June 6, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
VICTORY AT PORT HUDSON.
The refugees from New Orleans, who arrived at Mobile a day or two ago, bring accounts of glorious Confederate victory at Port Hudson on the 27th ult.:
The Yankee troops had made two desperate assaults, which were repulsed with immense slaughter. When ordered to make the third assault, they refused, and swore they would be led into a […..] slaughter pen.’ Four of the Abolition Generals were seriously wounded, whose names we were unable to ascertain, with the exception of Gen. Stafford, who was shot through both legs. General Grove, it is also stated, was killed. Some parts of these rumors are hardly credible; such as that, of all the men taken by Banks into the fight, only 3000 escaped. General Banks’ entire staff was captured. Of one negro regiment which made the assault, 600 were killed. We further learned that General Gardner had given orders to take no negro soldiers prisoners.
Later and Confirmatory. The following is a copy of a hasty note written at New Orleans just before the boat containing the prisoners left the wharf. It is from a gentleman of high character:
NEW ORLEANS, May 26. Tremendous fight at Port Hudson on the 27th. Yankees driven back with a loss of 3000 killed and wounded. Generals Sherman (since reported dead), Neal, Dow, Chapin and Nickerson, wounded. General Payne killed. Negros, to use the language of the aid of General Sherman to H. Evans, […..]. They held our outworks for two hours, but the 15th Connecticut and 26th New Hampshire caught the infection and the whole concern broke and fled. They report the United States sloop of war Richmond sunk; some say it was another vessel. This is their own version. Banks not in the fight. All under the direction of Sherman. He was brought here last night. Registered enemies will apparently be left alone for a while.