The New York herald., 1864-05-06
No Quarter the War Cry Of
tho Rebels.
Three Hundred Human Beings Muir
dered in Cold Blood.
Women and Children and tie Sick and
Wounded Brutally Shot,
Co. &C.. 60.

WAssfsGroN, May s, 1894
The foIiownglrepor made 10 both houses Of Con
gross today
Tho Joint Committee on tho Conduct aud Expenditure
of tho War; whom referred the resolution OF Con
gross nsructiAg them TO investigate the late
at Fort Pillow designated two members OF the commit
tee Messrs. Wade and Goooh) 70 such pscc
as they might deem necessary snd take testimony. Ths
subcommtee having discharged that duty, returned u
this city ana submitted to the committee report witt
the accompanying papers and testimony
The report was read and adopted by the committee
whose chairman instructed to submit tho same will
the testimony to the Senate, and ask the to be
printed.
REPORT or THE sU8-cOMMfTTEE.
Messrs Wade and Gooch the sub committee appointed
by the Joint Committee tho Conduct or tho War
with instructions to proceed to such points they might
deem necessary Cor the purpose Of taking testimony ia
regard TO the at Fort Pillow submitted the fol
lowing report to the Joint Committee together with the
accompanying testimony and papers,
In obedience to the instructions OF the Joint Commit
tee, adopted the 18TH uit your committee left Washing
ton on the morning OF the 10TH taking with them the
stenographcr OF this committee. and proceeded to Cairo
and Mound City, Illinois Columbus, Kentucky and For,
Pillow and Memphis. Tennessee at each Of which places
they proceeded to'ake testimony.
iuquise only in reference to the attack, cap.
ii proper to take some testimony in reference to the
operations Of Forrest and his command Immediately
preceding and subsequent to that horrible transaction
II will appear from testimony thus taken that the atroci
ties committed at Fort Pillow not the result of pas.
sons excited by the heat OF conflict results
policy deliberately decided upon, and unhesitatingiy
announced Even the uncertainty OF the fate q those
officers and men belonging colored regiments who have
heretofore been taken prisoners by the rebels failed
to convince the authorities OF government OF this
fact tho testimony herewith submitted convince
the most skeptical that it is the intention OF the
rebel authorities not to recognize the officers aud
colored regiments cntited the treatment ac
corded by all civilized nations to prisoners Of war
Tho declaration Of Forrest and his officers both before
and after the capture Of Fort Pillow, testified by
such OF as have escaped after being taken by
him. the threats contained in the various demands for
surrender made at Paducah Columbus and other places
the renewal OF the the morning after the cap
ture OF Fort Pillow the statements made by tbs rebel
officers to The officers OF our gunbOas who received the
few survivors at Fort Powa this proves con
clusively the policy they have determined to adopt
The first operation OF any importance was the attack
upon Union. City Tenn, by portion OF Forests
The post occupied by force about five hundred
men, under Colonel Hawkins OF the Eleventh tennessee
Union cavalry. Inc attacking f0rce was superior IN
numbers but was repused by own forces. For the
particulars OF the attack and the circumstances atenu
the surrender Committee would refcr to the test
ony submitted. They would state, however that IL
would appear from the testimony the surrender op
posed by nearly Il not quite all the officers Of Colonel
Hawkins command. Your committee think the circum.
stances connected with the surrender such
demand the most searching investigation by the military
authorities. Al the time of the surrender but
ruder the rebel Generals Forrest Buford Harris and
an attack on Paducah Ky, which post occupied by
Col S G. Hicks, OF the Forteth Illinois regiment with
six hundred and fifty five Our forces retired into
Fort anderson there made stand ass sted by
some gunboats belonging TO the command OF Captain
shrk, OF the navy successfully repe',ng the
preston our forces, Forrest demanded an
unconditional surreuder closing hs communication to
be treated prisoners OF but have.to storm
your works you may expect no quarter" This demand
and threat met by refusal on the part OF Col Hicks
surender he stating that he had been placed there
by his government defend that post should
but repulsed with heavy loss each time the rebel
General thompson being killed in the las, assault Tho
enemy retired next day having suffered loss estimated
Thousand TO thousand two hundred wounded.
The loss side was fourteen killed and fortysix
wounded.
The operations OF tho enemy paducab we're caarac
terized by the bad faith aud treachoy
have become the settled policy OF Forrest aud his
mand The ag OF truce iaken advantage OF there as
elsewhere 10 desirable positions which the rebels
unable obtain by fair and honorable and
also to afford opportunities for punderng private stores
guilty OF cowardy, II possb bio than any
they have practiscd elsewhere When the attack was
made the officers cf the fort aud gunboas advised tine
and children 60 down TO the river the pur.
pose OF being taken ont OF danger they were
leaving the town for that purpose The rebe sharpshoot
advanced and fired upon the gonboats, wounding
OF our officers and men, Our forces could
the fire without endangerng the lives the
women and children The rebels also placed wo.
men in front OF their lines they moved
on the fort or proceeding 10 take positions while
10 I'm mel Orr
10 withhold their fire, out OF regard Tor the lives OF
the women who were made use OF IN this most cowardly
manner. For full details OF the attack treach
and cowardy practices Of the rebels there your
committee refer TO the testimony herewith submitted.
On the 18th OF April the day after the capture Fort
Pillow the rebel General Buord appeared before Colum.
bus KY, and demanded It's unconditional surrender.
He coupled with that demand threat that n the place
was not surrendered and he should be compelled
tack it, quarter whatever should he shown To the
gro troops To this Colonel Lawrence, in command Of the
FORT replied that thcurrender out Of the question,
as he bad been placed there BY his government hold
and defend the place. aud should do No attack
made, but the enemy retired having taken advantage o
the flag OF take horses OF Union tseus
which had been brought in there for security.
" Of Ss resos we're mos, resy sSbssa adS Ss sss
rson there according 10 the last returns received
headquarters. amounted 10 nineteen officers andnys hu
dred and thirty eight enlisted whom two hundred
and sixtytwo men were coored troops, comprising
battalion OF the sixth United States heavy artillery for
merly the First Alabama artillery OF coored roops under
the command Of Major L. y. Booth one section or the
Second United states light artillery (colorcdJ and one
battalion q the 1hirteepth Tennessee cavalry (white)
commanded by MAJOR A. r. Bradford. MAJOR Booth was
the ranking officer and was In command 81 tho fort.
On Monday, the 18th OF April the snniy ersary Of the
attack Fort Sumter, In April 1861 the pckets OF the
garrison we're driven IN Just before sunrise that being
the FIRST ntimston torces hsre any intention
the part OF tbeeneny 70 attack The place Fighting
soon became general and about nine o'clock MAJOR Brad
ford succeeded 10 the command and withdrew all
the forces within tho fort rhey hal previously
occupied some ptrencbments al some distance
from the fort and farther from the river. The
Tort was situated on q high blun. which de.
scended prscpltstcy 70 tho rivers edge the ridge Of
the blur on the river side being covered with trees,
bushes aud fallen timber. Extending back from the
river either side of the fort ravine or hollow
tue one below the fort containing several private stores
and some dwellings, and some government buildings,
containing commisssry stores The rayns above the
fort, however, was known Cold Bank Rayine tho
ridge being covered with trees aud bushes To the right
or below and ate 20 the front OF the fort was level
piece OF ground not quite elevated ~ the fort sc
which han been erected some log huts sbanes which
wore occupied by the white troops, aud also used for
hospital ana other purposes Within the fort tents had
been erected with board Goors for the use OF the coored