Battle of Fredericksburg. The Battle of Antietam Summary & Facts | Civilwar.org. Antietam Campaign Map. The Battle of Second Manassas Summary & Facts | Civilwar.org. New Orleans Surrenders. New Orleans surrendered without a shot on April 29, 1862, to a Union fleet after a few futile days of civic defiance. The fleet, commanded by Adm. David Farragut, had blasted past forts Jackson and St. Philip on the Mississippi on April 25. The city was indefensible, and Confederate troops withdrew. On May 4th, an occupying army moved in under the command of the infamous Gen. Benjamin Butler, beginning years of occupation, but sparing New Orleans damage. Butler was hated for his heavy-handed tactics and corruption, earning the nickname “Beast.” A before and after woodcut from the Unionist Harpers Weekly suggested that the general's order had the intended effect on civility.
Despite his reputation, the Massachusetts politician-turned-general was a savvy strategist who sought to undercut the power of planters by offering food and work to the poor — black and white. A painting by Mauritz De Hass depicts the Union fleet fighting past the forts below the city. The Battle of Hampton Roads. Hampton Roads Battle Map. Interactive.