The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1864-05-27
From the Petersburg Express.
The Eort Pillow AAair-- Refuta-
ton Of Yankee SANDERS.

FROM tne FeIerSpurS GApfesS.
The Eert Pillow A1fhir- Refnta-
tiOn Of Yankee SANDERS.
From Gov. Isham Harris, of Tennessee,
who accompanied, and has recently reached
| Atlanta, ia return from the expedition OF
| Forrest into West Tennessee, the Confedera
| cy newspaper obtains the following true veI
! sion Of the late attack upon Fort Pillow. In
view of the perverted accounts Of the Yankee
papets, this official narrative OF the whole
proceeding will be found as interesting as il
is necessary to vindicate the truth OF hlsto'
~. -
Arriving in the vicinity OF Fort Pillow,
Gen. Forrest, having previously arranged his
plans and issued his instructions tor the at
tack. rapidly advanced his lines, and gained,
after brief, sharp contest, the outer works
of the enemy. Having possessed himself Of
this nosition. he threw forward line Of skir-
| mishers in a sort of ravine between the outer
works and the fort, which line was protected
| from the Federal sharpshooters by his reserve
! line in the outer-defences.
. He then sent in flag Of truce to the COM
mander of the garrison, demanding the un-
conditional surrender of the fort and garri-
son, with all the stores and munitions, stating
the advantage Of his position, his determines
ton, to carry the fort, and announcing that
if his demand was not complied with, ne did
not feel certain that he, himself would be
able to control his men when they entered the
fort, after having been forced to take the
risks of assault.
Hearing, after the note was dispatched and
before an answer to it was received, that the
Federals believed the demand for surrender q
russ de gte,rc, and that Forrest, IN person,
was not in command of the assailants, Gen.
Forrest himself rode up within hailing dis
tance, announced to the enemy in person that
he was General Forrest, and verbally denal,-
ded the surrender.
A reply was sent back, coached in defiant
language, declining to accede to the demand.
The assault was commenced, and in FIVE
minutes after the bugle sounded the charge
the fort was in possession Of our men. Our
advanced skirmishers went over the works
pell-mell, all around them, each man lifting
his fellow by the leg, and mounting on the
shoulder Of their comrades until the fort was
filled with Canfedsrates.
Col. Booth, commanding the garrison, was
negro regiment was left alive.
IL 40 True LudG a I0Ws UluCk anu WOlC0, Threw
down their arms and made signs Of surren-
der-but at the same time the men on each
side Of them still retained their arms and
kept up q Constant fire and show of resis-
lance. In the heat, din and confusion Of
FIRE at such Gloss quarters there was no chance
for discrimination. In less than five minutes
after our men scaled the esplanade, the fort
was cleared Of the enemy, the main body Of
whom fed to the edge Of the river, leaving
the fort colors still flying. AT the river they
still kept up the fire, until the number was
fearfully reduced, and until, as General For
rest states himself, he absolutely sickened
to witness the slaughter. He ordered the fir.
ing to cease, and dispersed his staff along the
lines with orders to that effect. II was next
% impossible to effect an immediate cessation
# the firing; the enemy themselves still fight !
NC. General Forrest rode up and down the |
ines ordering the men to cease firing, and !
inally stopped the carnage. The survivors Of
be garrison were all taken prisoners.
The maximum aggregate force of the Fede.
al garrison was 800. About 500 were buried |
y Gen. Forests men. About fifty Of their
rounded were paroled and sent upon gun
oat to Memphis. Two hundred prisoners
Tere brought away, and among the number
bout 30 negroes.
There is not the semblance of shadow of
nth in the Federal exaggerations Of whole
sle slaughter. The above are substantially
,e facts Of the capture, coming directly and
hciaily from the prominent actors in the
Inn.vry AuN * > 4