SOLDIER 69 



triumphs over the fall of Port Hudson. General Gardner, 

 who commands, was a West Pointer with Generals Grover 

 and Goodin, and they were together at the time the war 

 broke out, as captain and lieutenants in the 10th Regiment 

 at some frontier fort. Gardner sent in his resignation and 

 immediately deserted (well knowing the penalty), leaving 

 his wife behind. General Grover escorted her in safety to 

 the north, and she has since rejoined her husband in Louisi- 

 ana. She is now residing in Opelousas. When we were 

 there General Grover called upon her. She expressed the 

 hope that he might not be called upon to meet Frank in 

 battle, but that appears to be a hope not realized. Since 

 coming here the two former companions in arms have 

 met during the flag of truce. The rebs army use our rear 

 continually. Their cavalry from Clinton and Jackson 

 hover about, striking here and there, and picking up 

 stragglers and forage parties. Day before yesterday they 

 dashed into Springfield Landing, whence we draw all our 

 stores and ammunition from New Orleans; but our cavalry 

 were after them so sharp that they found pressing business 

 elsewhere, and could only stop a few minutes. On the other 

 side of the river quite a force has come down. They at- 

 tacked Donaldsonville (of white-petticoat memory) a few 

 days ago, demanding the surrender of the town and the 

 fort, but the spirited provost-marshal, gathering together 

 his forces amounting to about one hundred, got inside his 

 fortifications and bid them come on. The unequal contest 

 was kept up from midnight till daylight, when the sudden 

 appearance of a gun-boat caused the rebs to skedaddle leav- 

 ing a hundred dead on the field, several hundred wounded 

 and one hundred and twenty prisoners, including one 



