Baton Rouge, Louisiana

“ Baton Rouge was one of the earliest French settlements in the state. As a part of West Florida, it passed into the hands of the British in 1763, and in 1779 was captured by Bernardo Galvez, the Spanish governor of Louisiana. The town was incorporated in 1817. In 1849 it was made the state capital, remaining so until 1862, when Shreveport became the Confederate state capital. In 1864 the Unionists made New Orleans the seat of government. The Secession Ordinance of Louisiana was passed on the 26th of January 1861 by a convention that met at Baton Rouge. ”

“ Baton Rouge, the last place at which we see high land, in descending the Mississippi, must, I think, originally have been the confines of the Mexican Gulf; for, if here we preserve an east course, we pretty generally find the same appearance in the complexion of the earth and its productions, that are to be met with at the entrance of lake Ponchantrain into the gulf ”

“ As you say, I have stolen his boat, stolen his wine, stolen his fried potatoes, stolen his waistcoats. But, bear witness, I drew the line at his neckties. Nowhere else, however!” And as I added this I looked at her narrowly.
“Will you put us ashore?” she asked, her color rising.
“No.”
“We’re coming to a town.”
“Baton Rouge. The capital of Louisiana. A quaint and delightful city of some sixty thousand inhabitants. The surrounding country is largely devoted to the sugar industry. But we do not stop. Tell me, are you engaged?” ”

“ The district is under the control of Congress, but has no representatives; and its municipal affairs are regulated by three commissioners appointed by the President and Senate.
51. Which is the “City of the Red Staff”?
Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is said that when the place was first settled, there was growing on the spot a cypress (the bark of which tree is of a reddish color) of immense [29] size and prodigious height, entirely free from branches, except at its very top. One of the settlers playfully remarked that this tree would make a handsome cane ”

“ At Baton Rouge, on both sides of the river, the face of the country assumes one uniform champaign appearance, the highest part of the earth being that directly on the banks of the river; so that when the river is swelled by the spring floods beyond its banks, the water, which escapes in this way, never gets back to its parent stream; but discharges itself on the west into the bay of St. Bernard, and on the east into lake Ponchantran and the bay of Pensacola. However, the quantity which passes by these routs is much less now than it formerly was ”

“ Louisiana, Jannette Hoston, a student at Southern University, and six of her colleagues took seats at a lunch counter in Kress' Department Store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on March 29, 1960. [2] In Kress', as in Sitman's Drug Store in No. 26 where Negroes are considered 'very good customers,' a segregation policy is maintained only with regard to the service of food. ”

“ Population, five thousand one hundred and forty-one.
Baton Rouge, a beautiful village on the eastern bank of the Mississippi, one hundred and fifty miles above New Orleans, is the capital of a parish of the same name in the eastern district of Louisiana. It is a small town, situated on the last bluff that is seen on descending the river, and about thirty or forty feet above its highest overflow. The village is tolerably compact, and the United States’ barracks are built in a very handsome style. ‘The town itself,’ says Mr. ”

“ These may now be put to labor upon public works, convict farms, or in manufactories owned or controlled by the State. Persons sentenced to the parish jails may be put to work upon public works within the parish. The State institution for the blind and that for the deaf and dumb are each situated at Baton Rouge. Charitable hospitals are maintained at New Orleans and at Shreveport. The State Insane Asylum is located at Jackson.
Education. The educational reports of Louisiana for recent years show that the State is in a fair way of redeeming its educational reputation. ”

“ The laws of Spain and the Catholic religion existed in that district. Baton Rouge was the site of a Spanish fort, in which a small garrison was stationed. A large part of the population were emigrants from the south-western States, and claimed the right of transfer with the people of Louisiana. They made an unsuccessful effort to throw off the Spanish yoke in 1805. In this district, and amongst these Americans, Mr. Clark spent several months, preaching and teaching. ”

“ The slaves are addicted to theft, but the free blacks much more so. They, poor wretches, have had the privilege of getting drunk, and they avail themselves of it. The heaviest scourge of New Orleans is its multitudes of free black and coloured people. They wallow in debauchery, are quarrelsome and saucy, and commit crimes, in proportion to the slaves, as a hundred to one.
The population of Louisiana is supposed to be, at present, between two and three hundred thousand. After New Orleans, the most populous parishes are Baton Rouge, Feliciana, Rapidé, and Natchitoches. ”

