434 



LOUISIANA. 



as a stay law, was also passed. Property, 

 however, might be sold, when nine-tenths of 

 its appraised value, according to the standard 

 of valuation on the first of June, 1860, were 

 offered. 



The position of Louisiana at a distance from 

 the Federal force, enabled her to devote all her 

 military strength to the assistance of the Con- 

 federate Government. The number of her 

 troops in service at the close of the year was 

 eight regiments and two battalions in Virgi- 

 nia, three regiments in Kentucky, one in Mis- 

 souri, and five more within the State. Besides 

 these volunteers, fourteen companies of infantry 

 had been mustered directly into the Confederate 

 service. There were also thirteen companies at 

 Camp Lewis near New Orleans, and it was esti- 

 mated that 3,891 men had been raised in the 

 State and mustered into the Confederate ser- 

 vice directly by the "War Department. The 

 aggregate of soldiers furnished by Louisiana up 

 to November was therefore 24,093 men, which 

 was about half of the number of voters. 



According to the report of Adjutant-General 

 Grivot, there were, on the 20th of December, 

 23,577 troops from Louisiana in the Confeder- 

 ate service. The report of the organized mili- 

 tia of the State was incomplete, as many par- 

 ishes had made no returns. In nine parishes 

 there was a force of 5,898. The first division 

 under Major-General Lewis was 30,499 strong; 

 the regiment of Confederate Guards numbered 

 752 men, making a total military force report- 

 ed as organized in the State, of 37,149. The 

 grand total of Louisiana troops in and out of 

 the State was 60,726. 



The only hostile movements within the limits 

 of the State in 1861 were made at the mouths 

 of the Mississippi. On the 12th of October, 

 near four o'clock in the morning, as the Federal 

 steamship Richmond, under the command of 

 John Pope, was lying at the Southwest Pass re- 

 ceiving coal from the schooner J. H. Toone, a 

 floating ram, as it was called, was discovered 

 close upon the ship. 



By the time the alarm could be given, she 

 had struck the ship abreast of the fore chan- 

 nels, tearing the schooner from her fasts, and 

 forcing a hole through the ship's side. 



Passing aft, the ram endeavored to effect a 

 breach in the stern, but failed. Three planks 

 on the ship's side were stove in about two feet 

 below the water line, making a hole about five 

 inches in circumference. At the first alarm the 

 crew promptly and coolly repaired to their 

 quarters, and as the ram passed abreast of the 

 ship the entire port battery was discharged at 

 her. with what effect it was impossible to dis- 

 cover, owing to the darkness. 



The -sloops of war Preble and Vincennes, 

 and the smaller steamer Water Witch, were 

 lying at anchor a short distance below. A red 

 light was shown from the Eichmond as a sig- 

 nal of danger, and the vessels, having slipped 

 their cables, were under way in a few min- 

 utes. Soon, three large fire rafts stretching 



across the river were seen rapidly approaching, 

 while several large steamers and a bark-rigged 

 propeller were astern of them. The squadron, 

 however, moved down the river, and, under 

 the advice of the pilot, an attempt was made 

 to pass over the bar, but in the passage the 

 Vincennes and Eichmond grounded, while the 

 Preble went clear. This occurred about eight 

 o'clock in the morning, and fire was opened on 

 both sides. The shot of the fleet fell short, 

 while shells of the enemy burst around them, 

 or went beyond them. About half-past nine 

 o'clock the commander of the Eichmond made 

 a signal to the ships outside of the bar to get 

 under way. This was mistaken by Captain 

 Hardy of the Vincennes as a signal for him to 

 abandon his ship. Accordingly, with his offi- 

 cers and crew he left her, after having lighted 

 a slow match at the magazine. But as no ex- 

 plosion occurred for some time, he was ordered 

 to return and attempt to get her off shore. At 

 ten o'clock the enemy ceased firing. No one 

 was killed or wounded on the Federal fleet. 

 No damage was done to any vessel except to 

 the Eichmond. The schooner J. H. Toone was 

 captured, having about fifteen tons of coal on 

 board. 



The ram, as it was called, was the hull of a 

 steamer, iron-plated with railroad iron, and hav- 

 ing a projection on her bow beneath the water 

 line, sufficient to punch a hole in the hull of 

 a wooden vessel when struck with force. It 

 was under the command of Capt. Hollins, for- 

 merly of the United States navy, the officer 

 who was in command at the bombardment of 

 Greytown, Nicaragua. 



LYON, NATHANIEL, a general of volunteers 

 in the United States army, born at' Ashford, 

 Windham Co., Connecticut, July 14, 1819, 

 killed at the battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri, 

 August 10, 1861. His mother was a daughter 

 of Lieutenant Daniel Knowlton, who served 

 through the old French war and the Eevolu- 

 tion. Gen. Lyon graduated at the Military 

 Academy at West Point in 1841, and immedi- 

 ately received the appointment of second-lieu- 

 tenant in the second regiment of infantry. His 

 first field of service was Florida, during the lat- 

 ter part of the Seminole war, where lie distin- 

 guished himself as an able and energetic officer. 

 He was subsequently stationed for several years 

 at different posts on the western frontier. In 

 1847 he was promoted to a first-lieutenancy, 

 and upon the commencement of the war with 

 Mexico was again ordered to active service. 

 He joined Gen. Taylor at Monterey, and ac- 

 companied his regiment when it was detached 

 from the command of Gen. Taylor and placed 

 under that of Gen. Scott. He served at the 

 bombardment of Vera Cruz and the battles of 

 Cerro Gordo, Contreras, and Churubusco, and 

 for " meritorious conduct " received &?e brevet 

 rank of captain. At the close of the war with 

 Mexico, Gen. Lyon was ordered to California, 

 and detailed to service among the Indian tribes, 

 who had become troublesome, and while en- 



