Edition of 1879. Written by J. W. Hawes. See also Louisiana on Wikipedia, and the disclaimer.
LOUISIANA, one of the gulf states of the American Union, and the fifth admitted under the federal constitution, situated between lat. 28° 59' and 33° N., and lon. 88° 40' and 94° 10' W.; extreme length E. and W. about 300 m., extreme width N. and S. 240; area, 41,346 sq. m. It is bounded N. by Arkansas (on the parallel of 33°) and Mississippi (on the parallel of 31°); E. by the gulf of Mexico and Mississippi, from which above lat. 31° it is separated by the Mississippi river, and below that parallel by Pearl river; S. by the gulf of Mexico; and W. by Texas, from which through the southern two thirds of the line it is separated by the Sabine river and lake.
↑ Corresponding nearly with the census year of 1870.
—The French after their establishment in Canada explored the Mississippi to the sea in 1682, but made no settlement near its mouth before 1699, when Iberville founded his first colony at Biloxi, now in Mississippi. In 1702 settlements were made on Dauphine island and at Mobile, now in Alabama. At this time and for 60 years afterward the Perdido river was the eastern boundary of the province of Louisiana. New Orleans, the first permanent settlement within the present limits of the state, was founded in 1718, and became the seat of the colonial government, transferred from Mobile, in 1722. In 1717 the province of Louisiana was granted, with extensive powers and privileges, to a corporation known as the “Western Company,” or “Company of the Mississippi.” Notwithstanding the disastrous failure of John Law's “Mississippi scheme,” with which this company was intimately connected, the population and general prosperity of Louisiana were greatly advanced under its proprietorship, which continued for 15 years. Its charter was surrendered to the crown in 1732. The French remained in possession of Louisiana till 1762, when they ceded it to Spain. Little improvement was effected under the new rule, which was never popular. In 1800 it was retroceded to France, which in 1803 sold it to the United States for the sum of $15,000,000. The region comprehended in this purchase included all the country W. of the Mississippi not occupied by Spain, as far N. as British territory, and comprises the whole or part of the present states of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oregon, the Indian territory, and the territories of Colorado, Dakota, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming. The American flag was first raised in New Orleans on Dec. 20, 1803. By the act of congress of March 26, 1804, the territory was divided into two governments, that of Orleans including the present state of Louisiana W. of the Mississippi and a portion E. of that river, and that of Louisiana all the country N. and W. of it. On Feb. 11, 1811, an act of congress was passed to enable the inhabitants to form a constitution and state government; and by a subseqent act of April 8, 1812, the territory of Orleans was admitted into the Union under the title of the state of Louisiana. By the act of April 14, 1812, the remainder of the region E. of the Mississippi now under the jurisdiction of the state, which, claimed by Spain, had been taken possession of the year before by the United States, was added. On June 4, 1812, the territory theretofore known as Louisiana had its designation altered to Missouri. The share that Louisiana took in the war of 1812 is familiar to all. The great battle fought at New Orleans, Jan. 8, 1815, in which the British sustained a total defeat, was the crowning event of the period, and the last hostile engagement between the two nations. New constitutions were framed in 1845 and 1852. The vote of the state at the presidential election in 1860 was: for Breckinridge, 22,681; Bell, 20,204; Douglas, 7,625. Soon after the election of Lincoln became known the governor issued a proclamation convening the legislature for Dec. 10. This body met at the appointed time, and on the following day passed an act calling a convention of the people to meet Jan. 23, 1861. The election for delegates was held Jan. 8, and the convention passed an ordinance of secession on Jan. 26 by a vote of 113 to 17, having by a vote of 84 to 45 refused to submit the question to the people. The vote for delegates, subsequently published under the auspices of the secessionists, stood 20,448 in favor of secession to 17,296 against. On March 21 the constitution of the Confederate States was ratified in convention by a vote of 101 to 7; ordinances were also passed transferring to the confederacy all fortifications, arsenals, lighthouses, &c., within the state. On Jan. 10 Forts Jackson and St. Philip, on opposite banks of the Mississippi, 75 m. below New Orleans, and commanding the approach to that city, had been taken possession of by state troops, and about the same time Fort Livingstone on Grande Terre island, Barataria bay, and Fort Pike at the entrance of Lake Pontchartrain, were also occupied. The arsenal at Baton Rouge was seized