ly to his military duties, the city which had
so long been under martial law was escaping out of the hands of the
civil authorities and fast lapsing into anarchy. Between one and two in
the afternoon Bailey landed, accompanied by Perkins, the first
lieutenant of the Cayuga; who, having shared his former perils, was
permitted to accompany him in this one also. "We took just a boat and a
boat's crew," writes Perkins, "with a flag of truce, and started off.
When we reached the wharf there were no officials to be seen; no one
received us, although the whole city was watching our movements, and the
levee was crowded in spite of a heavy rainstorm. Among the crowd were
many women and children, and the women were shaking rebel flags and
being rude and noisy. They were all shouting and hooting as we stepped
on shore.... As we advanced the mob followed us in a very excited state.
They gave three cheers for Jeff Davis and Beauregard and three groans
for Lincoln. Then they began to throw things at us, and shout 'Hang
them!' 'Hang them!' We both thought we were in a bad fix, but there was
nothing for us to do but just to go on." Mr. Cable has given his
description of the same scene: "About one or two in the afternoon, I
being in the store with but one door ajar, came a roar of shoutings and
imprecations and crowding feet down Common Street. 'Hurrah for Jeff
Davis!' 'Shoot them!' 'Kill them!' 'Hang them!' I locked the door of
the store on the outside and ran to the front of the mob, bawling with
the rest, 'Hurrah for Jeff Davis!' About every third man had a weapon
out. Two officers of the United States navy were walking abreast,
unguarded and alone, not looking to the right or left, never frowning,
never flinching, while the mob screamed in their ears, shook cocked
pistols in their faces, cursed, crowded, and gnashed upon them. So
through those gates of death those two men walked to the City Hall to
demand the town's surrender. It was one of the bravest deeds I ever saw
done."

Farragut's demand, made through Bailey, was that the flag of Louisiana
should be hauled down from the City Hall, and that of the United States
hoisted over the buildings which were its property, namely, the Custom
House, Post Office, and Mint. This the Mayor refused to do; and, as
Farragut had no force with which to occupy the city, it became a
somewhat difficult question to carry on an argument with the authorities
of a town protected by the presence of so ma