May 9, 1862

May 9, 1862: Hilton Head, South Carolina: Maj. Gen. David Hunter, commander of the U.S. Department of the South, discovers that his bases, on the sea islands of South Carolina and Georgia, are nearly overrun by escaped blacks, whose masters have evacuated the coastal plantations—more than 12,000 escaped slaves. His plan: declare them to be freedmen, and draft them into the Army. (This in spite of the fact that the North does not use a military draft yet.) His proclamation declares: "The persons in these States — Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina— heretofore held as slaves, are therefore declared forever free." He then authorizes organzing the men into squads, companies, and eventually a regiment. He claims authority from the President for both measures–which he does not in fact have. Lincoln had no intention of a general arming of the slaves. Union troops visit contraband encampments to force black men into the colored troops companies.


Maj. Gen. David Hunter

—On this date, Confederate forces evacuate the city of Pensacola, Florida. The Rebels set fire to the forts, naval yard, and all military property.

—Confederate forces begin to evacuate Norfolk and the Naval Yard at Gosport across the Elizabeth River.

—In Washington, North Carolina, a fierce skirmish breaks out as Rebel cavalry make a dash into the town in a raid to capture Union officers. Pickets of the 24^th Massachusetts Infantry clash with them, and fired raking volleys into their ranks, killing the Rebel captain and several of his troopers, thus routing the raiding party. Rebel raiders do kill two Tarheel men who had volunteered for the new 1^st North Carolina Infantry Regiment, Union, by bashing out their brains.

—The Richmond Daily Dispatch publishes an editorial that denies the reports that Southern ladies in New Orleans are engaged in insulting behavior toward Union officers–something that Gen. Butler has said he would put a stop to:

We do not believe that Southern ladies would condescend to make indelicate and unladylike manifestations of their detestation of the invaders. They would not put themselves on a level with such creatures, nor unnecessarily expose themselves to insult. Their abhorrence of them is too intense and profound to babble like a shallow brook. It is too sacred and dignified to fret away its force in idle words.

Southern caricature of Ben Butler insulting Southern women

This is followed, in the same issue, with this editorial savaging Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler, whose gentlemanly qualities are scoffed at:

Bombastes Furioso [Butler] and his myrmidons are now in possession of New Orleans, and if anything could add to our sympathy with the generous and warm-hearted people of that city, it is that such a specimen of Yankeedom should be their Military Governor. A more polished and chivalric population cannot be found on this continent, and every instinct of their natures must revolt at the gross, vulgar tool of Yankee tyranny who is now lording it over a community who have never before seen such a being outside the guard-house. It was bad enough that they should be given over without a blow to the hands of the enemy, that their fortifications should be abandoned and blown up, their army taken away, and their own private arms taken with them; but that B. F. Butler should be put in command of the forsaken city, is the last drop in the bitter cup of humiliation and shame.–Of all the Yankee Generals, he has the least pretensions to the qualities of the soldier and the gentleman. A verier humbug, in a military point of view, was never created. . . . He is now in his element, sporting laurels which do not belong to him — an ass in a lion’s skin. We predict that General Butler will leave before the weather becomes excessively warm. His oleaginous carcass will evaporate speedily before the burning sun. The yellow fever will, before long, put an end in one way or another to the dominion of Bombastes, and open batteries upon his forces generally which can neither be resisted by power nor paralyzed by treason. . . .
　

Maj. Gen. Benjamin Franklin Butler, USA

*  The Spirit of Southern Women (who seem quite capable of insulting Union officers)--
---Julia LeGrand, a woman of New Orleans, writes in her diary:

New Orleans, May 9th [1862]. It has been long since we heard from our dear brother, for the letters I sent to his last encampment must have failed to reach him, and of late have had no means of communicating with him. I would have told him of events which have come to pass in this city at the time of their passing, but I have been too excited to take orderly note of anything. Before he sees this, if ever he does, he will have heard of the surrender of the city. A pitiful affair it has been. In the first place, Lovell, a most worthless creature, was sent here by Davis to superintend the defense of this city. He did little or nothing and the little he did was all wrong. Duncan, the really gallant defender of Fort Jackson, could get nothing that he needed, though he continually applied to Lovell. . . . First and last then, this city, the most important one in the Confederacy, has fallen, and Yankee troops are drilling and parading in our streets. Poor New Orleans! What has become of all your promised greatness! . . . Behold, what has now come to the city! Never can I forget the day that the alarm bell rang. I never felt so hopeless and forsaken. The wretched generals, left here with our troops, ran away and left them. Lovell knew not what to do; some say he was intoxicated, some say frightened. Of course the greatest confusion prevailed, and every hour, indeed almost every moment, brought its dreadful rumor. After it was known that the gunboats had actually passed, the whole city, both camp and street, was a scene of wild confusion. The women only did not seem afraid. They were all in favor of resistance, no matter how hopeless that resistance might be. . . . My dear, dear brother! We are filled with anxiety for him! Even if he is spared through this fight, when and where can we see him again! I feel wretched to think of his hardships and loneliness, hearing nothing from home. . . . This is a cruel war. These people [Federal troops] are treated with the greatest haughtiness by the upper classes and rudeness by the lower. They know how they are hated and hang their heads. Shopkeepers refuse to sell to them, and the traitor who hurried them up the river has to have a guard.

---Sarah Morgan, formerly of New Orleans, and now of Baton Rouge, writes of her defiance of the new Yankee occupiers of her city:

This is a dreadful war, to make even the hearts of women so bitter! I hardly know myself these last few weeks. I, who have such a horror of bloodshed, consider even killing in self-defense murder, who cannot wish them the slightest evil, whose only prayer is to have them sent back in peace to their own country, — I talk of killing them! For what else do I wear a pistol and carving-knife? I am afraid I will try them on the first one who says an insolent word to me. Yes, and repent for it ever after in sackcloth and ashes. Of if I was only a man! Then I could don the breeches, and slay them with a will! If some few Southern women were in the ranks, they could set the men an example they would not blush to follow. Pshaw! there are no women here! We are all men!