 1863, Union Admiral David Farragut ran his fleet of seven ships by the Port Hudson batteries.  Hoping to get his ships up the river and block Confederate river traffic on the Red River.  It brought on a three hour battle between the Union ships and Confederate batteries.  Five of the Union ships were disabled, with the USS Mississippi being run aground, burned and abandoned. The remaining two Union ships the USS Hartford which was Farragut’s flagship, and the USS Albatross made it through with some damage.

The two remaining ships were able to stop Confederate re-supply of Port Hudson by the Red River.

If you’re interested in knowing more Farragut's Run at Port Hudson is a good place to start.

Lieutenant Commander

United States Naval officer Andrew Boyd Cummings was killed in action March 18th 1863.

Andrew Boyd Cummings was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania June 22nd 1830. While at the Naval Academy Cummings was appointed to midshipman April 1847. He left the Naval Academy the next year for active duty on the USS Brandywine, before returning to the school in 1852. Cummings was assigned to the steamer USS Fulton and promoted to the ranks of Master and Lieutenant September 1855. He joined the steam sloop the USS Richmond in 1859 as part of the her Mediterranean deployment until 1861.

Cummings served during the Civil War as part of Admiral David Farragut’s West Gulf Blockading Squadron. He served with distinction as Executive Office of the USS Richmond. They were part of the capture of New Orleans in April 1862. Commended for his performance, Cummings was promoted July 1862 to Lieutenant Commander. He was wounded in an attempt to pass the batteries at Vicksburg, Mississippi on March 14th 1863. Cummings died a few day later in New Orleans, Louisiana from those wounds March 18th 1863. He is buried in the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A Blockade Runner Down

The USS Hatteras a Union blockade gunboat was sunk off the Galveston, Texas coast January 14th 1863.


The USS Hatteras a 1,126 ton side-wheeled steamer, was purchased from Harlan and Hollingworth of Wilmington, Delaware by the Union Navy September 25th 1861. She was fitted in the Philadelphia Naval Yard and placed under the command of Commander George F Emmons. She sailed for Key West, Florida November 13th 1861 to be part of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron. By January the Hatteras had captured and burnt several blockage runners and a 22 man garrison in Cedar Keys. The Hatteras was then transferred to Berwick, Louisiana to be part of the Gulf Blockading Squadron. On January 27th 1862 she engaged the CSS Mobile, but did little damage. The Hatteras was very successful in the Gulf of Mexico, most ships taken as they made a run for either Havana, Cuba or the Sabine River in Texas.

The Hatteras was under new command January 6th 1863 when she was order to join Admiral David Farragut’s squadron off the coast of Galveston, Texas. On January 14th 1863 she had a run with the CSS Alabama. The Alabama under the command of Raphael Semmes began racking the Hatteras with her guns. For twenty minutes the ships fired at each other from about 25 to 200 yards. The Union Cruiser the Brooklyn was sent to render aid, but the Hatteras had already been hit twice and was beginning to sink. The Captain of the Hatteras flooded her magazines to prevent explosions, surrendered and asked for assistance. The CSS Alabama sent boats to help remove the crew of the Hatteras, with the last of the men pulling away as the Hatteras sank. It took about forty-five minutes.

Of the 126 men on the Hatteras, two were killed and five wounded. Six men managed to escape, but rest were taken to Port Royal, Jamaica to await parole.

For more information about this subject I recommend the web site Civil War Shipwrecks (1861-1865)

After 48 Days Of Fighting

Learning of the surrender of Vicksburg, Confederate Major General Franklin Gardner surrendered Port Hudson on July 9th 1863.

Major General Franklin Gardner realized that his position at Port Hudson, Louisiana on the Mississippi was hopeless. They had used up practically all their supplies, and were down in many case to eating mules. After Vicksburg fell, he negotiated a surrender. The Rebels laid their arms down on July 9th 1863 after 48 days of fighting. As Union Admiral David Farragut was in New Orleans, Captain Thornton A Jenkins accepted the Confederate’s surrender.

Both the Confederate and Union side suffered large numbers of casualties during the long siege. On the Union side about 5000 men were killed, or wounded, with about another 5000 falling to disease and sunstroke. The Confederates had about 750 dead or wounded, many of whom died from disease.