on Jan. 11, with 50,000 stand of small arms, a number of cannon, and considerable ammunition; and the United States mint and custom house at New Orleans, with a large sum of money, were seized on the 31st. The first military movement of importance in the state was the capture of New Orleans. The federal fleet consisted of 47 armed vessels, with 310 guns and mortars, under command of Capt. (afterward Admiral) Farragut; the land forces were commanded by Gen. Benjamin F. Butler. The fleet reached the vicinity of Forts Jackson and St. Philip on April 17, 1862, and found the river defended also by an ironclad carrying 16 guns, the formidable ram Manassas, and a number of gunboats, fire ships, chains, and other obstructions. After several days' bombardment and the removal of some of the obstructions, Capt. Farragut ran past the forts on the 24th with some loss, destroying the confederate fleet, and reached New Orleans the next day. On the 28th the forts surrendered, and on May 1 Gen. Butler took possession of the city, the confederates under Gen. Mansfield Lovell having abandoned it. Forts Pike and Wood at the entrance of Lake Pontchartrain were also taken. On the 7th Baton Rouge was reduced by the fleet, and on Aug. 5 an attack of the confederates on the Union force stationed here was repulsed, with a Union loss of 90 killed and 250 wounded; the confederate loss being probably about the same. On Dec. 14 Gen. Banks superseded Gen. Butler, who turned over to him 17,800 men, including three regiments and two batteries of colored troops. Early in January, 1863, attempts were made to open the Atchafalaya, but the forces were withdrawn to assist Admiral Farragut in running past Port Hudson, which he accomplished on the night of March 13-14. A movement was again begun on the Atchafalaya early in April; Opelousas was occupied on the 20th, and on May 2 the Atchafalaya was open to the Red river. On May 5-9 an advance was made to Alexandria. All the state except the N. W. corner was now in possession of the federal forces. Port Hudson was invested on the land side on May 25, and was besieged until July 8, when it surrendered, Gen. Banks having in the mean time made two ineffectual assaults. Early in June the confederates under Gen. Richard Taylor reoccupied Alexandria and Opelousas, and on the 22d took possession of Brashear City, and overran the adjacent country; but after the fall of Port Hudson they retired W. of the Atchafalaya, evacuating Brashear City on July 22. The Red river expedition, which took place the following year, had Shreveport for its objective point. Gen. Banks was aided by a force under Gen. A. J. Smith and by a fleet under Admiral Porter. The rendezvous was at Alexandria, which was occupied March 16, 1864. The fleet, embarrassed by low water, could with difficulty get beyond Grand Ecore, 100 m. from Shreveport. The troops advanced to Sabine Cross Roads, where they were met, April 8, by superior forces under Gens. Kirby Smith, Taylor, Mouton, and Green, and compelled to retreat, with heavy loss. The next day the enemy attacked again at Pleasant Hill, but were repulsed with loss. From this point the federals continued to retreat, somewhat harassed by the confederates, to Alexandria, where the fleet was detained by the rapids. At length (May 13) the vessels were all got over, through the engineering skill of Lieut. Col. Joseph Bailey, when the town was evacuated and accidentally burned. Soon after Gen. Banks was superseded by Gen. Canby. On Dec. 4, 1862, the first two congressional districts, comprising Orleans and adjacent parishes in the delta of the Mississippi, being in the possession of the Union forces, an election was held by order of Gen. Butler, those being entitled to vote who were qualified electors under the laws in force prior to secession, and who since the capture of New Orleans had taken the oath of allegiance. In the first district Benjamin F. Flanders and in the second Michael Hahn, both unconditional Union men, were elected, and they were subsequently admitted to their seats. Local courts were early organized by the military governors in New Orleans, and in December, 1862, a provisional court for the state, with one judge having full powers at law, in equity and admiralty, and in criminal matters, was organized by President Lincoln. In April, 1863, judges of the supreme court were appointed by the same authority. The affairs of the state continued under the control of the military, aided by these instrumentalities. On Feb. 22, 1864, in accordance with the proclamation of the president of Dec. 8, 1863, an election for state officers was held, the portion of the state within the federal lines comprising 11 parishes and parts of 6 others, having, in 1860, 233,185 inhabitants, and lying mainly in the delta E. of Bayou Teche, and along both banks of the Mississippi as far up as Baton Rouge. Qualified electors under the laws existing prior to secession, who had taken the oath of allegiance and sworn to abide by the laws and proclamations relating to slavery, were permitted to