132 The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War

issue a proclamation denouncing his former politi-cal ally as a felon who might be hanged withoutceremony; but after making due allowance for theextravagant bitterness of war-time, it seems a notunnatural commentary on the behaviour whichearned for the military governor of New Orleans the familiar sobriquet of “ Beast.”

The value of prompt action in warfare has neverbeen better illustrated than in Farragut’s captureof New Orleans . The blow was dealt before theenemy had completed his preparations for defence,and while his energies were distracted by the con-centrated advance of the Federal army upon Cor-inth. Its political value was great; it nipped inthe hud one of the many schemes of Napoleon III .for recognizing the independence of the Confed­ eracy . Its military value, in opening the lowerMississippi , was equally great, and would havebeen still greater if the army had cooperated withlike skill and promptness. The capture of New Orleans , taken in connection with the capture ofCorinth, ought to have entailed the immediate fallof Vicksburg and the complete conquest of theMississippi river; and but for the flagrant imbe-cility which then directed the movements of ourwestern armies, it would almost certainly havedone so. But we have now to enter upon a melan-choly tale.