Chapter 43: Port Hudson Surrenders

With Vicksburg under siege in May 1863, the only remaining Confederate forts guarding the Mississippi River lies at Port Hudson, 130 miles downstream of the capital and 100 miles north of New Orleans.

While the elevation there is only 80 ft. above the water (vs. 200 ft. at Vicksburg), it is sufficient to defend against David Farragut’s gunboats. So the task falls on General Nathaniel Banks with 35,000 men to succeed on land. Grant orders him to do so quickly, and afterwards to join him at Vicksburg. But Major General Franklin Gardner’s 7,000 troops hold off attempts to storm his works on May 22 and May 27, with the latter involving the first deployment of Black soldiers (the 1^st and 3^rd Louisiana Native Guard) in major combat. After the second loss, Banks shifts into a siege mode.

This lasts for 48 days with the Confederates running out of food and ammunition. On July 7, Gardner learns that Vicksburg is lost, concludes that his situation is hopeless. And surrenders effective on July 9. Banks imprisons the Gray officers and paroles the remainder of those captured.

At this point the entire Mississippi River belongs to the Union.