On September 12, 1874, a Saturday, posters began going up in New Orleans calling for the white people of the city to assemble at the statue of Henry Clay to take back the state from the Republicans. On Sunday, a notice was published in the New Orleans Picayune with the same call.
New Orleans Picayune Sept. 13, 1874
The uprising was called to depose Republican governor William Kellogg and install William McEnery in his place. McEnery and Kellogg had fought for the governorship in the 1872 election and each had charged the other with fraud. Over the summer of 1874 the Democratic Party and its conservative allies had enlisted the support of the White League in its quest to install McEnery in office.
On September 14, 1874 White Leaguers, organized into military-style companies, joined crowds of supporters on Canal Street. In the afternoon, the White League proclaimed its military leader Fred Ogden the general in charge of the Louisiana militia. Roughly 5,000-8,000 armed men in the city were under his command.
At 4:00 PM, former Confederate general James Longstreet led a force of Metropolitan Police and mostly Black militia to disperse the White Leaguers. The pitched “Battle of Liberty Place” ensued. Many in the League militia were Confederate veterans and they successfully resisted Longstreet’s outnumbered men. While the White League would secure a temporary victory, the arrival of Federal troops in the following days cut short the coup.
Here is how the White League’s newspaper depicted the events.
The Opelousas Courier September 19, 1874
Finally, below is a report from a newspaper that supported the Republicans and Reconstruction. I am only posting excerpts from this long article.
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This is an excellently succinct description of James Longstreet at the Battle of Liberty Square.
Thanks.