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 Capitol In its center is an arrangement of cris-crossing walks where the remains of Huey Long are interred; marking the spot is a monument, including the bronze statue of Long, designed by Charles Keck. The grounds east of the capitol are less formal with "clusters of evergreens, palms, and small flower garden." The sidewalks east of the capitol end at the Old Arsenal, which has a rose garden in front of it. The Louisiana State Capitol houses the chambers for the Louisiana House of Representatives, the Louisiana State Senate and, the office of the Governor of Louisiana and several other state