New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-10
When Port Hudson Fell the Confederacy Was Cut in Twain
Siege Pestence and Many Casualties Ended Soon A
Fall Vckbmg with the Surrender of the Fortress and
634O Men Mississippi from Source to Mouth,
Was Once Again a Federal River

~ JULY Is. 1867 crowd Of curious
j persons stood on the wharf at New
~ Orleans. They We're looking at one
OF the picturesque steamers of the Missis-
sppi River. which was splashng down
stream Approaching point opposite the
throng. it turned it's nose inshorc. As it
drew near TO the wharf the word Imperial
could he read upon its name board. Will
great interest tho crowd watched the OPP
Grafton Of putting fiat Mississippi River
boat in touch with the bank. In few
minutes negro stovedores were running
back and forth. carrying ashore the freight
which had been taken aboard up the river.
The landing of steamboat DIT New Or
leans was not novelty to the people Of
the city. They had not gathered simply to
see steamer discharge a cargo, II was
the arrival OF the vessel itself which was
the notable event. for IT was the first com.
mercial packe. within two years TO come
through directly from St Louis. Its adj
vent marked the restoration Of the course
or the Father of Waters 10 Federal con-
troll and the freedom of movement OF COM
nerce throughout the entire navgable
length. No more should the muddy waters
Of tho river he tinged with the blood of a
fratricidal war The laundering of the
multitude OF guns from its bluff was over.
Following the surrender OF Vicksburg to
General Grant on July 4. and the inevitable
fan Of Port Hudson. the second Gibraltar
OF the Mississippi, two hundred miles 10
tho southwark OH July O. peace once more
trooded over It's hayward waters, and the
Confederacy was cut into two parts by tho
fcderals' winning Of the great river.
After Nicksburg Port Hudson was the
last Confederate post on the river blocking
the movement OF commerce. The siege Of
the latter was carried on simultaneously
with that Of the greater fortress further
north, and the fail of one served TO hast n
the fan OF the other The story of PORT
Hudson. like that of Vicksburg begins
far back I'm the fall Of the previous year
in the autumn OF 1862 General Nathaniel u.
Banks was dispatched from New York 10
Now Orleans with upward of twenty thou.
sand troops. His orders were TO supplement
this force with such men as he should find
in Louisiana. and work in harmony with
General Grant IN opening up the river
This purpose accomplished. he was 10 take
position i'm the Red River country which
should serve TO protect Louisiana and Ar.
base for further operations ia Texas. The
Lone Star State was OcCupyin; much OF the
thought OF the national government. owing
10 the political conditions cXlrtinS in Mex
iCo.
II was I'm the middle OF December when
General Banks and his army sailed VI tho
river 10 New Orleans. Right promptly no
began active operations Before disembark.
ing any OF his men, ten thousand of them
were sent further on TO occupy Baton
Rouge. as IT was considered that Port Hut
, son was too strong for the force then at
command. With General Banks was Con
eral Andrew J. Hamilton, who had been
selected TO be military governor of Texas
Surrounded by group of rather low grade
local politicians. who were anxious for
greater control over Texas than they then
had General Banks was persuaded to send
an expedition 10 Galveston. 1t consisted Of
Eunboats and transports with three conf
panies Of the 42d Massachusetts and HOl-
combs I'd Vermont Battery. In the feet
was the Harriet Lane. in command Of
gallant New York naval officer, J. NJ. Vain
wright by name.
This expedition reached Galveston the
day before Christmas. A month earlier,
Major General J. f. MaGruder. the Con-
federate general. who had so successfully
bluffed General Mcclellan at Yorktown and
in the neighborhood of Savage's Station in
the suburbs of Richmond in the course of
the Peninsular campaign. had been placed
in command Of the district of Texas The
little company OF Union soldiers under
Colonel BuTrcll landed, nominally taking
possession OF the town. but actually CON
fining its physical occupation TO a wharf
which was barricaded for protection. Cen
crsl Magruder. the royal buffer. did not
need to bluff this time, for he had at his
command two brlgades, a regiment Of