72 HENRY HILL GOODELL 



thing had happened, and they were not slow to divine the 

 cause of the rejoicing. General Gardner sent under a flag 

 of truce to General Banks to know if the report that Vicks- 

 burg had fallen was true, and received in reply a copy of 

 General Grant's dispatch. The garrison had done their 

 duty with courageous fortitude. The Union lines were al- 

 ready in many places up to their breastworks, starvation 

 was already beginning to pinch, and should the expected 

 assault be delivered it would be a waste of life, for they 

 could not expect to hold their position. The 8th was spent 

 in arranging the terms of surrender, and on the 9th "The 

 Stormers" led the advance as the victorious army en- 

 tered Port Hudson to put the stars and stripes in the place 

 of the stars and bars. President Lincoln's long-deferred 

 hope was realized, and he could now say, "The Father of 

 Waters again goes un vexed to the sea." 



The time of the nine-months' men was soon to expire and 

 the 25th Connecticut left almost immediately for New Or- 

 leans, but was detained at Donaldson ville for a few days. 

 The following letter will state the reason. 



DONALDSONVILLE, July, 1863. 



Once more, O Dick, at Donaldsonville. Three months 

 ago, March 29th, on Sunday, I received an epistle from 

 thee, and lo ! on my second advent, on a Sunday, a second 

 missive reaches me. To thy lares and penates I decree a 

 hecatomb. Accept, my rustic pedagogue, my humble 

 offering. You at the North are probably in a frenzy of ex- 

 citement, we at the South have learned to take things cool, 

 although the "canicula damnosa reigns supreme"; a phrase 

 which, being translated into the vernacular a la H. W. 



