New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-20
TEE CAPTURE OF FORT PILLOW.
Gallant Resistance OF the Garrison-The
Bravery of the Negro soidiers-ihe
Garrison Ovcrpowered and tho Troops
Eutc,ered-DetaiIso of the Butchery.

Spe Cpf
CAIRO, April IL, 1861.
Before leaving Memphis, on Tuesday after
nOon we heard report that Fort Pillow was captured
and at D. proceeded up the river In the flatle
Valley loaded down with passengers, and win the gun
boat Silver Cloud. No. % under Acting Master feI,
guson in tow. We designedly proceeded slowly ard
arrived near the fort at m where the gunboat east
OifShnd steamed up toward the fort. We were about
three miles below the fort and could mounted pick
cts the shore. After the gnnbOat got within reaeh
she opened the fort with Shell but met with no reply.
She continued slowly until she got In near the fort ana
near the shore where she fired shot two and then
stopped. We had followed her at distance, and now,
about 10 M, came up abreast and passed her and the
fort.
AS we came up we saw fire and smoke proceeding
from the shore which proved to be some buildings and
some hay the levee. We also for tine first time saw
people moving about foot and some on horse
hack behind The smoke; and several persons came
10 the bank of the river with whlte nag Inc gun
boat sent skiT ashore which returned IN apout twenty
minutes and then the gunbOat landed we AT thls tiMc
were a mile above and being sgnaed by the gunOoat'
returned and landed by tie boat While returning near
the shore we numerous dead bodies streWed aIohS
the river and on the sides of the bui. We found, on
landing quite a number of Confederate officers among
them Brig Gen. Chalmers with his stan ana hblor
C. w Anderson Of Gen. Smiths stall ana others OF INC
Rebel officers whose names did not learn Arrange
mens were made to parole al the wounded, ana men
were detached TO bring them In. An agreemeht i3l
truce till p was agreed upon ana permission iee!
given TO visit the fort ard grounds Escorted ny 'hp
Lindsey formerly of NatChez now IN the keDel army.
your correspondent visited the fort and adjacent
grounds-the scene Of action the day preceding oh
The way np-about three miles below the fOrt-ve were
signaled bv faboat the Missouri shore, and took
on board colored corporal and three wounded men,
and received first account from them OF the hgh'
THE ASSAULT AND CAPTURE or THE FORT.
We have CLEANED the facts of the fight from authentic
sources and they may be relied upon as truthful Ihe
Rebels under Forrest. appeared and drove IN me PICK
cts about sunrise Tuesday morning The garrison OF
the fort consisted Of about two hundred Of the 18th Ten
nessee Volunteers and four hundred negro artillery all
under command of Major Booth. The gunhoat NO. 7
was also In the river The Rebels first attacked the
two outer forts and in several attempts TO charge were
repulsed. They were constantly reinforced, and ex'
tended their lines TO the river both sides OF the of
The garrison in the two outer forts at length over
powered by superior numbers and about noon eyacu'
ated them and retired TO the fort on the river Here
the fight was maintained with great obsnacy and con
tinued till about p NJ The approach le the ort irol
the rear is gentle deciyy. cleared and fuDy e1'
posed 20 a raking Ere from two sides Of the fort
About thirty yards from the fort is a deep rayne'
rnuning all along the front andLso steep az the bottom
its guns The Rebels charged with great bOldness down
the deeyity and faced without banohing mnrderous
fire from the guns and small arms Of the fort, and
crowded into the rayne, where they were sheltered
from fire by the steep bank which had been thus Iet by
some unHccountable neglect or Ignorance. Here The
Rebels organized for a final charge nponthe fort after
sending flag OF truce with demand for surrender
which was refused. The approach from the raVine Was
up through deep narrow gully ana the steep embank
ments Of the fort. The last charge was made about
D. m. BY the whole Rebel force and was successful, al
ten most desperate and gallant defense. The Rebel
army estimated at from 0OV 10 1000, and succeed
ed by mere force Of numbers.
