The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-05-20
THE FORT PILLOW MAssAcRE,
WAsmINdToN, MAY ;.

w ASIIINGTON, May y.
The following is an extract from
the report of Messrs. Wade and
Gooch, of the Conduct of the War
Committee, on the Fort Pillow mass
acree.
Your Committee were instructed to
inquire only in reference to the at
tack, capture and massacre at Fort
PILLOW, but they have deemed it prop
or to take some testimonyin reference
to the operations of Forrest and his
command Immediately preceding snd
snbsequentto that transaction. 1t will
appear, from testimony thus taken
that the atrocities committed at Fort
Pillow were not the result of passion
excited by the heat of conflict but
we're the results of policy deliber-
ately decided upon and unhesitating
Iiy announced. Even the uncertainty
of the fact OF these officers and men
belonging to colorcd regiments who
have been taken by the rebels has
failed to convince the authorities Of
our government of this fact the testi-
monv herewith submitted must con
vince even the rebel authorities not
to recognize the officers and men of
our colorcd regiments as entitled to
the treatment accorded by all civil
lied nations to prisoners of war.
The declaration of Forrest and his
officers, both before and after the cap.
ture of Fort Pillow, MS testified to by
such Of our men, as have escaped ar-
ter being taken by them, contained in
the various demands for surrender at
Paducah, Columbus and other places
the renewal of the massacre the NOR
ming after the capture of Fort Pillow,
the statements made by rebel officers
to the officers of our gunboats who
received the few survivors at Fort
Pillow: all this proves most conclusiv-
ely the policy they have determined
to adopt. 1t was at Fort Pillow the
brutality and cruelty of the rebels
were most fearfully exhibited.
The committee then detail an length
the taking of the fort and then proceed
to say: Then followed n scene ofcruel-
ty and murder without parallel in civ
ilizcd warfare, which needs bnt the
tomahawk and scalping knife to excel
the most atrocious ever committed by
savages. The rebels commenced an
indscriminate slaughter, sparing nei-
thcr ace nor sex, white nor black, sol
dicrs nor civilians. The officers and
men seemed to vic with each other in
the dcviish work. Men, women and
children, wherever found, were delib
cratclv shot down, beaten and hacked
With sabcrs. Some of the children.
mot more than ten years old, were
forced to stand up and face their mur-
derers. while being shot. The sick
Gnd wounded were treated without
mercy. the rebels even entering the
hospital buildings and dragging them
out 70 he shot, or killing them as they
Law there unable to offer the least re-
sistance.
All over the hillside the work OF
murder was going on. Numbers OF
our men were collected together in
lines or groups, and deliberately shot
Some were shot while in the river
while others on the bank were shot
and then kicked into the water, many
of them living, but unable to make any
cxertion to save themselves from
drowning. Some Of the rebels stood
upon the top OF the hill and short
distance from its side, and called tC
our soldiers to come mp to Them ant
as they approached shot them down
in cold blood, and iftheirguns or pis
tolls missed, forced them to stant
there until they again prepared to fire
All around were heard cries Of "Nt
quarter, no quarter!' "Kill the d.
niggers!" "Shoot them down. AL
who ssked for mercy were answered
by the most cruel taunts and sneers
Some were spared Tor time, only t.
he murdered under circumstances o
greater barbarity. No cruelty whicl
tho most fiendish malignity could de
wise was omitted by these murderers
One white soldier who was wounded
i'm the LEG so as to be unable to walk
was made to stand up while his tor
mentors shot him. Others who wer
wounded and unable to stand NJ
were held up and again shot. On
negro, who had been ordered by
rebel officer to hold his horse, wa
killed by him when he demonstrated
Another, mere child, whom an of
Ger had taken up behind him on hi
horse, was seen by Chalmers, who G
once ordered him to put him dow
and shoot him, which was done. Th
huts and tents, in which many of til
wounded had sought shelter, were 81
on fire both that night and the ncS
morning, while the wounded were sti
in them, those only escaping VIII
were able to get themselves out, c
. could prevail on others less injure
to help them out, and even some {
those thus seeking TO escape I'll
flames. were met by these ruffiar
and shot down, or had their brain
beaten out.
One man was deliberately fastene
down to the floor of tent, face NJ
ward, by means of nails driven thr'
q his clothing and into the boards III
der him, so that he could not poss
D. bly, escape, and then the tent was 81
on fire. Another was nailed to Il
side of n building outside of the for