0 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁military ▁government ▁as ▁New ▁Orleans ▁City ▁Tre as urer . ▁He ▁served ▁until ▁his ▁election ▁to ▁Congress ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁along ▁with ▁Michael ▁H ahn ▁as ▁at - large ▁Representatives ▁of ▁Louisiana , ▁defe ating ▁independent ▁inc umb ent ▁J . ▁E . ▁B oul igny . ▁Fland ers ▁and ▁H ahn ▁were ▁not ▁se ated ▁in ▁Congress ▁until ▁the ▁last ▁fifteen ▁days ▁of ▁their ▁terms ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁▁▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁Fland ers ▁was ▁made ▁the ▁Captain ▁of ▁Company ▁C , ▁ 5 th ▁Regiment ▁Louisiana ▁Vol unte ers , ▁a ▁Union ▁Army ▁unit . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁honor ably ▁dis charg ed ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁Special ▁Agent ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Tre as ury ▁Department ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁Region ▁by ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Tre as ury ▁Sal mon ▁P . ▁Ch ase . ▁He ▁held ▁this ▁position ▁until ▁ 1 8 6 6 . ▁While ▁in ▁office , ▁he ▁generated ▁comm issions ▁for ▁the ▁government ▁by ▁s elling ▁conf isc ated ▁cot ton ▁from ▁Confeder ate ▁plant ations . ▁The ▁Department ▁of ▁Tre as ury ▁controlled ▁lic ens ing ▁of ▁cot ton ▁bro k ers , ▁trying ▁to ▁reg ulate ▁the ▁market , ▁but ▁a ▁black ▁market ▁fl our ished ▁for ▁the ▁luc r ative ▁sale ▁of