“ A week later all the troops were withdrawn to Baton Rouge. Banks with the larger part of the army left for an expedition in Western Louisiana and our Division was left to garrison Baton Rouge. We took up again the daily routine of picket duty, guard duty, and drill, varied occasionally by a [Pg 31] night alarm from the picket line when we would hastily fall in in the darkness and prepare to meet an enemy that did not come. Such was our life for two months. Its monotony was broken on the 2d of May when Grierson with his troopers dusty, haggard and wayworn, rode into Baton Rouge. ”

“ The land slopes almost imperceptibly to the southeast. The bottom lands of the Mississippi River at the Arkansas line have an elevation of 130 feet, at Natchez 66 feet, at Baton Rouge 34 feet, at New Orleans 15 feet. The average elevation of the State is only about 75 feet above sea level. All the rivers have flood plains of generous width, more or less liable to inundation at times of high water. ”

“ I remember the day the arsenal at Baton Rouge was seized by Louisiana, and all the citizens and the college girls marched down to the barracks on the river to see our soldiers drill. The women and girls went to work making clothes and little conveniences for the soldiers to take with them. In a few weeks we were thrilled with enthusiasm when our first companies marched through the city with their knapsacks, blankets, and a half loaf of bread strapped on their backs. Poor boys, they lived to learn that "a half loaf is better than none." ”

“ When the West Florida revolution was crowned with success and an addition of new territory to the United States resulted, Mississippi received her portion as well as Louisiana. When in the days of the American Revolution the notorious Willing came down from Philadelphia, ostensibly to protect but really to rob, our district of Baton Rouge felt his vulture clutch as keenly as did your district of Natchez. ”

“ Reeds and canes even grow upon the hill sides; which, with the oaks, walnuts, tulip-trees, &c. are a sure sign of a good and rich soil. And all along the Missisippi on both sides, Dumont tells, "The lands, which are all free from inundations, are excellent for culture, particularly those about Baton Rouge, Cut-Point, Arkansas, Natchez, and Yasous, which produce Indian corn, tobacco, indigo, &c. and all kinds of provisions and esculent plants, with little or no care or labour, and almost without culture ”

“ By virtue of the authority in me vested by Article V, Section 14, of the Constitution of Louisiana, I, Huey P. Long, Governor of Louisiana, do hereby convene the Legislature of Louisiana in extraordinary session at the State Capitol, in the City of Baton Rouge, for a period not to exceed eighteen (18) days, beginning at eight o’clock p. ”

“ From the town of Opelousas, in Louisiana, to the settlement on the Calcasieu, and from Thibedeauville, by Williamsburgh, to Newport. From St. Helena to Baton Rouge. From Point Coupee courthouse, down the west side of the river, passing West Baton Rouge courthouse, and Iberville courthouse, to Donaldson. From Port Hudson down the river to Port Hickley, and crossing the river there and uniting with the route from Point Coupee courthouse, to West Baton Rouge courthouse, on the west bank of the river. ”

“ ITEM NO. 10: To provide relative to approval of a maximum salary to be set by the Governor for department secretaries as provided in Title 36 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950. ITEM NO. 11: To amend and reenact R.S. 47:301 (16) (l) to provide that tangible personal property shall not include other constructions permanently attached to the land for purposes of the state sales and use tax.
ITEM NO. 12: To amend the state revenue sharing distribution allocation for the parish of East Baton Rouge to include the millage for the Zachary Community School Board. ”

“ To hold Baton Rouge about 3,000 men were detached, under Chickering, including the 41st Massachusetts, 173d New York, 175th New York, 1st Indiana heavy artillery, 3d Louisiana native guards, Mack's battery, and Troop F of the Rhode Island cavalry. ”

“ When Louisiana was transferred to the United States, Grandpré was commandant at Baton Rouge. The American inhabitants of this district began a revolt, which Grandpré severely repressed. Upon the successful revolt of the same province in 1810, a son of the commandant was killed while defending the post of Baton Rouge. During the British advance against New Orleans, Grandpré sided with his former enemies, and boarded one of their warships. His later history is unknown.—Ed. ”

