Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-07-23

PARTICULARS OF THE FALL OF PORT
HUDSON. A special dispatch to the De-
troit Free Press, from Vicksburg the 10th,
says:
The gunboat Arizona has just arrived
from Port Hudson with dispatches to Con
eral Grant, announcing the captulation of
that place on the 9Th inst.
After the unsuccessful assaults upon the
enemy's works-of which you have al
ready been informed-Gen Banks labored
to reduce the place by continuous bonn
bardment and by closing all the avenues
by which the enemy could procure a sup
ply of provisions.
On the evening of the 9TH Gen Gardner
sent out flag of truce he had heard of
the capitulaton of Vicksburg, and desired
Gen Banks to give him such information
as he might have concerning the truth or
falsity of the rumor Gen Banks sent
him copy of Gen Grants dispatch, Civ
ing the full particulars of the capitulation
of Vicksburg. Gen Gardner then ex-
pressed his willingness to surrender upon
the same terms. Gen Banks declined,
and announced that he would accept moth
ing short of an unconditional surrender.
Gen Gardner had before expressed his
determination to hold out to the last ex-
tremity, and seemed sanguine both of the
ultimate success of the Confederate arms
in holding the Mississippi, and in his own
ability to defend his works until he should
be relieved by an attack on Gen Banks
rear.
The intelligence of Gen Grants splen-
did triumph at Vicksburg, however, and
the advance of strong column into the
interior of Mississippi, cutting off his ex-
pected relief, speedily dispelled Gen Gard
ner's hopes. Disheartened and discour-
| aged by the news he had received, Gen
Gardner surrendered his force uncondl-
tionally on the morning of JulyS
The garrison consisted of 5000 effect
i've men, in excellent condition. There
were sixty pieces of artillery in the vari-
Gus batteries along the river and in the
rear, many of them of very large calhbre.
The magazine contained an abundant sup
ply of powder, but small quantity of
shot and she'll. This deficiency accounts
for the rebel firing having been so slack
during the last two or three days siege.
Gen Gardner was evidently outstanding
his resources to repel an anticipated as
sault, and had an abundant supply to
work all guns continuously for several
days, without entirely exhausting his sup
plies.
There was no beef in possession of the
rebels at the time of the surrender. The
flesh of mules had been dealt out for some
time-short rations-to supply the want
of beef. There were quite a number of
mules inside the rebel works and an abun-
dance of corn, sufficient to have lasted the
garrison for week longer, if they had
had the heart to fight.
Gen Gardner is reported to have said
after the surrender, hat he expected that
Gen Grant with his army would come
down from Vicksburg and assume the
conduct of the siege, and in that event his
works would be assaulted and overpow-
cred by superior numbers, and many OF
his men would be bayoneted in the
trenches before surrender could be
made. .
Gen Herron's fine command, which,
| you will remember, is the Army of the
Frontier, operating on the southwest Mis-
souri, line, and lately attached 10 General
Grants army, started this morning for