New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-18
THE FORT PILLOW MCRDERs.

IOOiSlnturD anu IOuIls VI NcM-UtioCJ'
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TuR FORT PILLOW MURDERs.
Gen. Sherman telegraphs from somewhere in
the South West that, after the capture lastweek
of Fort Pillow, near Columbus, by Forests
raiding Rebel force, three hundred Of our colored
soldiers. whom their commander had surren-
dcred as prisoners Of war, including those who
had been wounded In tho defense, woro butch
cred in cold blood by their captors. The CAIRO
correspondent Of the Associated Press adds that
five of them were buried alive. -Four OF these
werc among tho wounded; while tho fifth was
compelled TO help dig the pits, and then tumbled
in and covered up. The correspondent adds
that Gen. Chalmers gave notice that no
quarter was henceforth to be given to homemade
Yankees-that is, TO Southern Unionists, white
or black. The correspondent Of The 81. Louis
Union tclegraphs that Of $50 colored soldiers
who were engaged in the defonso but So are
left alive, and that every one of their (white)
officers was killed. Also, that the Rebels went
over tho field tho morning GJtcr the fight, and
killed every wounded negro who was not
already dead. Many of our wounded, no adds,
wore shot in the hospital, which was finally
burned. Gen. Chalmers told The Unions cor
respondent that hc had endeavored to stop this
butchery of prisoners, but that nds contrary
10 tho policy Of his GoUsrnmeni 10 spare negro
soldiers or their (white) officers, and that he con-
sidered hat policy right. Another Rebel officer
observed that our ,ehitc troops ,eoHld haze been
prot,c,ed from bnicheryV they had not bee" found
GeL,:::ss side Ly side tcih negrost.
This correspondent was on board tho
Union steamboat Platte Valley, which was pAss-
ing up the Mississippi on the day after the cap
,ure and was hailed under o flag of truce by
the Rebels, and invited to take away such OF
our wounded az had been left alive. That White
as well as Black soldiers were msssacred by the
Rebels after oil resistance had ceased--that
black women. and children not more than eight
years old, were slaughtered like sheep-is at
tested by the passengers on the Platte valley.
Some of our officers on board that steamboat
ars reported to have fratenized with Chalmers
and bis numbering subordinates, treating them
with abundant courtesy and whisky. Fhty-
seven in oil, out of garrison of 800, were
brought away wounded by tho Platte Valley
ONLY or of them colored; but 300 in oil are
said to have been saved. OF the 81. eight died
before the steamboat reached Cairo.
TO comprehend fully the atrocity of those do
ngs, il must be considered that oil this occurred
in Kentuoky-a State which has steadily refused
TO Join the Rebellion. Pollard, in bis Southern
History Of The Var, fully admits this, and 0ustly)
attributes il to the enduring influence of Henry
Clay. The Rebels, therefore, give notice that
We shall not defend ourselves on our own ad-
mitted territory by the help of Blacks; for if We
do, they will murder not only these, but their
white officers and compatriots also.
The simple question raised by those proceed
they may dictate to US the kind of force with
which We are to fight them, they can surely
dctnto the measure and efficiency Of our resist
ance to their arms To persist in fighting while
practically acquiescing in these assumptions
would be a preposterous, hideous, and sickening
waste Of human life.
Their armies, at this hour, ore oficered by
renegade1from the Union armies-Lee, John
ston, Beauregard, and all tho rest. Many Of
these ore traitors to their States ss we'll rs to the
Unon-witness Kirby Smith, Pemberton, Gar
diner, Elzey, Buckner, Ould, Breckenridge,
Humphrey Marshall, and ever so many more.
Yet, while we accord to these oil the immune
ties OF prisoners Of war; the Rebel authorities
dictate to us the kind Of force we shall use
against them, and butcher without mercy oil
whom we employ in disregard of their Imta-
tons.
Up to this hour, they have assassinated many
Of our colorcd soldiers and their white officers,
and have exchanged none OF either. And they
persist in this course without provoking any ef-
fective counteraction on our part.
Blame for this the Rebels, and tho Internal
" institution which makes them Rebels, as
much as you SEQ ft--thcy deserve it all, and
more. But, when you have heaped on them all
The rcprobaton they deserve, can You hold our
own Government guiltless of this last horrible
slaughter' Can our authorities soy TO the VIC
tins at Fort Pillow. with more truth than did
he Of the scared eyebals,
"Thon canst not say I did it-nevcr shake
Thy CORY locks at me!