Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-04-29
THE FORT PILLOW MASSACRE

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THE FORT PILLOW MASSACRE.
Graphic Statement By an Eye Witaess-THe Rebels
Gam an Entrance Under Flag of Truce
Union Soldiers Shot Down in Cold Blood and
Hunted By Northumberland and White
Men Burned and Buried Alivs.
From tho Missouri Democrat.
Edward H. Benton, q citizen, resident of Fort
Pillow, who was present at the inhuman massa-
ere by the Rebel troops under Forrest, at Fort
Pillow, was examined at Department Head
quarters on Tuesday on Major Bond, A. D. G,
The testimony was taken by William Thorpe,
Esq, Photographic reporter, of this city, and is
as follows:
was born in Waltham, Vermont.
Question. Where have you resided last
Answer. | was in Missouri, engaged in fur
| nishing beef to the Government troops on the
North Missouri road until year ago last July.
then went down to Fort Pillow, and have been
there ever since.
O. What was your business tberef
A. l owned 215 acres of the fort, bordering
on the river, aud the very land we fought on. 1
was putting in hundard acres Of cotton just
outside of the Notifications, which was my princi-
pal business
Q, You lived outside the fort
| A, Yes Sir; | slept there. | was in the fort
every day. It was only about mile from the
landing-not mile from the Notifications.
ARRIVAL OF FORREST.
O. Just say when you saw Forests men
about the day and time Of day, and what you
didf
A. On Tuesday morning, the 18th Of this
month, was awakened by about o'clock, or
81 O'Clock, by little darkeyb boy, who came into
my room and says, 80, Mr.. Benton, all of For
rests men have come, and they are just going
into the fort TO take it--what will dol got
out of bed and looked out of the window toward
the fort and saw about 300 or 400 of Forests
men drawn up in line and some one was making
a speech to them, which was answered by cheer
ing. They cheered and then the pckets fired.
put some things In my Valise and started for
the fort in roundabout away, and got in by
running the.piokets about six o'clock, and went
Immediately to Major Booth aud asked for q
gun, aud took my stand with the soldiers inside
the breastworks, where remained and shot at
} every person of Forests men that could gel
chance-fring 48 shots in al-until the flag
of truce was sent in.
SHAMEFUL CONDUCT UNDER FLAG or TRUCE.
O. What was the time of day it Gamer
A. II came in about two O'clock; l should
think II or o'clock in the afternoon.
O Had they made any attack then?
A. 0, yes, Sir
, O. Had they tried to carry the fort by storm
and been repulsed2
, A. Oh yes, Sir. At one time the Confederate
i troops had oil disappeared.
i O. We're 400 all there we're
a A. Those were all | saw there. This was
i when they first made their appearance when
= first saw this 400. After we got into the for
a we saw more than 900 coming in at the differ
= ent passages, and the sharp shooters wer
- stationed on every hill on every side Of US, ex
cept the river side.
/ Q. Do you recOllect how many attacks the
!, made b carry the Fort before the flag of true
, came9
!, A. We fired twice. 1t is not proper to b
: called an attack.
"a Q. Did they use artillery
"a A. Yes, Sir, They could not hurt us wit
"a that. They shot at the gunboat.
a Q. When the flag of truce came in did the
. make any disposition of their troops around Il
e Fort there?
10 A. Yes, Sir. After the flag of truce was SCI
n and the firing ceased, they came up on all sid
~ to within ten yards of the very embankmei
- :. that screened US.
M O. While the flag of truce was waitingf
"a "a A. Yes, Sir; more especially the northel
ar side, just under the bank looking toward Co
a. Creek.
= Q. How long was that flag inside our lines ?
nd A. One hour was the time-I suppose il W
ha all OF an hour.
~ Q. Do you know the nature of il?
ha A. 1t was for the unconditional surrender
" " Q. 1t was refused by Major Booth2
A. By Major Bradford " Sir-Maj
Il, Booth had been killed. He asked time to co
al suit with the gunboats, and fnally returnt
"a "a answered that there were none of Hawkins IN
in there, and he never would surrender.
- Q. Didn't Major Bradford make any prot
,rv against the troops coming up under the flag Il
as wayf
vpt vpt A. don't know, Sir.
'@ir @ Q. When the fag went back, did they CO
ths mence firing aganf
- A. Yes, Sir.
NV. Q Kept it up for how long
ei' @ A. They commenced firing but the FRI
IT. ~ didn't last fifteen minutes. Up to this Il
~ there had not been twenty killed ou our side
+ to STRENGTH OF THE GARRISON.
Q. What was the strength of the garrison
nn- A. Five hundred and eighty, l think, just
@ How many of these were negroesf
s66 A. About three hundred and eighty-ner
and four hundred; don't know exactly to maj
Q. How many citizens beside yourselff
fifth A. VIM. W. Carter of Chicago and yo
man by the name of Robinson he was sol
very but in citizens clothes and got off on that
re Of HOW THE FORT WAS CAPTURED
@ The second flag that came iu-about
No, long oiter tne nrBt
,nue, A. Well, there was no second flag of tr
except the one; there was no firing in th
,rned terim.
and Q. There was no firing while the first wai
A. No, Sir; not single shot was fire
oupd either side. After the flag of truce had
ire of rejected, or the surrender releeed they We
ms close to the Fort that about 5000 just sp
right in, and the whole garrison threw
both their arms at once. The bigger portion Of
,, also darkies jumped down the bank toward the
aaippi River, without any arms at all, and
ID on followed by Forests men and shot indisc
ion of natsly, black and white, with handkerchief
over them in great number of instance
ng at many as fifty, should think.
aud in NUMBERING THE PRISONERS.
Q. Did you see any of those persons form
ing IN line and shot DOWN.
scalp A. Yes, Sir.
Q How manyf
}. 6O6 A. They were collected, at least, 3