Louisiana secession Orleans. Two days before the city surrendered in April 1862, Moore and the legislature abandoned Baton Rouge as the state capital, relocating to Opelousas in May 1, 1862. Governor Moore began to organize military resistance at the state level, ordered the burning of cotton, cessation of trade with the Union forces, and heavily recruited troops for the state militia. However, despite a brief check at Baton Rouge, Union forces continued to advance into Louisiana and up the Mississippi, and the capital was moved again to Shreveport. New Orleans, Louisiana, the largest city in the entire South, was strategically important as
Louisiana State University traditions General Sherman following the surrender of the Confederates at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The cannons had been captured from Confederate forces after the close of the war and had been used during the initial firing upon Fort Sumter in April 1861. With a long history steeped in military tradition, it became popular to refer to Louisiana State University as the "Ole War Skule". The nickname "Old Lou" has also occasionally been used when referring to the university. Louisiana State University traditions Louisiana State University is the flagship university of the state of Louisiana, United States. This article