Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 30.djvu/143

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Grand, exclusive, heroic Natchez, with her terraced hills and fragrant gardens, colonial mansions and prehistoric memories, was gorgeous in gala day attire.

The Stars and Stripes floated from the domes and windows of all public buildings, and were stretched over the street crossings.

General Tuttle, mounted on his milk-white steed, and escorted by his staff, paraded the principal thoroughfares.

Handsomely-uniformed soldiers, arrayed in the paraphernalia and insignia of office, were moving hither and thither, reminding one of a vast assemblage of strange bright birds driven hence by terrific storms on foreign shores, but alas! the storm was in our own beautiful and loved Southland, and we were compelled, perforce, to look upon and admire the brillant plumage of these strange, bright birds, who brought not the rich tidings of all glorious things, but sad disaster, on their starry wings.

The scenes enacted during the memorable struggle between the North and South are still fresh in the memories of the older inhabitants of this heroic old city, who still recount to patient listeners the thrilling experiences of many of the citizens of Natchez in those historic times, those dark days from 1861 to 1865, when the horrors of civil war were felt throughout the land, and the iron heel of the invader was often endured, and hunger and suffering ensued where-ever his footprints were left.

Nearly every family in the South has its story of sorrow, suspense, anxiety and the hardships and makeshifts of sudden poverty incident to invasion, to relate.

Many df them were made to realize the stern truth of General Sherman's utterance, "War is hell."

When Natchez was first garrisoned by the Union troops it was deemed necessary by General Tuttle to erect fortifications on the site occupied by the Susette homestead, one of the most magnificent residences of the city. The mansion was situated in a famous grove of forest trees, among which were grand old live oaks, elms and