Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-04-23
THE FORT PILLOW AFFAIR,
Confirmation Of the Reports of
Rebel Barbarities-Pre
Condition Of the Men
The Ruins Of
the Fort. 20
ANOTaER RAID ON PADUCAH.
Chalmers and not Forrest at Fault.
CAIRO, Ill, April II.
TIE FORT PILLOW woUNpEp.

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CAIRO, ILL.,, April II.
THE FORT PILLOW WOUNDED.
Last Thursday your correspondent visited
the United States general hospital at Mound
City, in charge of DR.. A. Wardner, and had
an interview with the wounded men who
were brought by the steamer Platte Valley
from Fort Pillow. They all related the
same story about the barbarous conduct OF
the rebels upon the capture of that fortif-
cation. OF the whole number, fifty-two,
all except two were wounded after they
had given themselves up to the enemy.
But one, William Jones, had died, and it
was thought that Captain John II. Porter
and Lieut.. Leaning would not recover.
NO QUARTER. $500
AS soon as the federals saw the rebels in
side the walls of the fort, they ceased fir
ing feeling that further resistance would be
useless; but the enemy continued their at
tack, crying, "No quarter! Shoot them! =
Kill them!" The federals, with but few
exceptions, had thrown down their arms in
token of surrender, and therefore could Of
fer no resistance; in vain they raised their
hands and begged their captors to spare
their lives; but they appealed to flends in
human shape, and the massacre went on un-
til only two hundred and thirty out of five
hundred remained alive, and of this num-
Der sixty-two were wounded, and nine died
in a few hours afterward.
CONDUCT OF THE REBEL OFFICERS.
This wholesale murder was sanctioned by
almost all of the rebel officers, and General
Chalmers more especially, A line officer,
however, who was not so lost to all the
feelings of humanity, exerted himself to
stop the slaughter by waivingh his handker-
chief and calling his men away. One ofthe
wounded believes his life was saved in this
smanner. He said that rebel brought him
a basin of water to drink, and two of them
remained with him during the night. Gen.
eral Forrest is reported to have withdrawn
with his force before the action ended, and
the butchery of so many men was in con-
sequence Of the Indifference of General
Chalmers.
INCIDENTS OF TILE MASSACRE.
The atrocities committed are almost be-
yond belief and but for the fact that so many
men confirm the stories, one could scarcely
credit them. One man, already badly in
jured, asked of rebel, who was aiming at
him, ospare life. mo, curse you'll" he ex-
claimed, "you fight with niggers," and forth
with discharged two more balls into him.
A negro was made to assist in digging a pit
to bury the dead in, and was himself cast in
II
have been inferred alive, of these, two
scratched their way out, and are now alive
in the hospital. Daniel Tyler, negro, was
shot three times and struck on the head with
amusket, knocking his eye out; afterward
he was buried, but dug himself out. Rob
ert Hall, negro boy, was lying In bed in
the hospital at the fort, sick and helpless,
whena rebel came in and cut him with his
saber; three cuts went through his scalp,
cleaying the skull and exposing the brain.
The boy threw up his left arm to ward
off blow, and, In doing SO, lost part of
his hand. Eli Cothell a negro corporal,
was shot three times after he had surrender
ed. William Jordan, anegro, was shot four
times and lost a. leg. Most of the white
soldiers were wounded four or five times;
they are very severe, but themen are doing
well and are in good spirits. Sergeant W.
p. Walker received four wounds, and was
robbed of everything valuable about his
person. ID. w. Harrison was shot in three
places and robbed of ninety-seyen dollars
and a silver watch. James Walla was
wounded twice and robbed. James M.
Taylor and Wiley Robinson, a boy, have
four wounds EACH The former was struck
in the face with musket.
Lieutenant Porter and Thomas y. Cart
wright are the only ones who were wound
ed before the surrender.
st7 THE DEAD.
William James died on Thursday morn |
ing. Many negroes were driven into the |
river and drowned. About four miles be- |
low the fort six dead bodies were seen |
lodged against a tree. In another place
three bodies were seen. A number of others
were seen on the bank of the river 6 ~ /
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naaaora 20 ha..a ~, ~, - 80 ,-ow. A
v,nc1as VI poass Wnicn passed the scene