Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-05-06
Extract from the Report Of the
Committee on the Conduct of the

| 10 reference to the attack, capture and
massacre at Fort Pillow, they have deemed
II proper to take some testimony In refer
ence to the operations of Forrest and his
command Immediately preceding and sub.
sequent to that horrible transaction. II
will appear from testimony thus taken
that the atrocities committed at Fort Pill.
low were not the result of passions excited
by the heat of conflict, but we're the result
of policy deliberately decided upon and
1nhesitatingly announced, even IL the uu.
certainty of the tate OF those officers and
men belonging to colored regiments who
have heretofore been taken by the rebels
has failed to convince the authorities OF
our government OF this fact.
The testimony herewith submitted must
convince even the most skeptical that il is
| the intention of the rebel authorities not
to recognize the officers and men of our
colored regiments in the United States,
entitled to the treatment accorded by ali
civilized nations 70 prisoners Of war. The
declaration of Forrest aud his officers both
before aud after the capture of Fort Pillow
as testified to by such Of our men as have
escaped after being taken by him, the
threats contained iu the various demands
for surrender made at Paducah, Columbus
and other places, the renewal of the mas
socrs the morning after the capture of
Fort Pillow; the, statements made by the
rebel officers to the officers of our gun
boats, who received the few survivors ut
Fort Pillow; all this proves most con
ciusiVely the policy they have determined
to adopt. II was at Fort Pillow the bru.
tally aud cruelty of the rebels were most
fearfully exhibited.
The Committee then detailed at length
the taking of the fort, and then proceed to
say, then followed A,scene of cruelty aud
murder without parallel In cIsiliIed war
fare, which need bnt the tomahawk and
scAIpiug knife to exceed the worst atroci.
ties eVeI committed by saVages. They
commenced an Understandable massacre,
sparing neither age nor sex, white nor col
ored, soldier nor civilian. The officers and
men seemed to vie with each other in the
hellish work, the sick and wounded we're
bu chered without mercy. The rebels even
entering the hospitals aud dragging them
out to be shot or killing them as they lay
there unable to offer the least resistance.
All over the hillside the work of murder
was going on.
Numbers of our men were collected to
gether in lines or groups and deliberately
shot. Some were shot while 10 the river,
while Others on the bank were shot and
their bodies kicked iuto the water, many
of them still alive, but unable to make ex-
ertions to save themselves from drowning
Some of the rebels stood upon the top OF
the hill. or short distance from its side,
aud called to our soldier to come up to
them, and as they approached shot them
10 cold blood, and it their guns or pistols
missed forced them to stand there until
they were again prepared to Ere. All
around were heard cries of "Ho quarter,
no quarter; kill the damned niggers
shoot them down." All who asked for
mercy were answered by the most cruel
tsunts and sneers. Some we're spared for
the time only. to be murdered under cir.
eumstauces of greater bArbarity. No cru
city which The most 6endish maliRuity
could devise was omitted by these muir
derers.
One white soldier Who was wounded 10
made to stand up while HE torment0ts
shot him. Others, who were wounded
aud unable to stand up, were held up aud
again shot. Ons negro who had been
ordered by 4 rebel officer to hold his horse
was killed by him when he demonstrated.
Another, mere child, whom az officer bad
taken up behind him on his horse, was
seen by Chalmers, who at once ordered
him 20 put him down aud shoot him, which
was done. The huts aud tents iu which
many of the wounded had sought shelter
were set on dre both that night and next
morning, while the wounded were still 10
them, those only escaping who we were
able to get themselves out or who could
prevail on others less injured to help them
out, and eVen some of these, thus seeking
to escape the flames. were met by these
rufflans aud shot down or had their brains
beaten out.
One man was deliberately fastened down
to the floor of teut, face upwards, by
means Of nails driven through his clothing
and into the boards under him, 80 that he
could not possibly escape, and then the
tent was set on FIRE. Another was nailed
to the side of building outside Of the fort
and then the building set on ERE aud buru.
ed. Tue CHARGED remains OF 5 or bodies
we're afterwards found. ALI but one SO
much disfigured aud consumed by the
flames that they could not be identified,
and the Identification oil that one is not alb.
solutely certain although there eau hardly
be a doubt that it was the body OF Lieut..
Alberlson, Quartermaster of the 18Th Ten
nessee cavalry and native OF Tennessee.
These deeds of murder and cruelty closed
when night came on only to be renewed
the next morning, when the demons care
luAlI AnUuk uC0u huOuk
in all directions LOT any other wounded
yet alive, and those they found were delib.
erateiy shot. -A
Scores of the dead aud wounded were
found there the day Of the massacre by
the men from the gunboats, who went on
shore TO collect the wounded bury the dead
The rebels bad pretended to bury many of
their victims, but had merely thrown them
into ths trenches and bitches about the
fort aud covering them partially with
earIh-portions of heads, faces, hands and
feet were found protruding in every direc.
ton. and even when your Committee visit
ed the place two weeks after wards, all
though parties of men had been on shore
from time to time to bury the bodies IN
buried and rebury the Others, aod were
even then engaged 10 the same work, we
found evideucrs OF this murder and cruel
IL