The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-04-27
Tn M...ncre a, For, pnlo,y.

The Massacre at Fort Pillow.
The statements We published last week Of the
horrible bu'chery # pr -oners at Fort Pillow,
are iull. COZ f med by subs qlent accounts.
A correspondent of the 81 Louis D.moeyat
Srites:
"Aiier the rebels were in undsputed possess
ion of the tort snd the survivors had surrender
ID they comm- ucrd the indi~c' inmate butcher,
Of all the Federal soldirry The lOrtd soldiers
brew down their guns aud raised their arms j,
,Okeu OF surrender. bit not the least attention
WIS paid u. They c'nunued to sho.t do~r
"a they found A number ct them n ding hO|
qgartcr aaS gwen rau over The bluff to III,
fivcr, ard tled To corceal theniselv undrr th,
bar X and IA the bushes. were pursued b, th'
rebel savages, aud impiofed them TO spare their
lives. Their appeals we're made IL vain. aud
they we're all shot dom IN cool blood. aud TO-
iuil sight of the gunhuar. chased aud shot then
down they would dog ! passed up the bank
Oi the river aud counted 6fv dead strc~ed
along Oae had craWlrd into a hollow log and
Killed IN il, another had got over the bank
ga the river, aud got to a hoa,d that raa out ILL.,
80 the water. lie lay on his face with lis tee
90 the water. He laid there when exposed star
AID - 4 Several had iried 20 hide "a crevice-
made ny The falling bank, and could NOT BE- sect
~Ithout liiculty, but they Were singled out and
2'lied From the best iui0t nation | couli get,
/ che white soldiers were, lu "a vety considerable
extent, treated in the same way
Another correspondent writes:
DR.. Fitch, surgeon OF the fort, says he sau
t~eut white soldiers paraded ia Aue on the
hanks Of the river, and When IN liue the rebels
hred upon and killed all but one, Who Tan To tie
rSer aud hid under log, and Ia that condition.
Vas tired at number Oi times and wounded
le say MAJOR Bradford also ran down 10 the
river, aud alter he told them lie had surrender
ri, more than hity shO,s were fired AZ him
He then jumped utO the nver aud swan out -
little way anu whole vOllcs- were fred at hin.
there without hiitng him. tie returned To the
shore, aad meeting. as the doctor suppO.es, some
officer protected; tut he heard frequent
threats irOm the rebels that they would kill him.
and he believes they have Killed him"
IN order, doubtless, TO show their contempt
for that religion that teaches that God created OF
one blood AL the nations OF tie earth these reb-
el heuds actually crucifed one OF the white OF
f,ers OF the garrison, after his surrender, bs
railing him 70 a plank aud after 81 loving bis
agonics until satisfied, they threw him. .tl
uaed TO bis cross, into The flames Of burning
building
This statement appears too horrible for belief
but it is sworn 10 before the military autl o
ties at Cairo, By an escaped prisoner, who Wit.
messed the appalling spectacle.
What adds tn the atrocity OF this transaction
tie whole affrir evidently premeditated
The slaughter of all the prisoners had doubtless
hoo ~. TOD in
ed and proceeded with the irst dav; aud IN,
next day the rebels went over the ground, and
killed those whom they found alive
COlOred troops have been employed in the SER
vice nearly two years, AID ia various places /
where they have been taken prisoners. they |
have been sold tor slaves, have been shot. hang
Ell, aud ia one Instance. al MiHkens Bef D. they !
were said to have been burned alive, With some
Of their white officers
On the S0th ct July, 1868. the President is
sued an order declaring that the Governments
OF the United States viii give the same protec-
ton to all its soldiers; aud If the enemy shsl
sell OF enslave any one because of his color. the
offence shall be punished BY retaliation upon the /
enemy's prisoners in cur possession. Il i there
fore ordered. that for every So der Of the Uni
ted States killed in violation OF the laws Of war.
rebel soldier shall be executed"
What has been done thus far. toxa-d. execnt-
ing this Order' just nothing Aud why noty
Here are the reasons as stated bs President Lin
coin bimseli, at Baltimore. April Is, at the open
ing Of the grea, fair in tha, CITY:
He then alluded to the occurrence reported
to have taken place at Fort Plhow. the mssss-
ere Of several hundred colored soldiers by thf
Coutederates. Many supposed the Government
did not intend TO do lis duty in regard 10 the
p election of our colored sold ers. tie desired
70 saw 10 81 such that they were mistaken
when The Question OF employing coored men a.
soldiers Vas lefj 10 the Cover meut IL Rested
very much With himself say whether he should I
make soldiers OF them not He poudrrrd Tie ,
matter carrfuliy, and when he became convinced
y ~as duty 10 employ them that capacity
be did not hesitate to do so. He stood before
the American people respou sihle for the act. re-
spons.ole before the Christian world, response /.