Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-05-05

lt was just DOWN under the brow OF tue
hill. A great many lying ip the water we're
shot, Trees that were lying one end in the
water and the other on shore they would
just 60 over on the other side Of these and
hide, and the rebels would 70 over and shoot
them.
q. Your citizens clothes saved your
! A. Yes, sir. | told them that had
nothing to do with them. They robbed
every citizen, and took off oil their clothing
o. How much did they take ffom you?
A. Seventy dollars. :,
@, You say you we're robbed twice2
4 Yes; once by the Captain of the
company, and once by the private. Icarry
INV money in my vest pocket always, and
had nay pocket book in my pocket with
notes in it.
Q. That was what you gave to the Cap.
tain, wasn't it2
A. Yes, sir.
@. And seventy dollars in money to the
soldier?
A. Yes, sir; he asked: "Give ME your
money, and the other asked for the pock-
ct book.
SAVAGE TREATMENT OF NEGROES.
Q. Did they shoot your negroes?
A. | understand they did, and burned
them all | understand they took one yel-
low woman; and two or three boys escaped
that tried to take to the fort with me in
the morning to help fight. The balance, 4
darkey, whose name do not know, said
were killed and burned in the house.
Q. You didn't 90 back there then2
what is told me. 1t was told to persons
that were hid right near, and saw persons
bury the bodies after they were burned.
Q. Where?
X. In the fort, sir. }
Q. Burned in the house in connection
with the fort buildings?
A. Yes. sir; and out on timber. There
was large number Of them buried in the
buil4ing, but they had been buried the
day before.
Q. You say there were five hundred and
eighty men, you think, in the fort2
A. Yes. sir.
Q. How many do you suppose escaped
A. Well, know there were more than a
hundred. As they marched out there sur
rounded by the other troops, would not
think there we're fifty of them.
NEGROES BURNED ALIVE.
There are five darkes in Cairo hospitals
who were buried alive. Two Of them have
died since they got there.
O., Did You see any 81 those men buried
alive2
A. No, didu't t, but they are facts that
cs.,, pe easily proved by the darkies them
selves, and those who saw it done, and saw
the quartermaster burned, too.
Mr.. Benton is native of Vermont, but has
recently lived in Missouri, engaged in an
army beef contract. In July, 1868, he went
down to Fort Pillow where he purchased
two hundred and fifteen acres bordering on
the river, and part of this land comprised
the fort and its defences. At the time oil
OF the attack by Forests force he was put.
ting down one hundred acres in cotton.
FURTHER CONFIRMATION.
In addition to the strong testimony given
by Mr.. Benton, we find in the Chicago Tri
buns long letter dated at Cairo on the 18th
instant, containing further oonfrmatery
statements by eye witnesses of the massa-
ere. The following are extracts:
TESTIMONY OF II. N. REVELLE.
Forrest would never have gained the po.
sitions he hsld-which we're, in fact, all he
needed to defeat our men-had he not,taken
advantage of the flag Of truce. He had
spent about eight hours and lost many men
in endeavoring to effect the object, and
without perceptible progress or success =
This took place at about one o'clock P. NJ.
ln about an hour and half-say abou
2:30 p, M-he saw large force coming up
on his portion of the fortiications, appar
emily emerging from the deep ravine at the
eastward. 1t was composed of infantry,
and had probably passed down Cold Creek
bottoms, out of sight, until coming upon
higher ground. These forces engaged the
works. Simultaneously with this movement
a body of cavalry dismounted, charged i'm
petuously from tho South of East, and an
oI, al f,o,,, h. 81
The first charge was successful, though
from the effective aim of the artillery and
musketry Of the Union troops, still stand
ing firm and undismayed, it was attended
with great rebel loss in killed and wounded
The rebels rushed upon the walls clambered
through the deep dtches, mounted tho
walls, staid not one moment, and dashing
headlong within the fort, kept up contin-
ued and calling musketry FIRE. Coming
from all directions, coming like an ava
lanche, aud in many instances where men were
unprepared to meet them, coming in force
Of live or six thousand coming upon so small
a force, resistance was useless.
The current could not be stemmed. Some
of our men remained still stubbornly at their
posts, determined to sell their lives dearly.
Revele fired two shots into the advancing
mass after the walls had been scaled. The
colored troops first, the white troops next,
dropped their muskets, and fled down the
hill, hoping to escape in that direction and
gain the cover Of the gunboat. The whites
soon found, as did the poor blacks, tha,
there was to be no quarter shown. All were
followed closely and fercely and unrelent
ingly by the Confederates, from whom 9
terrible iring.was kept up, directed upon the
submissive but fleeing garrison. The mus
kotry did not cease; our men had given al
token in their power Of surrender. Yet III,
murderers continued TO slaughter both blach
and ,ohite, Q6iceys and soldiers engaging ,oitl
zeal IN the horid ,oork. Revele, with hi.
comrades, had retreated down the hill, and
and was secretsd along with surgeon Fitch
in a sort Of ravine. when he saw two whit,
soldiers killed while begging for mercy -
They had partially sheltered themselves be
:. hind stump, and waved their white hand
/ kerchiefs above it. When they stood upor
a their feet, with the word mercy" on thsi
!. lips, the rebels shot them down.
n At this juncture captain in the rsbe
. service came dewn and ordered every mar
to return up the hill or they should be shot
He used emphatic language strongly favor
:. cd with oaths. Revelle, with the rest of ,h