As the Union soldiers marched across Louisiana, they had orders to collect all the supplies they needed, such as corn, cattle and fodder. However, some of the soldiers also ransacked homes. They slashed pictures and portraits, destroyed furniture, and left the homes in shambles. They also found and emptied many wine cellars.
Many of the fine homes were set on fire, often against the direct orders of superiors. Many of General Grant’s classmates at West Point had been southerners. Grant knew one way to beat the proud southern leaders was to break their spirit. Yet it still pained him to see beautiful plantation homes burned for no reason.
