Year: 1863

DESCRIPTION OF THE REBEL


WORKS..


A correspondent of the New Orleans
Era gives the following account of the oc-
cupation, with description of the strong
rebel works:


VISITS FROM THE REBELS. Z.


Notwithstanding our troops did not
formally enter the place on the Sth inst, 9,
yet the garrison fully understood that they
were to be surrendered, and accordingly
they came over the parapet in large num-
bers to converse with our men. All along
the right and centre crowds of them
gathered without the works to converse
with and see the persevering Yankees who
had at last forced them to surrender


They examined with the deepest Gu
rloslty the guns our men had, and their
ammunition, which they averred they had
feared much more than the artillery
brought to bear against them. Now and
then they would seek out a particular
stump or log from which they had been
worried by our sharpshooters. "This
cussed hole," said keen-eyed, roughly
dressed hunter from the wilds of Arkansas,
u have been aiming at for the last two
weeks to split the Yankees head who was
always peeping out of it, Somebody
had quite evidently been watching that
hole rather closely, for the two logs, which
were little apart, and formed the aper-
ture, were riddled with bullets:


CEREMONIES OF THE SURRENDER.


The rebels appeared deeply interested
in the ceremony of surrender, which
was conducted on the 9th by Brigadier-
General Andrew, General Banks chief of
staff The spot chosen for the ceremony
was an open area, near the flagstaff, op-
posite the centre of the river batteries,
and very near the bank.


Along the main street the soldiers COM
posing the garrison were drawn up in line,
having all their personal baggage, arms
and equipments with them.


General Gardner and staff, with a nu-
merous escort, occupied position at the
right of the line.


By O'Clock our troops marched into
the works headed by the brigade which
had volunteered, a thousand strong, to
storm the place in the next assault. Col.
Birge, of the Thirteenth Connecticut reg
iment, was in command of this storming
party. 1t was fitting that they should
lead the way with the flag of bloodless
victory who had volunteered to do so with
the bayonet and sable. Artillery closed
in with the infantry, and as the grand
cortege swept through the broad streets
of Port Hudson, with the grand old ma
tional airs for the first time in many
months breaking the morning stiffness,
the scene was most impressive and soul
stirring. Never did music sound sweeter,
never did men march with lighter step Or
greater rejoicing, than our troops as they
came to the place which had cost the lives
of so many of their gallant comrades.


Passing directly across from the breast
works on the land side to the river batter
les, the column then marched by the right
flank, and afterwards halted and fronted
opposite the rebel line. General Andrew
and staff then rode up to receive the
sword of the rebel commander. 1t was
protfered to General Andrew by General
Gardner, with the brief words:


81 surrender to you this fort with all
the garrison and munitions of war herein
contained"


General Andrew made brief reply,
and at once restored the sword to General |
Gardner


The reply was made in almost whis-
per, so that hardly any one but the speaker
could have known what was said.


After this ceremony of formal surrender
was over, officers of the stats of our
Generals were introduced to General Gard
ner and staff, who at once rode out to va
rious points of interest in the works, and
also to inspect the troops and stores sur
rendered. -,.-


The men grounded their arms, not being
able to stack them, since hardly one in
ten of their pieces had bayonet at. ached.
They we're mostly very rusty and of the
old style. Quite number of the old
Queen Bess pattern were included among
them, having bore half as large again as
the ordinary musket. Most of the cart
ridge boxes were well filed, but the scar
city of percussion caps was universal.


An officer Of the garrison, in explanation
of this fact, remarked that this very scar
city of caps was the reason that the men
were allowed to cease firing on the right
and left for several days. els y


G THE REBEL WORKS.


The works about this rebel stronghold |
are not of such cOmplicatad natnre as |