vote. Refugees and soldiers were allowed to vote in the precincts where they happened to be. Michael Hahn was elected governor, the whole number of votes cast being 11,414, and was inaugurated March 4. On the 15th he was invested by the president with the powers of a military governor. On March 28 an election of delegates to a constitutional convention was held. This body sat from April 6 to July 23, and adopted a constitution abolishing slavery and providing for the education of both colors, which on Sept. 5 was ratified by the people by a vote of 6,836 to 1,566. Five congressmen (Unionists) were at the same time chosen, who however were not admitted to seats; and a legislature was elected almost unanimously in favor of a free state, which subsequently ratified the 13th amendment to the constitution of the United States and chose presidential electors; but the vote of the state was not counted, nor were the senators admitted to seats in congress. On March 4, 1865, Gov. Hahn, who had been elected one of the United States senators, resigned, and was succeeded by Lieut. Gov. Wells, who on Nov. 6 was reëlected. The legislature chosen at the same time, which was almost unanimously democratic, elected United States senators, who were not admitted to seats. On July 30, 1866, a riot occurred in New Orleans, which created much excitement throughout the country, and in which many lives were lost. The occasion was the reassembling of the constitutional convention of 1864, which had adjourned subject to the call of its president, and the powers of which it was asserted by some had not expired. Under the reconstruction acts of 1867 Louisiana was with Texas created the fifth military district, and placed in charge of Gen. Sheridan, who assumed command March 19. On June 3 he removed Gov. Wells, and B. F. Flanders was appointed in his stead. A registration of voters was had under the provisions of the reconstruction acts, and 45,218 white and 84,436 colored voters were enrolled. In August Gen. Sheridan was removed by President Johnson, and the command devolved upon Gen. Mower until the arrival of Gen. Hancock, Nov. 29. An election to decide the question of a convention and for delegates was held Sept. 27 and 28, when 75,083 votes were cast in favor of and 4,006 against a convention. This body met in New Orleans Nov. 23, and remained in session till March 9, 1868, agreeing upon a constitution, which was ratified at a popular election held April 17 and 18 by a vote of 66,152 to 48,739. At the same time Henry C. Warmoth, republican, was elected governor, and a legislature republican in both branches was chosen. In March Gen. Hancock was removed, and Gen. R. C. Buchanan was appointed in his place. On June 25 an act of congress was passed admitting the state to representation; and on the 29th the state legislature met, and subsequently ratified the 14th amendment and elected United States senators. Gov. Warmoth was inaugurated July 13, and the same day the government was transferred to the civil authorities. At the ensuing presidential election most of the colored voters remained away from the polls through alleged apprehension of violence from the whites, and the democratic electors received a large majority. The 15th amendment to the constitution of the United States was ratified by a vote of 18 to 3 in the senate on Feb. 27, 1869, and of 55 to 9 in the house on March 1. The state election of 1872 occurred on Nov. 4, William P. Kellogg, republican, and John McEnery, democrat, being the candidates for governor, and at the same time presidential electors were voted for. Immediately afterward serious trouble arose from charges of fraud and illegality in the election, and from the existence of boards of returning officers in the interest of each candidate, both claiming to be legal. By the one the state ticket headed by Kellogg and a legislature largely republican, and by the other McEnery and a democratic legislature, were declared elected. As to presidential electors, one board of canvassers returned that the Grant and Wilson ticket had a majority of 14,634; the other board returned that the Greeley and Brown ticket had a majority of 6,492. In counting the electoral votes (February, 1873), congress threw out both returns from Louisiana and so the state cast no official vote for president. In January, 1873, both claimants for the governorship took the oath of office, and both legislatures assembled; but Kellogg having been recognized by the federal executive, active opposition soon ceased. On Sept. 14, 1874, Kellogg's opponents in New Orleans, under the lead of D. B. Penn, lieutenant governor on the McEnery ticket, rose in arms, and on the following morning took possession of the state house, Kellogg seeking refuge in the custom house. The president, on the call of Kellogg, issued a proclamation on the 15th commanding the Penn party to disperse within five days, and troops were ordered to New Orleans. Penn accordingly disbanded his forces, and on the 19th Kellogg returned to the state house and resumed the government.