The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1864-05-12
Particulars Of the Ft. Pillow Mas
SaCre.

affair at Fl Pillow, which we clip from
the Chicago Tribune, Is from one who
participated in the struggle to hold the
tort. There is no record Of anything
moro barborous IN history, not even
] among savages, than the treatment which
our soldiers received at Fort Pillow. The
\ correspondent says;
We have seen and corvcrsed with q
gentleman Just arrived from TT. Pillow, q
| temporary resident there, not connected
with the army, but who took part in the
gallant dcfeusc Of the Fort. From his
statement, no doubt truthful IN every re-.
spcct, the horrors OF that day were even
more terrible than first reports seemed
10 indicate. The first assault by Chalm-
I crs' division of the rebels, commenced
about five o'clock in the morning. The
women aud children were got into Hat
boat and towcd 10 n safe distance Just be-
I fore IL commenced, aud the citizens we're
! ordered into the fort 10 assist in its de.
lcHsc. The defense OF the fort was main.
taincd nutil near two p m, during the
! period of which three distinct charges
were made and rcpulsrd with severe loss
tp the enemy nt each time. At O'Clock
a dag Of truce was sent in with o de-
mand for the surrender OF the fort. Mai.
Booth, the commander Of tho fort, hnv q.
ing been killed early in the day, the flag
was received by III. Bradford. lie re-.
piled that Ae could not give positive an
swcr until hc had communicated with
gunboat No. 7, which had borne a distu-
Iguishcd part in the defense. lie made
an attempt TO do 50, but on account of
the loss OF his signuls, he was unable, and
about one hour wus exhausted in making
the attempt. During the presence Of the
flag IN the fort, and while there should
have been cessation ofall hostile ope-
rations, Forest quietly and secretly gath
cred his division in close proximity to the
fort, and so protected that twas imposs.
BILE to reach them pffactually with its
guns, or in any way 60 severely dOmagc
him. When he had got his men In prop.
or position, he demanded of Moi Brad
ford an immediate response to his de-
mand Tor a surrender. Moi. Bradford re-
piled that IL he wanted the fort he must
cJmc aHd tlkc IT.. The assault was i'm.
m adiatoly made, and was of the most dos.
ptr1tc character. The enemy soon gain.
+ cd entrance and tho little garrison was
sooi uverpOwcred. When this took place
our mon Immediately threw down their
arms, aud cried out that they surrender.
ed. To this the rebels paid no attention
hut commenced an indiscriminutc shoo.-
ing. The men seeing that they were tu
h ave no quarter, rushed over the rear OF
the fort, and down the steep prccipicc to.
ward the river. Tho rebels poured down
, toward the river, on each side of the fort
in immense numbers, completely hem
ming in the poor veterans, and shooting
them down as they ran, notwithstanding
they continuity cried for quarter, aud in
this way the carnage contiGucd for near
ly an hour, until out of the TOO men,
blacks and whites, who were insidc OF
For Pillow at ths commencement Of the
strife, not NJ, ra.thnn 100 to 100 remain
ed alivc-iull six hundred had fallen vic
Tins to the internal host led by the gucr.
rilla chief.
+ After the fort had been in the possession
of the rebels for some time, and our flag
hauled down, the rebels again hOistcd il.
in order TO influence the demons to con-
tinue che work of slaughter under the i'm
Pression that the garrison h,d not sur
rendered.
Our informant states that when he had
surrendered rs mentioned above, the of.
ficcr first demanded his money, then
his shirt, aud finally took about all
Tho clothes he had on. Next to killing.
robbery seems to be the first Impulse of
: the rebels. lie saws h. is cogn.zint of
the fact related above of tho cruciliction
of Lieut.. Ack, rstrom. As hl /, +, lated.
hn was taken while wounded, but vet
alive. nailed against a building, and the
building set ON fire. Tho demons looked
and saw him thus consumed, continually
Isl. outing aud laughing at the horrid spec.
Itaelc. The body Of Lieut.. a. was alter
wards se?n still nuiicd to the charrcd
plank, completely burned to crisp.
/ Mai. Bradford, who was in command of
the fort, ullrr the death Of Nh. Booth,
was wounded and taken prisoner. lie
was atcrward taken into the woods, q
short distance from iha fort Hnd hung,
Ofthis there is no doubt. Tac intUymq.
ton of our informant is positive. He is
also conf ,ent that every negro that was
IN the fort, whclhcr belonging TO the ar.
my or not, aud every white officer in com.
mand OF negro troops, has been sacrific.
! cd, either by being shot, or hung, utter
bling taken prisoner, with perhaps the
exception of ten or twelve, who made
their escape, and Forrest himself, aud all
OF his officers, boldly asserted that that
would bc the fate ut every prisoner in
their possession.
WARRINGTON, May 8.
Here we extract from the report of the |
Committee on the conduct of the war.
Although your committee were in.
structed TO inquire only ia reference to
the attack, capture aud massacre at TT. |
Pillow, they deemed it proper 10 take
somo testimony in reference 10 the one.
rations of Forrest, and his command the
morning previous, and subsequent to that
terrible transaction. twill appear from
the testimony thus taken, that the atroc-
tiles committed at Fort Pillow, were not
the result of passion resulting from the
heat of battle, but plan, cooly and de-
liberately decided upon, and unhestul-
ingly announced. Even if the uhcertain.
~ of the fate of those OIL ,ers aud mon
belonging 70 colored regiments, who have
heretofore been taken by tho rebels, have
failed to convince tho officers of our
Government OF this fact, the testimony
herewith submitted must convince ia,
most skcpIical, that ii is the intention OF
the rebel authorities, not to rccogniz
the officers and men OF our cOlorcd repi.
ments, AS entitled TO the treatment ac-
corded by all civil zod nations 70 prison
,riofwr The declar alton of Forrest
and his officers, both be o'e aud after the
capture Of Pillow, was testified o by such
Of our men who have escaped after being
taken by him. The threats contained in
tho various demands made at Paducah,
Columbus and other places, the renewal
of the massacre the morning a1cr tho