Union forces led by Admiral David Farragut captured New Orleans, the Confederacy's largest city and most important port, after a successful naval campaign that broke through Confederate defenses at Forts Jackson and St. Philip.

The fall of New Orleans in 1862 marked a pivotal moment in the American Civil War, dealing a severe blow to the Confederacy's control over the Mississippi River. As the South's largest city and busiest port, New Orleans held strategic importance for both military operations and economic stability during the conflict.

Union forces led by Flag Officer David Farragut launched a daring naval campaign to capture the city in April 1862. Despite the Confederate's strong fortifications at Forts Jackson and St. Philip, which guarded the approach to New Orleans, Farragut's fleet successfully navigated past these defenses in a bold nighttime operation. The city fell to Union control on April 25, 1862, becoming one of the earliest major Confederate cities to be captured during the war.

New Orleans stood as the Confederacy's largest city with 168,000 residents in 1860. The city's location at the mouth of the Mississippi River created a vital commercial hub connecting international trade routes to the American heartland.

The port's economic significance manifested in three key aspects:

• Processing 60% of the Confederacy's cotton exports through its wharves
• Handling imports of military supplies from European trading partners
• Managing financial transactions worth $200 million annually

The Mississippi River system provided critical military advantages:

• Control of north-south river transportation routes
• Access to western Confederate territories
• Protection of supply lines to Confederate armies
• Naval staging points for offensive operations

Economic Metrics (1860)	Value
Annual Cotton Exports	$100M
Total Trade Volume	$500M
Ships per Year	4,000
Warehouse Capacity	1.2M tons

The city's industrial capacity supported Confederate military efforts through:

• Naval shipbuilding facilities

• Munitions manufacturing plants

• Food processing centers

• Military supply warehouses

• Forts Jackson and St. Philip guarding river approaches

• Naval flotilla of ironclad vessels

• Artillery batteries along riverbanks

• Organized militia forces of 3,000 troops

Admiral David Farragut led the Union Navy's ambitious operation to capture New Orleans in April 1862, commanding a fleet of 43 vessels through the lower Mississippi River. The campaign demonstrated Farragut's tactical excellence in riverine warfare.

Farragut assembled his fleet at the Mississippi River delta on April 8, 1862, consisting of 17 warships, 19 mortar schooners 7 gunboats. The flotilla included advanced steam-powered vessels:

• USS Hartford (Farragut's 25-gun flagship)
• USS Brooklyn (24 guns)
• USS Richmond (22 guns)
• USS Pensacola (23 guns)

The fleet navigated through multiple challenges:

• Removed river obstacles including logs chains submerged barriers
• Cleared Confederate floating mines ("torpedoes")
• Managed shallow water passages during spring floods
• Coordinated movements in narrow river channels

Farragut executed a bold night assault on April 24, 1862, to bypass the Confederate strongholds:

Defense Point	Confederate Forces
Fort Jackson	74 guns
Fort St. Philip	52 guns
River Fleet	12 vessels

The breakthrough operation included:

• Sustained bombardment of forts for 6 days
• Cutting through iron chain barriers across the river
• Direct ship-to-fort artillery exchanges
• Defeating Confederate ironclad CSS Manassas
• Pushing past fort defenses with minimal vessel losses

The fleet successfully passed the forts at 3:30 AM, losing only 3 vessels while destroying 8 Confederate ships. This maneuver secured control of the lower Mississippi approaches to New Orleans.

The Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip marked a critical 6-day engagement from April 18-24, 1862, that determined the fate of New Orleans. These Confederate strongholds, located 70 miles downriver from New Orleans, represented the primary defensive barrier protecting the city from naval assault.

Confederate naval forces assembled a defensive fleet of 12 vessels, including the ironclad CSS Louisiana and the ram CSS Manassas. The Confederate ships positioned themselves strategically between the two forts, creating an integrated defense system with:

• An iron chain barrier spanning 800 feet across the Mississippi
• 8 fire rafts loaded with pine knots and resin
• 116 heavy guns distributed between both forts
• 3 flotillas of gunboats stationed at strategic river positions

Union forces launched an intense bombardment campaign against the Confederate fortifications on April 18, 1862. The assault included:

Bombardment Statistics	Numbers
Union Mortar Boats	21
Shells Fired	16,800
Direct Hits on Forts	7,500
Duration (hours)	144

Porter's mortar flotilla maintained a steady rate of fire every 10 minutes, concentrating on Fort Jackson which absorbed 75% of the bombardment. The sustained artillery assault:

• Disabled 15 Confederate guns
• Destroyed Fort Jackson's citadel
• Flooded the fort's magazine chambers
• Disrupted communication lines between the forts
• Demoralized the Confederate garrison of 700 men

The bombardment's effectiveness created the conditions for Farragut's successful passage past the forts on April 24, leading directly to New Orleans' capture the following day.

