John D. Austin

John Dawson Austin was a CSA vet enlisted 5-25-1861, 3rd Co. West Feliciana Rifles

Private Co. D. 4th La inf. commissioned CSA Signal Corps, 1862 served as soldier-correspondent for the Bayou Sara Ledger, chief telegrapher at seight of Port Hudson. May-June 1863 escaped , Telegrapher, Southwest Telegraph division, Dept. of East La. and Ms. by order of Gen. Lovel, mentioned in General Franklin Gardners' order book, captured 2 times at Osyka, MS. and Port Hudson,La.10-8-18644, then imprisoned in New Orleans until end of war and paroled 5-11-1865. After the war he ran a general store, became an electrician in St. Francisville, and editor of the town paper, He was active in Democratic politics during Reconstruction. His wartime diary(relating the day to day accounts of Port Hudson siege) was once housed in the La. Office of State Parks, and is currentlyt a part of the Port Hudson Battlefield Park Exhibits. For 7 weeks, less than 5000 confederate troops held off nearly 30000 Union soldiers. the longest siege in U S military history.