Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-05-09
THR FT. PILLOW MASSACRE.
REPORT or MEsSRs. WADE Ann
fae5 G00CH.
Ci4y 80 - HAs
Shocking Detalls-.-Tlae Worst Ae-
ha counts CoRfsrmed.

as AohiAuB0N8 bAaJ ~
The following is an extract from The
report Of Messrs Wade and 0ooeh, of
tue Conduct Of the War eommitlee on
the Fort Pillow massacre
"Your Committee were instructed TO
inqaire only In referenoete the attack,
capture and massacre at tEeFt Pillow, but
they have deemed it proper to take aome
testimony in reference 10 Tie operations
of Forrest and his command Immediate
ly preceding and SUBSEQUENT to that hor-
riblo transaction. MR
II will appear from testimony thus
taken, that the atrocities committed at
Fort Pillow were not the result Of pas
sions excited by the heat Of eonalet, but
we're the results of policy deliberately
decided upon, and unhesitatingly an.
nouncad Even the uncertaintFss of the
fact OF ofthese officers and men helenging
70 colored regiments, who have been
taken BY the rebels haa failed to con-
vince even the most skepsieal that It is
the intention of the rebel authorities not
TO recognize the officers and men af our
eolored regiments as entitled tothaIreat.
ment accorded by all civilized nations 10
prisoners Of war. TIE declagstion Of
| Forrest and his officers, both before and
after the capture Of Fort Pillow, as testi-
| fed TO by such of our men aa have es-
/ capped after being taken by them, con
tanned in the various demands fot sur
render at Paducah, Columbus and other
places. the renewal of the massacre the
morning after the eapsnse of Fort Pill.
low; the statements mada by rebel Off
GERS 10 the officers Of oar gunboats who
received the few survivors 1T Fort Pill
low; all this proves most conelusively tbs
policy they have determined to adopt
| Ii was at Fort Pillow the brutality and
cruelty of the rebels were most fearful,
exhibited.
| The Committee then detail at lengtl
the taking of the fort, and proceed q
SAP:
Then FOLLOWED 1. scene of cruelty ani
murder without IlA1AlIel q Civilized war
fare, which aeeis butths tofnAhawk anl
4 scalpihg Knife to exceed the most afro
eions ever committed by savages. Th
rebels commsncsa an indiscrimi pat
slaughter, spatiax neither sex, nor ags
white nor baeks sdldiors nor Civilian.
) The oficersand men seemed to vie wit
each other in the devilish work. MeT
women and children, wherever found
were deliberately shot down, heaten 30
hacked with sabers. Some of the chile
ren. not more than ten years old, weE
forced to stand ap and face their nul
I | derers. while being shot. The sick an
/ ! wounled were treated without mere,
! The rebels even entering the hospitl
: buildings and dragging them out to
. shot. or killing them as they lay ther
uuable to offer the least resistance.
K 81 All over the hillside the work q nu
= der was going en- Numaars OF osar me-
81 were collected Together in lines
= groups, and deliberately shot, while OF
srs on the bank were shot and the
bodies skicked into the water, many
> them lising, but unable to make any 9
ertion-to saxa themselves from drownln
- Some Of the rebels stood upon the top
the bill, a short distance from its SD
Is and called to osrssoldieFs TO come up
them, and as1hay : approached ahet The
down in cold blood, and if their guns
~ pistols missed, forced them 20 sta
est there until they were again prepared
Il fire. ALI aronnd were heard cries
r mo quarteri no qaartenf's xii 4
= damned niggersr'. "Shoot them down
y All who asked for. mercy were answ
- ed by the most cruel taunts .
=. snesrs. Some were spared for ii
81 only. 10 be murdered under circu
stances Of greateF barbarity. No cras
- whishlshs most fendish malignity co
s's be devised was omitted by these mard
ers. One white soldier, who vas WOO
ed in the leg 20 As 10 be uaabla to ws
q. vas made to stand up while his tornis
ers shot himda Others xho we're woun
zlar and unahle to stand up, were held ups
Ans again shot One negro, Who had b