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Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2005
- Location
- Right here.
"The real battle for the Mississippi took place one year earlier, Gallagher said, when the U.S naval flotilla, led by David Farragut, secured the port of New Orleans. Gallagher said that the river was only of value if New Orleans remained open."
Of value to whom?
Gallagher apparently didn't read Morton's letter to Lincoln that I quoted in #23. New Orleans is of no use to the Union if you can't get there. You couldn't, until Grant took Vicksburg (this news compelled the 5,000-man garrison at Port Hudson to finally surrender that place to Banks' 30,000, so let's be careful about awarding credit).
Except that you're mischaracterizing the letter.
He was talking about what would happen if the Union lost the war and the Rebels retained control of the Mississippi.
http://books.google.com/books?id=SF... trade and commerce of the North-West&f=false