The building now serves as a Louisiana history museum with exhibits describing the state from the earliest days including sections on the antebellum period and the Civil War. The CabildoĬertainly one of the most historic buildings in the country, the Cabildo was built in 1795 and was the site of the Louisiana Purchase Transfer ceremonies in 1803.

Many items representing Davis and his family are on exhibit here. Confederate President Jefferson Davis died in the city in 1889, and he lay in state here. Confederate Memorial Hall Museum Source: įounded by Confederate veterans in 1891, this museum’s exhibits focus on New Orleans before and after Union occupation in April 1862.

Visit the Confederate Memorial Hall for much more on Butler and the city during the war. “Beast” Butler was reassigned out of New Orleans later that year, but his memory still lingers. 28, for instance, dictated that any woman seen showing contempt for Union officers was to be treated as a “woman of the town plying her avocation.” Butler also was accused of various other atrocities and theft. Benjamin Butler, issuing a series of orders objectionable to the citizens of the city. The Federal occupation proved to be famously obnoxious with new Federal commander, Gen. New Orleans officials, finding themselves under the gun from both Union navy and army forces, surrendered the city April 28. David Farragut passed the Confederate-held forts at the mouth of the Mississippi and steamed toward the city. As the largest city in the Confederacy and the southern gateway on the Mississippi River, New Orleans became an early Union target.Īfter days of heavy bombardment in April 1862, a Union flotilla under Capt.

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