July 8 Port Hudson was ‘annexed,’ in spite of my nonattendance at the ceremonies, and another chunk of conceit was knocked out of me. Previous to this date, several officers and enlisted men, disgusted at being cooped up in garrison, had sought and obtained promotion and transfer to other regiments.
Let me say here, parenthetically, that at least two brigade commanders—regular army officers—made application to have the Thirteenth Maine Regiment assigned each to his brigade for the Port Hudson campaign.
In August the regiment rallied around the flag in New Orleans, where we performed provost guard duty. This change of station and re-assembling of the regiment afforded some relief, but it was not the sort of relief we most desired. And we soon found that, under the existing administration, General Order No. 28, before spoken of, had become less operative. Officers, and even enlisted men, were subjected to gross insults by the women of the city.
Late one afternoon the orderly at our headquarters hutriedly entered the office, saying, ‘Adjutant, General Banks is on the sidewalk, and he desires to see you.’ As I presented myself, the general put his arm through mine and invited me to take a walk with him. His ‘walk’ took us out to Canal street, and up that fashionable thoroughfare for several blocks, the general meanwhile talking in his easy, familiar fashion-I, wondering what in the world was the object of this promenade.
Suddenly the general halted, dropped my arm, and then said: ‘Adjutant, will you please take the number of this mansion? As I was riding with some of my officers this afternoon, I was grossly insulted by some women on the balcony of this house. I will teach these women that they can't insult me or my officers with impunity. You will place a guard here and allow any one to go in, but no one is to be allowed to come out.’ Again taking my arm, the general accompanied me to our headquarters on St. Charles street, talking on subjects entirely disconnected front army affairs. A suitable guard was immediately placed as ordered. In due time a court-martial was convened. A woman
