Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-27

truce-exeept the one. There was 10 FIR
ing in the interim.
Q. Was there no firing while the frs
flag was In?
A. No, sir; there was no firing on either
side. After the flag Of truce had been re.
jecied, or the surrender had been rejected
they we're so close TO the fort that about
5000 Of them just sprang right in, and the
whole garrison threw down their arms si
once. The bigger portion of the dsrkeys
jumped down the bank toward the Missis.
sippi River without any arms at all, and
were followed by Forests men and shot
unfortunately, black and white, with
hsndkercbiefs held ever them in a great
number Of instances-as many as fifty, ]
should think.
Q. Did you see any Of those prisoners
formed in line and shot down
A. Yes sir.
Q. How msny2
a. They we're collected at least, should
think, Eve or six different times.
Q How long a liner
A. Well, it was more in collection than
itwas properly line in q straight line
There was q line probably as long as this
room, or loDger-about thirty or thirty
Eve feet.
Q. These lines were scattered by rebel
shOts several tnes2
A. They were.
Q. These men were unarmed
A. Unarmed. No arms of any deserip-
ton, snd they holding up both hands beg
ging for quarter.
Q Were you put in tho line
A No, sir, l was rot. It was attempted
TO put me in line, but l clung 10 q man
who tried to shoot me, but caught his gun
and prevented him, and he took my money
from me--some S70-aad ordered me into
line, raising his gun 10 strike me, and as 1
came to the line the Captain made feint
to strike me with his sword, and told me
TO give him my pocket booek, which 1 did !;
and, as he turned TO look after others, l
sprsng away, sud clung close to this man
that had first taken my money. | said TO
him that he had taken all my money, and
he must keep ne from being shot like
dog, as l was citizen, and had nothing to
do with the fight. He abused me in every
say by bsd language, saying that we had
fought them like devils and tried to kill all
Of Forests men, until we came to the
back stores, where he gave me a soldiers
coat, and told me to wait a moment until
he could step in and steal his share. AS
soon as l was left l took some clothing, a
saddle blanket and halter that were there,
and started out Of the fort as one Of For
rests men, but on the way 1 ssW three
persons shot-mulsttoes and blaoks-shot
down singly in cold blood. 1 succeeded
in getting over the fortifcations and hid
under fallen timber, where remained IN
til dark. After dark 1 attempted to 20
towards HstohIe River Bottom, but the
fallen timber being so bad I got lost, and
wandered near the Pass No. 2 leading out
Of the fort, inside of ii, where co Id see
ell, where laid until the next day about
o'clock. heard ffty-one or two shots
fred singly at different times within the
fort during that time, and screams and
cheers. About two o'clock the dogs were
getting SO close TO me that knew they
were on my trsok.
Q. What do you mean by the dogs
A. Hunting out people everywhere.
They have dogs.
Q. They had bloodhounds2
A. Yes, sir. left most OF my clothing
and FASTENED down rsVihe in the timber,
and kept on through the raVines till came
to the Cold Greek Bottom, some mile and g
half, and swan across. Finally 1 sue
ceeded in getting to the island. had to
swim scross the river and bayou. That is
all that saw. OH wss there at the fort
two days after the battle, and saw the re-
mains Of burned persons; helped to bury
one Of the dead that 1 saw shot in cold
blood, lying right where he was left, and
saw many Of them, white and black, all
buried together, and q number three days
afterwards not buried.
Q. How many did you see shot in this
Wsy2
a. 1 should think probably about two
hundred.
Q. It was an iniiscriminste butchery,
was it2
A. Yes, sir. There were about fifteen
or twenty that lay close in one pile, hud-
ding together, shot after they we're
wounded.
Q. Some white soldiers shot after they
we're wounded2
A. Yes, sir, with the hospital flag flying,
and they holding their white bsndkerchiefs
over their heads. saw at least ten sol
diers shot individually with white hand
kerchiefs over their heads. They tore of
pieces Of their shirts-snyihiug they could
get.
@. You say these men were shot down
in hospital, with the hospital flag Aying2
A. Yes, sir, lying right down under it
not up walking at sll; and every man ly-
ing near me was killed-iying close to me
and on me. Two lay under, beosuse they
kept piling them right up on top close un-
der the bank. 1t was down under the brow
Of the hill. A great many were lying un-
der the water, and we're shot. Trees thsi
were laying, one end in the water apd the
other on shore, they would just 60 over on
the other side of those and hide, and the
rebels would go over and shoot them.
Q. Your citizens clothes saved you2
A. Yes, sir; l told them l had nothing
TO do with them. They robbed every oiti
zen, taking off all their clothing
EPiErnm,