▁law ▁under ▁Charles ▁M . ▁Em erson . ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁he ▁left ▁this ▁study ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁school te acher ▁and ▁principal . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 5 , ▁Fland ers ▁became ▁editor ▁of ▁New ▁Orleans ▁Trop ic , ▁a ▁local ▁newspaper . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 7 ▁he ▁married ▁Susan ▁H . ▁S aw yer ▁in ▁Br istol , ▁New ▁Ham pshire . ▁She ▁returned ▁with ▁him ▁to ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁where ▁they ▁had ▁six ▁children ▁together . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁Fland ers ▁became ▁active ▁in ▁politics , ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Democratic ▁al der man ▁representing ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Municipal ▁District ▁of ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁serving ▁from ▁ 1 8 4 7 ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁secretary ▁and ▁tre as urer ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁Op el ous as ▁and ▁Great ▁Western ▁Rail road , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁he ▁fled ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁leaving ▁his ▁family ▁behind . ▁He ▁had ▁opposed ▁se cess ion , ▁and ▁sentiment ▁against ▁Union ists ▁was ▁very ▁strong . ▁ ▁Fland ers ▁made ▁his ▁way ▁to ▁C airo , ▁Illinois ; ▁Columb us , ▁Ohio ; ▁and ▁eventually , ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁return ▁to ▁New ▁Orleans ▁until ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁when ▁the ▁city ▁was ▁captured ▁by ▁Union ▁troops . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 2