Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-04-21
Capture of Fort Pillow
by the Rebels.
100 INMATES BUTCHERED.
REBELS ATTACK PADucAR.
GEN. STEELE HEARD FROM.
He Defeats Two Rebel
Columns.
CAIRO, April IA.


On Tuesday morning the rebel Gen.
Forrest attacked Fort Pillow, Soon af-
ter the attack, Forrest sent flag of
truce, demanding the surrender of the
fort and garrison, meanwhile disposing
of his force so as to gain the advan-
tage. Our force was under the com
mand of Major Booth, of the Thirteenth
Tennessee heavy artillery, formerly the
First Alabama cavalry. The flag OF
truce was refused and fighting resumed
Afterwards, a second flag of truce came
in, but was refused. Both flags gave
the rebels the advantage of gaining
new positions. The battle was kept up
until p m, when Major Booth was
killed and Major Bradford took COM
mand. The rebels now came in swarms
over our troops, compelling them to sur
render Immediately upon the surren-
der ensued scene which utterly baf-
fles description. Up to that time, com
paratively few of our men had been
killed, but the confederates now made
an indiscriminate butchery of whites
and blacks, including those of both col
ors who had been previously wounded.
The black soldiers, becoming democrat
lied, rushed to the rear-the white Off
GERS having thrown down their arms
Both white and black were bayoneted
or sabred Even dead bodies were hor-
ribly mutilated, and children of seven
or eight years and several negro women
were killed Soldiers unable to speak
from wounds were shot dead, and their
bodies rolled down the banks into the
river. ...r.. .-s..s 4.
The dead and wounded negroes were
piled in heaps and burned, and several
citizens who had joined our forces for
protection were killed or wounded. Out
of garrison of six hundred only two
hundred are alive. Among our dead
officers are Captain Bradford, Lieuts.
Barr, Ackerstron, Wilson, Reyel, and
Major Booth, all of the Thirteenth Ten
nessee cavalry. Captain PASTOR and
Lieut.. Lyon of the Thirteenth Tennes-
see, and Captain Young of the Twenty
fourth Missouri, acting Provost Marshal,
were taken prisoners. Major Bradford
was also captured but is said to have
escaped 1t is feared, however, he is
killed.
The steamer Platte Valley came up
about half past three O'Clock, and was
hailed by the rebels by a flag of truce,
and party was sent ashore to bury the
dead and take aboard such of the wound
ed as the enemy allowed to live. Fifty
seven were taken aboard, including sew
Ell or eight colored, Eight died ON the
way up. The steamer arrived here this
evening, and was Immediately sent to
the Mound City hospital Among oul
wounded officers of colored troops are
Capt Porter Lieut. Leverts and Adju-
tant Lemming. Six guns were captured
by the rebels and carried off, including
two 10-pound PARROTS and two l2-pound
howitzers. A large amount of stores
were destroyed or carried away. The
intention of the rebels seemed to be tC
evacuate the place and move on towards
Memphis.
LITrLR Rock, Ark, April IA.
Advices from Gen. Steele to the 18th art
received. His expedition had Their
reached point seven miles south O.
Ekin Ferry, on Little Missouri river, and
about twenty-five miles from Camden
where he expected Gen. Thayer, with {
force from Fort Smith, to join him mex
day. On the I'd, the rebel Gen. Shelby
attacked Gen. Steele's rear guard, under
Gen. Rice, with twelve hundred cavalry
and two pieces of artillery, and was re
pulsed with loss of one hundred woun
ded. Our loss was forty four killed anC
nine wounded and sixteen prisoners
On the 4th, the rebel Gen. Marmaduk
attacked Gen. Steele, with three or fou
thousand cavalry and five pieces of ar
tillery on the south side of Littl
Missouri river, and after four hour
fighting, was repulsed with loss of fou
killed and twenty-three wounded. Gu
loss twenty-three wounded. There is
large force of rebels five or six miles il
advance, but it is expected they will
make a stand. Nothing had been hear,
by Gen. Steele, of Gen. Banks or the gun
boats on Red River.