New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-06


oral private stores and some dwellings,, and some Coy
ernncnt buildings containing commissaIy stores. ~ ~
ravine above the fort, however, was known as NV'd
Bank Ravine the ridge being covered WIN iees "''
bushes. -, H.. Of tbc
10 the night or below, ard little to the front OF tne
font was level piece Of ground not qniie so "a.
the fort Itself on which had been erected sohe oE nr
or shanties which were occupied by inc "'o WIN
and also used foT hospital and other purpose M
the fort tents had been erected with Doiiu "o,e ~ a.
use OF the coorcd troops There were ia -, -,
tiliorv i'm lie fort consisting Of two bpouuGcis t"o
y uounder howitzers and two iOpouhuoI a. w D
The Rebels continued Their ATTACK Dus up ~ ,y c
o'clock i'm the afternoon. they hGd nov 6ainSu u"s
sv, success Our troops, both White anu bIach ous"t
most brsvcv ard were in good spirits.
mo .rrnhoat No. (NcW Era, Capt Marshii, t"ih
-, i; tLe conflict slelling the enemy rs opportunity
offered Signals had been agreed upon D! Wn-oI ~
ners in tie fort could indicate where te guns Ol INC
b.at coud be most effective. Iherc belhS pul Vo Fu
ho,, tbrre no pcrmanent impression appeared 10 nave
hen produeed dpon the enemy i0r rs they were s'u
ont OF one ravire they would make their appearance III
the other They would thus appear ond Fetlro "s '"o
0uuhoa. moved from one point 20 the other
bout o'clock the fire on both SIDES shekehed so'e
what and the cunhoat moved out IN the INcI 10 .Vi
and clear the guns having hred ~ TouIis Ca shv.
s,.ronl,u and canister which nearly exhausted Tue
supulv II ammunition. The Rebels having thus laf
r,e I'm their attack nov rcsOrted 10 their customary
fa,s OF truce. The frst flag Of truce conveyed de-
maad from Forrest for the unconditonal surrender o
the fort To this Major Bradford replied asking 10 pc
ellowed one hour with his officers aud the officers Of
the Cunhoat In short time second i,ob OF uIce ap
pcnled with q communication nom Forrest that ne
"A, mid allow MOTOR bradford 20 minutes IN Which TO
move his troops out of the lo ana II IL was not Vohc
in that time an assault would be ordered To THIS
Major bradford replied that he would not surfcha'i
During the time these flags were dying the Rebels
were moving down the raylnes and taking positions
from which the more readily 10 charge upon the Tort
Parties oi them also engaged IN plundeilng the
Government building and commissary ana duarieIm mas
ters stores in full view OF the gunboais Capt Mh sAa
states that be RETAINED from firing upon the Rebels al
though they thus violating Nag OF truce Tor rear
that ifthcy should finally succeed IN capturing the Oi
sf.r .fV lf.uf that MIC
ted bv saving that they were done in retaliation Tor us
firing while a flag o. truce was nylng lie says now
ever that when no saw the Rebels coming down inc
Iayiue above the fort taking positions there he got I'M
der weigh and stood for tie fort. He determined "a
use what little ammunition he had LETT in Smelling ont
The ra1inc but be did not get up within effective range
before the final assault was made.
Immediately AFTER the second flag 81 truce relued
the Rebels made rush from the positions tley had so
treacherously gained and obtained POSSESSION o. lAe
Fort raising the cry of " No quarter But little OPP
poItin.ty was allowed for resistance. Our troops
black and whe, threw down their arms, and sought To
escape by running down Tie steep huH near the ioo
and seer citing themselves behind trees ana logs IA the
bushes and under tire brush; some even jumping into
the river leaving only their heads above the wafer as
they crouched down under the bank.
Then followed scene Of cruelty aud murder without
parallel in civilized warfare which needed but the tom
ahawk aud scapngkniie to exceed tie worst atrocities
ever committed by sayages. The Rebels commenced
All ind scrilnato slaughter sparing neither axe nor
sex, white black, soldier or civilian The officers
and seemed 10 vie with each other IN tie deFiah
found deliberately shot down, beaten, and hacked
with sabers Some OF the children, not more than ten
years old forced 10 stand UP and lace their muir
dcrers while being shot The sick and wounded were
buclerel without mercy tie Rebels entering the
hospital buildings and dragging them out 70 be shoi OF
killing them Ne they lag there unable to oior the least
resistance.