“ Asylum, Catholic Male Orphan, 114 Female do, 110 Male do, 113 Milne do, 116 Poydras Female do, 113 Les dames de la Providence, 114 Attakapas Prairie, 38 Parish, 39 produces abundance of live oak, 33 [Pg 208] Atchafalaya lands, 34 Bank of Louisiana, 155 Louisiana State, 153 Canal, 155 City, 154 Mechanics' and Traders', 153 Gas, 154 Banks' Arcade, 156 Bard, Captain, Return of, 16 Bar of New Orleans, 79 Barracks, the United States, 86 Baton Rouge taken, 24 Battle Ground, 196 Bayou St. ”

“ Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Terrebonne, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, West Feliciana, and Winn in the State of Louisiana ”

“ The Federals are cutting down all our beautiful woods near the Penitentiary, to throw up breastworks, some say. Cannon are to be planted on the foundation of Mr. Pike's new house; everybody is in a state of expectation. Honestly, if Baton Rouge has to be shelled, I shall hate to miss the fun. ”

“ Louisiana: East Baton Rouge: LSU 11, 1643-44, City Park Lake in Baton Rouge; TU 17237, Amite River "near" Baton Rouge. St. Tammany: TU 6356, headwater creek of Bayou Lacombe; TU 16071, USNM 66147, mouth of Tchefuncta Creek in Lake Pontchartrain. Tangipahoa: TU 13623, 3.1 mi. W Hammond; USNM 68054, Robert. Washington: KU 50840, 50846, TU 17117, Pearl River at Varnado. Parish unknown (East Baton Rouge or Tangipahoa) : UMMZ 95614, Manchac.
[509]
Mississippi: Chickasaw: USNM 115981, Chookatonkchie Creek. Clarke: USNM 79350-51, 1 mi. W Melvin, Choctaw County, Alabama; USNM 100805, Enterprise. ”

“ Between New-Orleans and Baton Rouge, a distance of one hundred and seventeen miles, the few villages upon the river all partake, more or less, of this humble and dilapidated character. Baton Rouge is now in sight, a few miles above. As we approach it the character of the scene changes. Hills once more relieve the eye, so long wearied with gazing upon a flat yet beautiful country. These are the first hills that gladden the sight of the traveller as he ascends the river. They are to the northerner like oases in a desert. ”

“ When the Federals left the town I do not remember, but after a while they did leave, and we had something to say about a barren victory, forgetting that Baton Rouge was no strategic point. In those days, to us Baton Rouge was a considerable place, only second in importance to New Orleans, and that city ranked with Richmond in our estimation. One fine day the fleet of gunboats steamed away, accompanied by transports loaded to the edge with their black freight. Negroes from every direction flocked in after the battle, old and young and of both sexes. Some went from Arlington, too ”

“ Other important institutions at Baton Rouge are a State Agricultural Experiment Station, asylums and schools for the deaf and dumb, for the blind, and for orphans, and the state penitentiary. The surrounding bluff and alluvial country is very rich. ”

“ But then it shows what Southern girls
For Southern Rights will do."
The war dragged on. New Orleans fell. Baton Rouge was in the hands of the enemy. Some of the Baton Rouge people refugeed to the country, living in churches, schoolhouses and deserted log cabins; others were compelled to remain, as they had no shelter and no means of living outside [47] of the city. ”

“ These loud cannon make me heartsick, and yet I am so excited! How rapidly they answer each other! I am told the attack commenced at five this morning, and lasted three hours. Those girls are shouting that Baton Rouge must be on fire, from the volume of smoke in that direction. How they scream as the balls go up, to show it to each other. I think I'll take a look, too.
We are all going four or five miles through this warm sun to be nearer the scene of action. Any one might know there was no white man on the premises. There is the carriage! ”

“ Everybody knew that there were no Federal troops in Baton Rouge, but there were war vessels in the Mississippi holding the city under their guns, and their presence had a depressing effect upon a good many red-hot rebels besides Tom Randolph. ”

“ Two passed in a buggy, and trusting to our not recognizing them from the rapidity of their vehicle, kissed their hands to us until they were out of sight! All went back to New Orleans vowing Baton Rouge had the prettiest girls in the world. These were our own people, the élite of New Orleans, loyal Southerners and gentlemen. These Northerners pass us satisfied with a simple glance; some take off their hats, for all these officers know our name, though we may not know theirs ”