Description: |
A number of incidents of artillery firing on Union steamers passing up and down the Mississippi River at
Donaldsonville influenced the U.S. Navy to undertake a retaliatory attack. Rear Adm. David G. Farragut sent the
town notice of his intentions and suggested that the citizens send the women and children away. He then anchored in
front of the town and fired upon it with guns and mortars. Farragut also sent a detachment ashore that set fire to the
hotels, wharf buildings, and the dwelling houses and other buildings of Capt. Phillippe Landry. Landry, thought to be
the captain of the partisan unit, purportedly fired on the landing party during the raid. Some citizens protested the
raid, but, generally, firing on Union ships ceased thereafter. |