d States Revenue Service stationed
in Southern cities were, generally, not only disloyal, but property
in their custody was without scruple turned over to the Confederate
authorities. The revenue cutters under charge and direction of
the Secretary of the Treasury were not only seized, but their
commanding officers in many cases deserted to the Confederacy and
surrendered them. A notable example is that of Captain Breshwood,
who commanded the revenue cutter _Robert McClelland_, stationed at
New Orleans. When ordered, January 29, 1861, to proceed with her
to New York, he refused to obey. This led John A. Dix, Secretary
of the Treasury, to issue his celebrated and patriotic "Shoot-him-
on-the-spot" order.(12) Louisiana had not at that time seceded,
but the cutter, with Captain Breshwood, went into the Confederacy.
So of all other such vessels coming within reach of the now much-
elated, over-confident, and highly excited Confederate authorities.

Before the end of February, 1861, the "Pelican Flag" was flying
over the Custom-House, Mint, City Hall, and everywhere in Louisiana.
At the New Orleans levees ships carried every flag on earth except
that of the United States. The only officer of the army there at
the time who was faithful to the country was Col. C. L. Kilburn,
of the Commissary Department, and he was preparing to escape
North.(13)

So masterful had become the spirit of the South, born of the nature
of the institution of slavery, that many disinclined to disunion
were carried away with the belief that it was soon to be an
accomplished fact, and that those who had favored it would alone
be the heroes, while those who remained with the broken Union would
be socially and forever ostracized. There were also many, indeed,
who seriously entertained the belief that the North, made up as it
was of merchants, manufacturers, farmers, and laborers, and with
the education and disposition to follow pursuits incident to money-
getting by their own personal efforts, would not be willing to
engage in war, and thus destroy their prospects. There were also
others who regarded Northern men as cowards, who, even if willing
to fight, would not at best be equal, a half dozen of them, to one
Southern man. These false notions were sincerely entertained.
The Southern people regarded slavery as ennobling to the white
race, and free white labor as degrading to the people of the free
States, and hence were confident of their own