The gunboat had not been idle but guided by signals
from the fort poured upon the Rebels constant stream
Of shot and shell She fired eco shells and testified
10 by those who could with elous precision and
with fatal effect. MAJOR Booth who was killed near
the close OF the fight conducted the defense with great
cooness, skill and gallanry His last signal ~ the
boat was: We are hard pressed and shau be over
powered" lie refused 70 surrender however, and
fought to the last BY the uniform and voluntary ies
tmOny Of the Rebel officers well as the survivors Of
foutrft
the bravery and coOlness OF veterans and served the
guns with skill and precision They did not fter nor
finch until at the last charge when ii was evident they
would be oyerpOwered they broke and ied towards the
river and here commenced the most barbarous and
cruel outrages that the endshness Of Rebels have
perpetrated during the war.
REBBL ATROCITIES.
A6er the Rebels were IN uLdispued possession OF the
fort and the survivors had surrendered, they com
meDced the iDdiscrimnate buicbery Of oil tlo Union
sodiery The eolored soldiers threw down their guns
and raised their arms IN token OF surrender put ho th
least attention paid TO IT, They continued to shoot
down as der found 4 number OF them. inding no
quarter given ran over the blum TO the riVer ana
tried TO conceal themselves under tne bNnk ad II, ue
bushes were pursued By the Rebel sayages ana IN
plored them b. spare their lives. Their appeals were
made in yain and they were AL shot down in cold blood
and in full sight Of the gunboet chased and shot them
down as they would dogs passed up the bank OF the
river and eOalitd fifty dead streWed along one had
erawled into hollow log and was kihed in another had
got over the bank IN the ryer and got ON toa boafd tht
ruu
bs feet in the water lie laid there when exposed stark
and sf Several had tried 10 hide in cIeyices made
by the falling bank and could not BE- seen without diiii-
Guilty but they were singled cut and kled 49,
From the best Information / could get The white
soldiers were 20 very considerable extent treated IN
the same way One OF the 1871 Tennessee on board
D. W. HlrIison-inorms me that after tho surrender
be was below the bluff and OF the Rebels presented
pistol 10 shoot him. He told him he had surrendered
and requested him not 20 FIRE He spared him and
directed him TO 20 mp the bluff 10 the fort Harrison
IL. hnf. hafu ng ~ gAniH II
Others but he told him 10 go along He started aud
had not proceeded FAR before ne met Rebel who pre-
scented his pistol Harrison begged him not to fire but
paying attention 10 his request, he hred ana shot
him through the shoulder and aa0ther shot him IN the
leg. He fell and while he lay unable 10 move another
came along and about 10 fire again. when Harrison
told him he was badly wounded twice and lnpored him
moi To fire. He asked HarTisOn II he had any money
lie said he had little money AID watch. The Rebel
took from him his watch and 500 IN money, and lett
him. Harrison IL probably fatally wounded
Several such cases have been related TO me, and,
think 10 great extent the whites aud negroes were
murdered. The Rebel Tennesseeans
have about the sane bitterness against Iennesseeans an
the Union army against the negroes. was told by
Rebel oficer that Gen. Forrest shot ono OF his men
and cut another with his saber who were shooting pris
oners II may be 30 Out he IL responsible for the con
duet Of his men, and Gen. Chalmers stated publicly
while on the Platte Valley that, though he did not IN
courage or cOuutcnance lis men in shooting down
negro captiyes yet that il right and jutihable
INCIDENTS OF THE FIGHT.
The negro corporal, Jacob Wilson, whom We pcl cd !
up below Fort Pillow, had narrow escape. He was
down on the river bank 1nl seeing that no quGrcr
shown stepped into the water ibat he lay partially
under it. 4 Rebel coming along asked lm what was
the matter; he said he badly wounded and the /
Rebel after taking from his pocket all the money be-
had left him 1t happened 10 be near by fat boat |
led 10 the bank and about o'clock IN the morning.
When all was quiet Wilson erawled into i and got
ree more wounded comrades also in it, and cut loose
The boat oated out into the channel and We found II
shoIe some miles below. The wounded negro soldiers