- diately dispatched to Gen. Banks' headquarters by messenger.
The dispatch contained a request for official assurance as to the truth of the report that Vicksburg had surrendered. If true, Gardner asked for a cessation of hostilities, with a view to consider terms of surrender of Port Hudson, and soon a blast upon a bugle brought back the little party of Confederates with the lantern swinging from the pole and the conference culminated in an agreement to surrender, and that a commission be appointed from each side to agree upon terms.
Orders were immediately issued to cease firing all along the line and also from the fleet. Brig.-Gen. C. P. Stone, Col. Birge and Brig.-Gen. Dwight were designated by Gen. Banks as such commission. At 9 o'clock this morning the commissioners from both armies met just in front of our position, and nearly on the spot where Lieut.-Col. O'Brien had formed his men while waiting for the word on that eventful 27th of May. On the Confederate side the commissioners were Col. Miles, Col. Steedman, 1st Alabama, and Lieut.-Col. Smith, Chief of Artillery. Gen. Andrew was designated to receive the surrender, which it was finally decided should take place tomorrow morning, the 9th. The men of the 48th can feel with considerable satisfaction that through the carrying out of Col. Paine's plan (to crowd the hard work of the siege onto the nine months regiments) they have been placed in a position where they can claim the honor of receiving the flag of truce which surrendered this great stronghold after so many weary and exciting weeks of fighting, digging and suffering. While the negotiations have been going on officers from some of the rebel regiments came over
