The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-28 00:00:00

The Capture of Fort Pillow.

The Montreal Ocean Mail Steamship Company's
screw steamer Hibernian, Captain Button, which
left Portland, Maine, on the evening of the 16th
inst., arrived in the Mersey at one o'clock yesterday
afternoon. A telegraphic summary of the news
has already appeared.
The particulars of the capture of Fort Pillow are
given in a despatch of the 14th from Cairb, Illinois,
as follows :—" The attack began on Tuesday morn-
ing, the 12th. The Confederate tieneral Forrest
soon sent a flag of truce demanding the surrender of
the fort and garrison ; in the meanwhile so disposing
his troops as to take the advantage of our forces.
Major Booth, who commanded, refused the flag
of truce, and the fighting recommenced. After-
wa►ds a second fl ,g came in, which was also re•
fused. Both flags gave the rebels the advan-
tage of gaining new positions. The battle was
kept up until three p.m., when Major Boca was
killed, and Major Bradford took command. The
rebels now made such a furious attack that our min
were compelled to surrender. Immediately upon
the surrender, a scene ensued which Mlles all de-
scription. Up to that time comparatively few of
our men had been killed, but instantly on takitg
hose lion of the fort the fieads commenced an in=
di,crinoinate balchery of the whites and blacks,
including ihusd of 1331. a colours who had pre-
-1- ea wounded. The black soldiers
,::,iscuralisA, rushed to the rear, itt
ffieers having thrown down their
B.)th white and black were b3yon.etftd,
shot, or sabred. Even dead bodies were horri.)l.y
mutilated, and children and several th gni
women were murdered in cold blooi. Soldiers,
unable to speak from wounds, were shot dead, and
their bodies thrown into the river. The dead and
wounded negroes were piled in heaps and burned;
and several citizens, who had joined our forces for
protection, were killed and wounded. Out of the
garrison of 600 but 200 remained alive. Major
Bradford is said to have escaped. The steamer
Platte Valley came up at about 3.30 p.m., and was
hailed by the rebels under a flag of truce. Some
men were sent ashore to bury the dead, and take
aboard such of the wounded as the enemy tiad
allowed to live. 57 men were taken aboard, includ-
ing 7or 8 coloured ; 8 died on the way up. The
steamer arrived at Cairo, and was immediately
sent to Mound City, to discharge her suffering
cargo. Six guns were captured by the rebels,
and carried off. A large amount of stores was
destroyed or carried off. The intention of the rebels
seemed to be to move on towards Memphis, and
capture the place."
Another despatch of the 15th, from Cairo, says:
—" Three other negroes were buried alive by the
rebels at Fort Pillow, making five in all. All were
wounded but one; he was forced to help to dig
pits, and was then thrown in and covered with the
rest.

" General Chalmers said to a Federal officer on
the steamer Platte Valley that it was their inten-
tion to show no mercy to Southerners serving in
the Union army and negroes ; but the genuine
Yankee would ba treated as a prisoner of war."
A correspondent of the St. Louis Union, who was
on board the steamer Platte Valley, et Fort Pillow,
says many of the wounded were shot in the hospital.
The remainder were driven out and the hospital
burned. On the morning after the battle the rebels
went over the field and shot the negroes who had
not died from their wounds. Of 350 coloured troops
not more than 56 escaped massacre, and not one
officer that commanded them survives.

General Cnalmers told this correspondent that,
although it was against the policy of his Govern-
ment to spare negro soldiers or their officers, he had
done all in his power to stop the carnage, but at the
same time he believed it was right. Another officer
s lid the white troops wouid hay?, been protected
had they not been found on duty with the negroes.

STATE OF TRADE.

--._.~._

DUNDEE, April 26,—The demand for flax, tow,
and codilla is entirely consumptive, and only small
sales are reported. The Riga ships ar•e now coming
io, which will supply spinners and keep the market
quiet. Jute is also in very moderate request, end
rather easier to buy. The inquiry for all descrip•
tuns of yarns, flax, tow, and jute is still active, sue
prices are fully maintained. There is no change in
the demand for linen, the orders coming in quite as
fast as they are produced, and manufacturers both
of coarse and fine fabrics are very busy and largely
foresold.

NOTTINGHAM, 27th.—There is a shade more do
ing in several branches of the lace trade this week.
Cotton goods are in a little better request, and for
silk Mechlins and quiltings the demand is very
active. Black silk laces and edgings still remain a
dull sale, but stocks in the dealers' hands are be•
coming lighter. There is still a very little doing
for Germany, and no improvement for the continen•
tai market is expected while matters remain so un-
settled. In hosiery there has been a fair amount of
business doing, and business generally remains
healthy. Yarns are very firm, with an upward
tendency.

SIGNOR MERCADANTE is announced as having
completed a grand overture, with no 10S8 taking a title
than " The Polish Insnrreetion."

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