An over the hillside the work Of murder was going
on. Numbers Of our men were collected together In
lines OF groups and deliberately shot Some were shot
while IN the river. while others the bank were shot
and their bodies kicked into the river. many Of them
still living but unable to make e1ortOns to save them
selves from drowning Some Of the Rebels stood upon
e ION of the hill or short distance from It's sile. nnd
allied 10 our soldiers 20 come up - them ana ~ they
apuroached shot them down in cod blood and II their
guns or pistols missed fire, forcing Them 10 stand there
uutn they were again prepared 10 hre
AL around were heard crics OF No quarter 30
ouaTter" "Kil tie damned MRgeTs, shoot them
down" All who asked for mercy were answered by
Inc most cruel taunts and sneers. Some were spared
for time only 10 be murdered under circumstancos Of
greater cruelty. No cruelty which the most hendish
mgnity could devise was omitted by these UuIderers
one while soldier VINO was wounded IN We leg - as 10
he unable TO walk, was made 10 stand MP WINE ms tor
mcnters shot him. Others who were wounded ana IN
able to stand up were held up ana again shoi. ono
negro who had been ordered by Rebel OLcer ~ hold
his horse was killed by him when lie demonstrated.
Another a mere child whom an oineer had taAeh mp
behind him his horse, was seen by Chalmers VINO az
once ordered him to put him down and shoot him.
which was done.
had sought shelter set FIRE both that night aud
the neAt morning. while the wounded we're still IN tAon
those only esca ing who were able to get themselves
out OF who could prevail on others less injured TO help
them out; and of these thus seeking 10 es-
cape the flames. met by these ruians and beasy
shot down, or lad their brains beaten out one man
was deliberately fastened down 10 the floor of tent,
face inward, by means Of nails driven through ms
clothing and into the boards under him, 80 that he
could not possibly escape and then the tent was sci on
fire. Another nailed 10 tie side OF building ont
side Of the fort and then the building set hrc and
burned. The charred remains OF i've or six bodies were
aiteward found, all but sOmuch dsigdTed and con-
sumed by tue flames TINT they could not be identified;
aud Identification Of that one IS not absolutely GER
tain although there can hardly be doubt It was the
body OF Lieut.. AlbcrtsOn. Qgartermaster 81 the lJth
Virginia Cavalry. aid native OF Tennessee. Several
witnesses who saw the remains ana VINO were persoA
ally acquainted with him willie living here. testified
their firm belief that was his body that was
thus treated.
These deeds Of murder and cruelty closed when night
only to b. renewed the next morning when TIE
demons carefully sought among the dead lying about ia
all directions tor any other wounded yet alive, and
those they found deliberately shot scores Of the
dead and rounded found there the dag of the mas
sacre by the from Of our gunboats who were
permitted 10 90 shore aud collect the wounded nn1
bury The dead The Rebels themselves had made pre-
tensv OF bury ing great many O their victims bdt they
had merely thrown them without the least regard to
care deccncy into the trenches and bitches about the
fort the little hOiows and rayines the hill side
covering them but partially with earth. Portions OF heads
and faces hands and feet found prOtrudng through
the earth in every direction, and when yonr Com
ntee visited the spot two weeks afterWard, although
parties of men had been sent shore nom time % time
10 bury the bodies unbuTed and TebuTy the others and
were even then engaged in the work found the
evidences Of this murder and cruelty s most painfully
We saw bodies still unburied. at some distance from
the fort of some SICK men, VINO had De5h met heelhB
from the hospital and beaten down and brualiy inur
dcrcd and their bodies left where they had fallen We
could still the faces and hands and feet oil men,
white aud llack. protruding Out OF Inc gfoun1' whose
graves had not been reached by those engaged ia re-
iutering the victims Of the massacre and although
great deal Of rain had fallen within the preceding two