Thomas Overton Moore
Governor of Louisiana 1860-64
SUGAR PLANTER [WEST BATON ROUGE, LA], January 28, 1860, p. 2, c. 1
As nearly all readers have been informed, personally and otherwise, of all the interesting incidents of the Inauguration of Hon. T. O. Moore, as Governor of the State, it were useless for us to tell them what they already know. But we cannot permit the occasion to pass without adding our mite to the well-earned praises of our Baton Rouge company of Pelican Rifles. For the short time they had to equip and drill, their performances surpassed the expectations of their most sanguine friends. Capt. Tunnard and his officers deserve the credit and esteem of their fellow-citizens for their efforts in organizing so handsome a military company in their midst.
The New Orleans company of Chasseurs-a-Pied, commanded by Capt. St. Paul, took our good folk by storm from the novelty of their uniform and drill. They were indeed a feature in the procession.
SUGAR PLANTER [WEST BATON ROUGE, LA], January 7, 1860, p. 2, c. 1
A Military Company.—We have been informed—personally we can't vouch for it—that a cavalry company is about being formed in this Parish. Several attempts having been made without success, to organize an infantry company—it is thought a horse company would meet with more favor. If report speaks true, the gentlemen engaged in getting up this company has already seen service. One thing we do know, however, and that is, he is just the man to take such a matter in hand, and if he don't put it through, it will be no fault of his. A dragoon Company in the Parish would take like wildfire. Start the ball.
SUGAR PLANTER [WEST BATON ROUGE, LA], January 7, 1860, p. 2, c. 3
A Homespun Party.—Under this head we find the following in the Richmond (Va.) Whig:
The movement towards Southern independence is progressing steadily. The people of Virginia are in dead earnest about this matter. While we gentlemen have contented ourselves as yet with meetings, speeches, etc., the ladies have commenced to act. Without noise, they have commenced to give force and color to our resolution—to put our theories into practice. We had the pleasure a few evenings ago of attending a "homespun" party, given by a patriotic lady of this city, whose excellent good sense prompted her to substitute deeds for words, and to inaugurate at once that system of self-dependence which has been the theme of innumerable public meetings held recently in every county of the State. The party was a decided, a brilliant success. More than a hundred ladies and gentlemen, belonging to the most respected families in the city, were present, all of whom were attired in part or in whole in garments made of Virginia fabrics, woven in Virginia looms. It was strictly a Virginia cloth party.
SUGAR PLANTER [WEST BATON ROUGE, LA], February 25, 1860, p. 2, c. 2
Mardi Gras.—Quite a number of young men of our parish took it into their heads on Shrove Tuesday to keep up the time-honored custom of parading around en masque, much to the horror, wonder and astonishment of a large portion of our "culled" population who had never witnessed such dresses or faces in all their lives before. The number of maskers was quite large, and the variety of costumes added greatly to the interest of their procession. Several balls wound up the frolics of the day. One of the maskers took our hat from the beauty of the mule he rode, and the extreme delicacy of the rabbit tailed ringlets which adorned his magnificent head—Come down and get our hat—we havn't [sic] got nary more use for it.
"The institution," was celebrated in Red Stick as well as the deplorable condition of the weather would permit. A "member" whose perseverance and strength of muscle are worthy of the most intense appreciation, purchased a five cent mask, an immense crinoline (with the other feminine arrangements) and a tenor drum, paraded the streets upon his own hook, and pounded upon the last named article with such vigor and seriousness as became an individual who seemed to think that the whole responsibility of celebrating the day rested upon his shoulders. An other "member" who invariably requires facts and figures to substantiate everything—and who by the way constituted the entire procession following the drum—gives it as his positive opinion that the labors of the individual upon the drum did not cease more than ten minutes during that many hours. The indefatigable drummer marched past some points eight or ten different times, seeming perfectly indifferent as to whether any one was following him or not. He looked neither to the right nor left, but pressed forward with the air of a man who knew he had a celebration to "do" and he was bound to "do" it.
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