The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-04-22
CAPTURE OF FORT PILLOW.
Horrible Massacre Of Black
/ Soldiers. ao1 :
DISGRACEFUL MANAGEMENT
Laws Of War and am Humanity
u Outraged. RIO "a
NEWS FROM FORT PILLOW.

NEWS FROM FORT PILLOW.
Shocking nhumanity..-Men Shot in
the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Burned.
OARo, April 16.-Several guns, cap
tured by Forrest at Fort Pillow, were
spiked before falling into bis hands. 9th
ers were turne,l upon gunboat No Z,
which, from exhaustion of ammunition,
having fred some three hundred rounds,
was compelled to withdraw. Although
only tin-clad, she received but slight in
jury. General Lee arrived and assumed
command at the beginning of the battle,
previous to which Chalmers directed the
movements. Forrest, with the main force,
retired after the fight to Brownsville, TAX
ing with him the captured guns. While
the steamer Platte Valley lay under a flag
Of truce taking on the wounded, rebel off,
GERS, among them Chalmers, went aboard,
and some of our officers showed them
great Difference by drinking with them and
showing them other marks OF courtesy.
Prominent among said officers was Capt.
Woodruff, of the 18th Illinois infantry.
ST. Louis, April ia correspondent
of the Union, who was aboard the steamer
Platte Valley at Fort Pillow, gives an
even more appalling description of the
fiendishness of the rebels than our Cairo
DISPATCHES. Many of our wounded were
shot in the hospital; the remainder were
driven out and the hospital burned. On
the morning after the battle the rebels
went over the field and shot those negroes
who had not died from previous wounds
Mary of those who escaped from the
works and hospitals, and who desired to
be treated as prisoners of war, as rebels
said, were ordered to fall into line, when
they were inhumanly shot down. Of $50
colOred troops not more than tifty-sixi es-
capped massacre, and not one officer COM
mandi1g survives. Only four officers of
the 18th Tennessee escaped death. Loss
of the 18th Tennessee, eighty. five killed
and the remainder wounded and captured.
Gen. Chalmers told this correspondent al
though it was against the policy of his
government to spare negro soldiers and
their officers, he had done all in his power
to stop the carnage, At the same time,
he said he believed it was right. Another
said our white troops would have been
protected, had they not been found on
duty with negroes. While the rebels en-
deavored to conceal their loss, it was evil
dent that they suffered severely. The
Colonel commanding the Tennessee cav
airy was MORALLY wounded. There are
three well-filled hospitals short distance
in the country. I.t 'sr- '.le I'd
CAIRO, April 1.-two negro soldiers
wounded at Fort Pillow were buried by
the rebels, who afterwards worked them
selves out of their graves, and we're among
those brought up on the Platte Valley,
and now in hospital at Mound City. The
officers of the Platte Valley received great
credit from military persons, and all 9th
ers, for landing at Fort Pillow, at immi-
rent risk, and taking our wounded, and
for the kind and humane treatment mani
tested towards them on their way up, do
ing everything possible in rendering aid
and relieving their sufferings. as
The taking of Fort Pillow, of which full
accounts will be found elsewhere, was at
tend with scenes of inhumanity such as
we had not expected to be obliged to
chronicle in this ege and country. Be-
sides the inassacreing of officers and SOL
diers in cold blood, and after they had
surrendered it seems that they even turn
ed wounded men out of the hospitals still
further. that they burned several negroes
alive, and even attempted to bury them
alive. One of these upon whom this lat
ter piece of deviltry was tried. managed
to extricate himself, and is now in our
lines, living witness to rebel inhumanity
and barbarism. Beyond these accounts
of TIER inhuman conduct, there is no fur
Their news that was not given yesterday.
The fort ia evacuated and the rebels are
on the move. &tat "a ~ -& }e5
The Knoxville convention has adjourned
sine die, without taking any action what
ever. r-7-g-w F.
CAIRo, April 15.--Three other negroes
were buried alive by the rebels at Fort
Pillow, making five in all. All were
wounded but one, and he was forced to
help dig pits, and then thrown in and COW
cred up.
Chalmers said to federal officers on the
Platte Valley, that it was their intention
to show no mercy to homemade Yankees,
(lneaning Southerners recognizing the Un-
ion army and negroes, but that genuine
Yankees would be treated as prisoners Of
war.
The following commissioned officers are
killed:
Capt. T. L. Bradford. OF Toledo, Co. A, 18th
Tenn. cavalry.
Lient. J. c. Barr, Co. B. 18th Tennessee
cavalry.
see cavalry.
Lieut.. Wilson. Co. A, 18th Tennessee cav
airy.
Lieut. Rend. Co. K 18th Tennessee cavalry.
WOUNDED.
hilbert, Co. A. LIST Alabama.
Capt. John A. Porter, LIST Alabama
Adit. Lenning, LIST Alabama.
Major Bradford, who was in command,
refused the flag of truce at first, but fl
nally received it. The rebels took advan-
tage Of it. !.
The Platte Valley was under convoy of
a eunboat from Fort Pillow. There Is no
trouble between here and there.
Many passengers, while under dag OF
truce, and while the wounded were being
taken on board, saw the rebel soldiers
butchering colored men on the field, and