“GENERAL: Having received information from your troops that Vicksburg has been surrendered, I make this communication to request you to give me the official assurance whether this is true or not, and if true, I ask for a cessation of hostilities, with a view to the consideration of terms for surrendering this position. “I am, General, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, FRANK GARDNER, Major-General.” To which General Banks thus replied “HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, } BEFORE PORT HUDSON, JULY 8th, 1863. } “To Major-General FRANK GARDNER, commanding C. S. forces, Port Hudson: “GENERAL: In reply to your communication, dated the 7th instant, by flag of truce, received a few moments since, I have the honor to inform you that I received, yesterday morning, July 7th, at 10.45, by the gunboat General Price, an official despatch from Major-General Ulysses S. Grant, United States Army, whereof the following is a true extract: “‘HEADQUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, } NEAR VICKSBURG, JULY 4th, 1863. } “‘Major-General N. P. BANKS, commanding Department of the Gulf: “‘GENERAL: The garrison of Vicksburg surrendered this morning. The number of prisoners, as given by the officer, is twenty-seven thousand, field artillery one hundred and twenty-eight pieces, and a large number of siege guns, probably not less than eighty. “‘Your obedient servant, U. S. Grant, Major-General.’” “I regret to say, that under present circumstances, I cannot, consistently with my duty, consent to a cessation of hostilities for the purpose you indicate. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, N. P. BANKS.” The following further correspondence then took place: “PORT HUDSON, JULY 8th, 1863. “GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of this date, giving a copy of an official communication from Major-General U. S. Grant, United States Army, announcing the surrender of Vicksburg. “Having defended this position as long as I deem my duty requires, I am willing to surrender to you, and will appoint a commission of three officers to meet a similar commission appointed by yourself, at nine o’clock this morning, for the purpose of agreeing upon and drawing up the terms of the surrender, and for that purpose I ask for a cessation of hostilities. “Will you please to designate a point outside of my breastworks, where the meeting shall be held for this purpose? “I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, FRANK GARDNER, Commanding C. S. Forces.”