The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-14
HISTORICAL.
Diary of a Confederate Soldier.

 1 Port Hudson. La.
 July 9th, 1S63-After a heroic defense,
 continued since the Nst of May. Major
 General Frank Gardner surrendered the l garrison today at 9 o'clock, the stipula-
 tons agreed upon were that the fort 1 should be given up, the troops should lay | down their arms in the presence of the 1 Federal Army, our officers were allowed l to retain their side arms and private prop
 erty. General Gardner surrendered his
 sword to Brigadier General Anderson, | who received it and returned 1t to Gen eral Gardner. After the troops had laid 1 down their arms they were kept between the Federal lines and the river bank, | and none were allowed to pass out. Field | and staff officers only were allowed to | give their parole, not to exceed the limits | of one mile from General Gardner's head | quarters. gave my parole and received | a pass from Col. Y. E. Chickering, Sd | Massachusetts Cavalry, and Provost Mar | shal.
 July 1Oth-Capt E. c. Sheldon. A c. S., took my black horse from MT. Jack
 son. but promised me to send for him | and return him to me- Our troops still | remain in the position where they were | surrendered, they draw very short ra- | tions from the Federal Commissary, their | arms remained for twenty-four hours be- l fore they were taken up by the Federals.
 It is agreed the men shall be paroed but
 the officers are to be kept in confinement. | July 1lth-The men still kept in the
 same position and strictly guarded. Fed
 eral officers commenced to parole them
 today. Captain Sheldon failed to return | my horse as he had promised. l found | the horse hitched at the fence of the Pro- | vost Marshars office and requested Col
 onel Chickering to have him returned to me. which he refused to do Many field | and staff officers are sending out their horses, and servants. but l shall ask
 nor expect no more favors. Confederate | money taken by suffers at the rate of 10 cents for $100.
 July 12th-General Beall and Captain Hampstead went to Jackson, La, on a pass and parole for thirty-six hours. Our
 men still in same position. Paroling goes | on slowly. The Federals are sending their sick and wounded to New Orleans. Paid | $5 to a barber to shave me. Heard ne- gro curse a white boy, Confederate sol l dier, on the street and tell him he was | as good as he. (the white boy) was, and | as free A negro Federal soldier told | Captain Ross that he would fight as long | as he could stand. Captain Ross struck | him two raps with a board. when he
 wheeled and retired at a double quick. July 19th-Captain Sheldon failed to re- turn my horse. The paroling of the men | goes on slowly. Our men commenced to | go out today, the Federals supplying | them with rations for three days Many
 negroes go out with them, carrying their ! baggage. The Federal soldiers and the | negroes with them try hard to persuade | the Confederate negroes to remain with | them, but our negroes say they have seen enough of the Yankees. Bill was pa | roled today. Colonel Chickering gave me l a pass to send my sorrel horse without the Federal lines.
 July l4th-The lst Alabama Regiment l left today. Bill went with them riding | my sorrel horse The officers of the 1st | Alabama started to New Orleans All | the men except the sick and a few strag- glers have left. Most of the officers ex- | cept General Gardner and staff and Gen | eral Beall and stan have gone. Port | Hudson is now swarming with the Tanks | who are collecting our artillery and scat | tered ammunition.
 July 15th-Have been two years in the
 service today. Weather warm and mos | quitoes troublesome. Sam Albright Bill 1 and Hugh Donahoo were left behind by | the lst Alabama Wrote to A. E. s. to- day and sent the letter out by Miss An
 ns E.. who promised to mail it al Clan ton. We are all anxious to leave here and expect to start tomorrow.
 July 16th-Did not get off today.
 July l7th-No boat.
 July 1sth-Left Port Hudson today at 3 o'clock D. no. General Beall and staff
 with sixteen other officers, came aboard at o'clock a. m., but were detained till
 D. m. for General Grierson's Cavalry
 to come aboard. When the boat started up the river the band on shore struck
 up tune and national salute of thirty
 three guns was fired. Although it was
 understood that the Federal Government
 should feed the Confederate prisoners
 yet at the table the steward of the boat
 came around and called for tickets. l asked what the tickets were worth and
 he said $1. We took dinner and supper
 on the boat. Although there were two regiments of armed cavalry aboard Gen
 eral Grierson required us to swear that we would not attempt to leave the boat
 or be put in strict confinement. The boat
 tied up at Natchez during the night. Sunday, July 19th-Left Natchez at :
 a. m. going up the cavalry were formed
 in line dsmounted on top Of the boa
 at an early hour I suppose to be ready
 for the guerllas They amused them
 selves by firing at any cattle hogs,
 horses mules, etc. that might be on
 shore, also by firing into the dense un-
 dergrowth along the bank We met sev- eral transports going down and passed gunboats anchored at usualN places. Reached Vicksburg about sundown
 Monday, July 2Oth-VickSburg does not seem to have suffered as much from the
 siege as Port Hudson. The banks on
 either side are lined with steamboats and
 gunboats General Grant came aboard to
 see General Besll. who Is sick General Grierson was kicked by his horse in | hicting a slight wound. Weather warm
 and water bad, river water. Our men