Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-04-19
THE MASSACRE AT FORT rifI0W.
Full Particulars.
BARBARIsM OF THE REBELS


STEAMER PLATTE yALLEYf April IL, Ga
To the Editor Of the 81 Louis DAILY
Uaion.
SIN: It's possible, before this, yup have
learned by telegraph that Fort Pillow
and gaErison have been captured by
Forrest | propose TO give to your read
ers what | have seen and heard from
reliable parties concerning the matter
We bad The information on starting from
Memphis that The fort had been attacked
We we're accompanied by guuhoat No.
= Arriving near the scene Of action,
the gunboat preceded US, and opened fire
on the enemy, who were an possessions Of
the works A flag OF trace was raised
by him, when the boat landed. Al per-
seas were permitted 10 go ashore and see
for themselyeK Ihave Witnessed many
revolving results Of war, but can assure
your readers that the conduct Of the
rebels, towards our listIe garrison at Fort
Pillow, beggars all description, for fend
ish brutality and savage treaehery in
abusing the terms Of a flag Of truce
The fighting commenced on the morning
Of the ni2th inst at about 6 O'Clock
The fort resisted bravely until ten min
ntes to . clock, =, NJ, when flag Of
truce was sent in. demanding . surren-
der. upon the condition that The whole
garrison (whife and black should be
treated as prisoners of war This con-
sumed something near an hour, during
which, in accordance with military rules
10 such cases, their respective forces
should have remained in siatit quo. bat
the rebels used all that time to surround
the fort and advance their forces con
cealed 10 the very works. The proposi-
/ ton being rejected, the enemy made a
simultaneous charge to carry the work :,
which they easily did with their overpow-
J ering numbers When the charge com.
menced nearly all the eolered troops lafl
the fort, and in attempting to escape fell
into The surrounding lines Of the enemy,
who commenced the most inhuman, de
liherate, indiscriminate and cold.blooded
slaughter, that has ever yet disgrased
the annals Of civilized warfare. ia
The negroes were pnrsued even to the
river-into the water--to all the crew.
ces, hooks and holes IN the banks Of tbs
stream, and there murdered unarmed in
great numbers, without mercy. When
the enemy entered the fort he there com
; menoed, indiscrim;nately, the work o
death upon the gallant white troops, anS
continued itlong after they were disarm
ed and prisoners The Pest Surgeon
DIR. Fitch, informed me that the enemy
pursued even to the hospital. and ther,
shot those whose wounds he had dressed
in the early part of the engagement
observed myself the bodies Of som,
6isy or sixty eolored troops. scstteres
from the fort along the hillsides to tn
river along It's banks and in the water
Great numbers doubtless floafed Of i,
the stream The fort was niserabI,
constructed affair Il IS Surprising thI
military authorities omit the inspectiol
. Of suehsplaces The garrison. was CON
posed Of only 600 men-oae bsltaIioa D
the 18th Tennessee, about $50 men
Major Bradford eommandinxs the re
mainder colored troops--inlantry an
artillery-Msjor Boothe commanding.
The enemy drove the sick aud wound
ed from the hospitals, and burned th
same. After all resistance was oye.
those Who had escaped alive from ID
. works and hospitals, who desired to b
treated as prisoners Of war, said ID
! rebels we're ordered TO. fall into lint
e when and where they were inhumanl
shot down. From the best data Obtain
ed, beth from Federal and rebel souree
out of the whole number Of colored SO
diers only about fifty or sixty escape
= massacre Not one officer OF that cor
mand survived.
= Only four officers of the 18th Tenne
see cavalry-Msjor Bradford; Lieutel
!, ant Logan, Company G. Captain Pa
: ton, Company E; Lieutenant Smit
Company D-and Captain John Youn
sr Of the 18th Missouri infantry, esesps
death Major Bradford wss wounie