In the years following the New Orleans riot of 1866, armed bands roamed Louisiana. Brigadier-General Philip Sheridan, military governor of the district, estimated that in that decade over 3,500 persons, mostly black, were killed or wounded in frightful massacres in Bossier, Caddo, St. Landry, and Grant parishes.
In 1872, after the struggle for political control of the state reached a stalemate, violence began to be turned against the state itself. That year, the Republican candidate, William P. Kellog, was opposed by a coalition of dissident Republicans and Democrats backing John McEnery. The election was so muddled by fraud and coercion that it was impossible to determine who had won, and both sides claimed a victory. In January, 1873, as armed bands of whites and blacks paraded the streets, both candidates took oaths of office and set up rival legislatures. In March McEnery tried to assemble a militia force, but the New Orleans police, loyal to Kellog, dispersed the McEnery legislature. Kellog’s faction then became the de facto government.
The whites of the state organized White Leagues, which were para-military organizations, dedicated to the recapture of power for whites. Their numbers, which eventually reached over 25,000, included many reputable citizens and large property holders of the state. In September 1874 a shipment of rifles to the White League was confiscated by Governor Kellog’s order. The leaders of the League called a mass meeting to protest this infringement of their right to bear arms. The White League military companies demanded that Kellog resign. He refused, ordered his Adjutant General, James A. Longstreet of Confederate Army fame, to rally the militia and join with General A. S. Badger’s metropolitan police to defend his government, and then took refuge in the customs house.
The Canal Street meeting, numbering perhaps 5,000 or 6,000, then proclaimed McEnery Governor and D. B. Penn Lieutenant Governor. In McEnery’s absence, Penn took command of the insurgent forces. He issued a proclamation calling on all Louisianans to get arms and support him in “driving the usurpers from power.” At two p.m. on September 14 the White Leaguers captured the City Hall and the telegraph office. They next moved against the police and militia. In a short but bloody gun battle they routed the Kellog forces and effected a coup d’état. The White League lost 16 dead and 45 wounded, and the Longstreet-Kellog forces lost 11 dead and 60 wounded.
Kellog had, in the meantime, telegraphed President Grant, who ordered federal troops to put down the insurrection. This was done peacefully, since McEnery counselled against resisting federal force. Kellog resumed his functions on the 19th. But though the White League was temporarily defeated, the events of 1874 marked the beginning of the end of Reconstruction government. In 1876 the federal government refused to use force to support the Louisiana radical Republicans, the government collapsed and Reconstruction was at an end.
The following account of the White League battle was published in the New Orleans Republican and reprinted in Stuart Landry: The Battle of Liberty Place (1955). See Otis Singletary: Negro Militia and Reconstruction (1957); Ella Lonn: Reconstruction in Louisiana after 1868 (1918); C. Vann Woodward: Reunion and Reaction: The Compromise of 1877 and the End of Reconstruction (1951); Frederick T. Wilson: Federal Aid in Domestic Disturbances, 1787–1922, Senate Document No. 263, 67th Congress, 2nd Session; and Alcee Fortier: A History of Louisiana (1904).
This condition of things was reported to General Badger at that time at the Jackson square station, with nearly all his force. He had a Gatling gun and three small brass howitzers for canister. The several police captains had charge of their commands, all apparently well armed and the men in good spirits.
Meantime, the various companies of the White League, armed with every variety of weapon, appeared in the streets, taking position in various portions of the city. Fully 3000 armed men were in their ranks. The corner of Poydras and St. Charles Streets was selected by General Ogden, the Grand Commander of the League, with his staff, from which point the movements of the organization were directed. About four o’clock a barricade of lumber, boxes, iron plates from the street crossings etc., was thrown up across Camp Street.
A few minutes before four o’clock General Badger issued an order for his command to march. They started up near the levee and met with no opposition until near the head of Canal Street. Arrived on the levee,—the artillery—three brass pieces and two Gatling guns—were deployed, and the infantry properly detailed to support them. No organized enemy appeared to oppose them. They were on open ground, near the iron building, but almost instantly a dropping fire from behind hay and cotton bales commenced on them. Loose and lively moving crowds of citizens were on Canal, Common, Gravier and the cross streets, and on hearing each shot they rushed one way or the other.
The police took their exposed position surrounded by apparently 600 men behind the bales of cotton and hay. Their attention was directed somewhat up the levee, where the greater strength of the enemy seemed to be, and sitting on his horse, General Badger raised his hat and gave the order to fire. At the first discharge every loose citizen sought cover, and there was a tremendous stampede for the side streets. The excitement spread to Camp Street, and men knew not which way to turn. Many called, “It’s a false alarm; it is only done to keep carriages and cars away,” but the fight of the day was going on with unparalleled vindictiveness. At the first discharge of the cannon every cotton and hay bale seemed to blaze with fire. Only heads and arms were presented as targets for the Winchesters of the police. Badger sat his horse, encouraging his men, and seemed to have a charmed life, for several men dropped every second. Not a man flinched while he had support, but the fire of their almost unseen enemy swept them away like wheat before the reaper.
A fifth of the force lay on the levee dead or so wounded as to be unable to move. Not enough men were left unhurt to support the artillery, and standing at the guns were not one-half enough to work them. Unable to see hardly a foe fall, but the crack and blaze coming uncreasingly from the bulwarks before them, a fire from roofs and windows behind and above them commencing and a man falling at each report, the majority who could walk sought the iron building, carrying their wounded. All but the commands of Rey and Joseph, which were somewhat out of the line of the main fight were demoralized. Every man in sight was blackened with powder and stained with his own blood. Sergeant John McCann, a conspicuous target, stood discharging his Winchester till the last shot was gone, and then, unarmed, received a disabling wound in the leg. Badger still sat his horse, cheering his men, and Captain Gray, with every man of the artillery killed or wounded, was loading a piece without assistance as coolly as he would have inspected it in the armory.
The contest lasted not more than ten minutes, and then the police were driven back from their charge. The fire from roofs and windows and vantage places redoubled, and of those who reached the Customhouse only two were without a mark.
As the last of his men melted away General Badger still sitting conspicuously on his horse was made the target of a hundred Belgian rifles and was seen to fall as Gray drove home a charge in his gun. Private Simons, slightly hit, called for one man to go and help him take him away, but the fire was unremitting. Nearly all were disabled and there was no one to help. A retreat was made by the main body to the Customhouse and in the hands of the enemy were left two Gatling and one twelve pound gun.
The rest of the force retreated to Jackson Square station with all the guns, picketed the streets and prepared for further resistance.
When shots were heard in the neighborhood of the Customhouse, the Leagues in reserve on Poydras Street barricaded Tchoupitoulas, Magazine, Camp and Carondelet Streets crossings. Bridges were torn up and horse cars were taken from the tracks and used to build the barricades.
By this time nearly every place of business was closed, and the central portion of our city in a state of fiery excitement. Non-combatants were seldom disturbed, and they generally passed to and fro as they pleased. Curiosity led many men into dangerous positions, especially on Canal Street, where several unarmed men were wounded and killed.
General Ogden, commanding the White League, had his horse shot under him, and he barely escaped serious injury.
Owing to the general confusion the report found it almost a matter of impossibility to make a correct list of the killed and wounded.
General A. S. Badger, beloved of all his command and the object of universal admiration for his cool self-reliance and unflinching courage, fell pierced with three musket shot, though the one in the leg is the only serious one, being a bad fracture of the bone below the knee.
After the fight was over the dead and wounded were removed to the Customhouse, where Drs. Ames and Schumaker attended to the wants of those who needed their services.