a mass of flames.

"The crowds on the levee howled and screamed with rage. The swarming
decks answered never a word; but one old tar on the 'Hartford,'
standing with lanyard in hand, beside a great pivot-gun, so plain to
view that you could see him smile, silently patted its big black
breech and blandly grinned."

As the masts of the fleet came up the river, a young man stepped out
upon the roof of the City Hall, and swiftly hoisted the flag of the
State of Louisiana. When the ships came up, two officers were sent
ashore to demand the surrender of the city; and shoulder to shoulder
the two old sailors marched through a howling, cursing mob to the City
Hall. The mayor refused to surrender the city, saying that Farragut
already had captured it. The officers went back to their ships, and
the flag still floated. Two days later the officers, with a hundred
sailors and marines, returned and demanded that the flag be hauled
down. No one in the city would tear it down, and the Federals went up
to the roof to lower it themselves. The street and surrounding
housetops were crowded with a hostile people, all armed. No one could
tell that the fall of the flag would not be followed by a volley from
the undisciplined populace. The marines in front of the building stood
grouped about two loaded howitzers that bore upon the darkly muttering
crowd. Violence was in the air. As the two officers rose to go to the
roof, the mayor, a young Creole, left the room and descended the
stairs. Quietly he stepped out into the street, and without a word
stood before one of the howitzers, his arms folded, eying the gunner,
who stood with lanyard in hand, ready to fire at the word of command.
The flag fell slowly from the staff. Not a sound arose from the crowd.
All were watching the mayor, who stood coldly looking on death. The
Federal officers came down carrying the flag. A few sharp commands,
and the marines tramped away down the street, with the howitzers
clanking behind them. The crowd cheered for Mayor Monroe and
dispersed, and New Orleans became again a city of the United States.

CHAPTER XIV.

ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI. -- FORTS JACKSON AND ST. PHILIP SURRENDER.
-- THE BATTLE AT ST. CHARLES. -- THE RAM "ARKANSAS." --
BOMBARDMENT AND CAPTURE OF PORT HUDSON.

While New Orleans was thus excited over the capture of the city, the
soldiers in the forts below were debating as to the course they should
adopt. They had not surre