On April 25, 1862, New Orleans surrendered to Union forces after Flag Officer David Farragut's fleet arrived at the city. The Confederate military evacuated the city before Union forces took control, marking a strategic victory for the North.

Confederate General Mansfield Lovell ordered an immediate evacuation of troops from New Orleans after learning of Farragut's breakthrough at Forts Jackson and St. Philip. The retreating Confederate forces:

• Destroyed 15 merchant ships
• Burned 12 incomplete warships
• Demolished cotton bales worth $4 million
• Sabotaged military supplies
• Evacuated 3,000 Confederate troops northward to Camp Moore

Destroyed Confederate Assets	Quantity/Value
Merchant Ships	15
Incomplete Warships	12
Cotton Bales	$4 million
Military Personnel Evacuated	3,000

Union forces established control of New Orleans through a series of coordinated actions:

• Captain Bailey raised the U.S. flag over the New Orleans Mint
• Marines from USS Pensacola secured the Custom House
• General Benjamin Butler arrived with 5,000 troops on May 1
• Union forces established 8 military districts within the city
• Federal authorities implemented strict martial law regulations

Union Occupation Forces	Number
Initial Marine Units	250
Butler's Army Troops	5,000
Military Districts Created	8

The occupation transformed New Orleans into a Federal stronghold, establishing Union control over the lower Mississippi River region. Union forces maintained order through martial law while implementing new administrative systems for governing the captured city.

The fall of New Orleans dealt a devastating blow to Confederate military capabilities, disrupting vital supply chains and communication networks. The loss compromised the South's ability to maintain effective military operations across multiple fronts.

The capture of New Orleans crippled the Confederate economy by severing access to international markets. Cotton exports dropped by 95% from pre-war levels, while the loss of customs revenue—previously generating $20 million annually—severely limited the Confederate government's financing abilities. European recognition of the Confederacy became increasingly unlikely after the loss of their primary commercial gateway. The city's industrial capacity, including 5 iron foundries 3 shipyards, transitioned to supporting Union military needs instead of Confederate forces.

• Block Confederate supply movements between Texas Arkansas Louisiana
• Prevent essential salt shipments from reaching Confederate armies
• Intercept communications between Confederate commands east west of the river
• Launch amphibious operations against riverside Confederate positions

Mississippi River Control Impact	Before Capture	After Capture
Confederate River Access (miles)	1,200	400
Supply Routes Available	12	4
River Ports Under Confederate Control	18	7
Monthly Supply Tonnage	50,000	12,000

• New Orleans fell to Union forces on April 25, 1862, marking one of the earliest captures of a major Confederate city during the Civil War
• Admiral David Farragut led a successful naval campaign with 43 vessels, breaking through Confederate defenses at Forts Jackson and St. Philip in a daring night operation
• As the South's largest city and busiest port, New Orleans was strategically crucial for the Confederacy, handling 60% of Confederate cotton exports and $200M in annual transactions
• The Union victory severely impacted Confederate military capabilities by disrupting supply chains, cutting off international trade routes, and dividing Confederate territories
• The capture effectively gave Union forces control of the lower Mississippi River, dealing a major economic and strategic blow to the Confederate war effort

The fall of New Orleans on April 25 1862 stands as a defining moment in the American Civil War. The Union's successful naval campaign under Admiral Farragut demonstrated the power of strategic naval operations and marked a critical turning point in the conflict.

The loss of this vital port city dealt a devastating blow to Confederate military and economic capabilities. Beyond the immediate military impact the capture of New Orleans severely weakened the South's international standing and diminished its chances of securing foreign recognition.

This pivotal victory showcased the Union's growing naval superiority and proved instrumental in securing control of the Mississippi River - a strategic advantage that would help bring the Civil War to its eventual conclusion.