Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: July 9th,1863-- Fall of Port Hudson: The Mississippi River Under Union Control

JULY 9TH

Port Hudson, Louisiana surrendered after a prolonged attack by Union naval and land forces.  "General Banks raised the stars and stripes over the citadel and fired a salute of thirty-five guns" according to the journal of the USS Richmond.

A week later, Admiral Farragut wrote from New Orleans: "We have done our part of the work assigned to us, and all has worked well.  My last dash past Port Hudson was the best thing I ever did, except taking New Orleans.  It assisted materially in the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson."

The long drive to wrest control of the entire Mississippi River, beginning in the north at Fort henry and in the south at New Orleans early in 1862 is over.

It was hard writing about the one loss after another along the Mississippi this past year and a half and seeing the Confederacy cut in two.

Old B-Runner