When Admiral David Farragut’s fleet ran the gauntlet past the forts south of the city in April 1862, New Orleans fell without a ground battle. Confederate General Mansfield Lovell retreated from City Hall through the CBD to the train station, evacuating what troops he could before Union forces occupied the city. The route from Lafayette Square to the old Canal Street depot traces the Confederate withdrawal — the moment the richest city in the Confederacy changed hands and the course of the western war shifted permanently.
Quick facts
- ·In April 1862, Admiral Farragut's fleet ran the gauntlet past the forts south of the city, and New Orleans fell without a ground battle.
- ·Confederate General Mansfield Lovell retreated from City Hall through the CBD to the Canal Street train station.
- ·The route from Lafayette Square to the old depot traces the Confederate withdrawal.
- ·New Orleans was the richest city in the Confederacy — its fall shifted the course of the western war permanently.
- ·The city remained under Union occupation for the rest of the war, governed by the notorious General Benjamin 'Beast' Butler.
- ·Walk from Lafayette Square down Camp St to Canal St to follow the retreat route.
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Editorial content compiled with AI assistance. Place details verified against public records.