The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-04-23
THE FanTr!I;oW M,~s.CRE.

". copy :roE the Cairo News OF the
18th the following account of the recent
captur. Of Fur, Pillow. by the rebels un-
der Eorres, and ChAlmers The attack
wss commenced on tbs HlorainC of the
l2,h, and lasted 5 honrs, before the gar
risen surrendered.
Tie garrison consisted Of about $50 men
OF IT.. il Tennessee Cavalry, uuder MAJ
Booth a fev citizens went - the fort To
helr eeTe,.d IT, and about 200 negro SOL
dies The iori mounted SIX Suus-l2
FOUNDERS The rebels were commanded
ty Gen Chalmers. Gen. Lee, however,
arrived on the ground before the fight be-
gan. and assumed command.
The firing was very b:I:k for Il short
time. when a asy q. truce was sent in. de
nantiiug an unconditional surrender,
which Mai Booth promptly refused.
Wnila the haG OF truce vas flying, Lee
,I,lsu<i / the same infamous course as did
Forrest at Paducah. snd posted his men
for 4 renewal Of the attack, advancing
them cautiously and securing more favor
able po.i.iCgs A second assault was Inade,
but with no more favorable results than
was the first the rebels being driven oack
with great slaughter. Every man fought
like a hero, feeling well assured that no
quarter wou!d be given. ihe nesross
w.,e not behind the white men, and stood
no .uan.ol!y before the rebel hordes Nal.
Booth who commanded the Union forces,
WAS Killed early ia the action, when Mag
Bradford assumed direction.
Between aud o'clock in the alters
noon ,hnd flag approached the fort, and
firing ceased on both sides. 1t was durIn:
this time that the Olive Branch passed up,
:, d as sho rounded the point above the
fort the passengers saw the American flag
hauled down. During the truce the rebel
forces again stealthiiy erept forward gain
ing the ditch, and preparing To mount the
wCiks Almost the moment the firing
teconnenced the rebels appeared on the
tap Of the bank. Twice were they swept
back, but as they regained II a third time
a ,snic seized tn" negroes, who hea I'D
terror to the river bank. Before inc en-
uesseans could tee brought TO take 'He
ylacs of the negroes, ihe rtosis "e'.
uourin. INTO one Of the forts, the guns oi
which were turned upon the other works,
and the fight was over A'er tHis a scene
Of ;ndiscrminatc slaughter commenced
The works were surrendered. but II ap-
i,,e.re as if no quarter was to be shown A.
! praying for quarter, or their heads were
laid open with sab;es, or their skulls stove
with the butts of guns. At least four oi
the wounded who came up on the Platte
Valley were shot after they had surrehc>
cred In several instances negroes were
driven into houses, when the buildings
were set on FIRE and consumed with their
inmates 1t appeared as If the reoeis
were possessed with the spirit OF demons,
and nothing but blood would sa'iate their
vengeance A rebel officer approached a
wounded negro, and with one stroke OF his
sabre cleft his head to his shoulders; an
other fiend actually hacked at the neck of
one Of the officers of the negro regiment
until his head was severed from his body.
Several small squads Of negroes were drawn
| up in line and shot down. After this the
Door creatures would take refuge behind
the white men. when the rebels would
fire. frequently bringing down both white
and black.
No attention was paid the wounded, and
the osnmenest dictates Of humanity