After 48 Days Of Fighting

Learning of the surrender of Vicksburg, Confederate Major General Franklin Gardner surrendered Port Hudson on July 9th 1863.

Major General Franklin Gardner realized that his position at Port Hudson, Louisiana on the Mississippi was hopeless. They had used up practically all their supplies, and were down in many case to eating mules. After Vicksburg fell, he negotiated a surrender. The Rebels laid their arms down on July 9th 1863 after 48 days of fighting. As Union Admiral David Farragut was in New Orleans, Captain Thornton A Jenkins accepted the Confederate’s surrender.

Both the Confederate and Union side suffered large numbers of casualties during the long siege. On the Union side about 5000 men were killed, or wounded, with about another 5000 falling to disease and sunstroke. The Confederates had about 750 dead or wounded, many of whom died from disease.