Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1864-04-22
Confederate civilization.

We have another confederate victory to reel
ord-another evidence Of the chivalry and ciyiii1
zation Of rebellion to chronicle. 1t harmonizes
with the past and is attuned to that butchery and
murder which, if all else were blotted out, has
made the present war eternally memorable
The rebel General Forrest, with about six thouI
sand men, attacked Fort Pillow, on the MlsSissip.
pi river, near Memphis, on Tuesday morning, the
18th inst The fort was held by Major Booth, Of
the Sd Tennessee e. S. artillery, with garrison
of SIX hundred men, largely composed of negro
soldiers. \ flag of truce preceded the attack, but
was not received. A second flag was sent, and
similarly refused In despite of the rules Of war
the rebels employed both flags to improve their
position. The fight continued until 3 0 clock ID
the afternoon, shen, the commander and his CHEF
officers having been killed the rebels carried the
works by storm. This, though in behalf of wrong,
was unfairly fair and precedented in q few con-
demned instances ofw But when the last flag
was denied, when the rebels had stormed the
works, and with overwhelming numbers carried
them, they manifesteda spirit and showed de-
pravity which would have disgraced the court d
Beelzebub. When the white offers yielded, their
colored commanders attempted to escape. They
left the order OF battle and rushed to the rear 1t
was an opportunity not often enjoyed by the reb-
els They improYedit in manner worthy ofthe
censors of Beast Butler Their Overwhelming
numbers caused surrender So soon as the sur
y
was stopped, they began butchery which, if the
received reports are correct, would have augment
ed the vlaiay Of the savage assassins Of Miss Me
Crea, and deepened the shame Of Eejee Islanders
Read it, weigh it judge it and then, ifwhati is now
reported as veritable and authentic pioYesto be
really such estimate the character OF slave rebel
lion. Few Union men have been thus far killed
Numbers did the work and won the ground. =
When a similar result had been reached in the
Malakof or the Redan, the conquered heroes were
as tenderly treated as though they had been wo-
men. Even Hyder Ali, when he swept the Car
matte with beso M of destruction spared 1.-THE brave
and honored unfortunate heroes. Soult, reeeiv-
ing has foeman sword, complimented him upon
the desperation with which he had held it, Indi-
an warfare abonnds in instances whore savage no.
bity acknowledged and paid tribute to resolution.
The contederat9s commenced an indiscrimin2te
slaughter OF their prisoners, regardless of color,
and assassinated those whomthey found wounded!
Dead and manned negroes were piled together and
burned in heaps Loyalcltizens, who had joined
the forces OF the Union for protection were attack
ed and killed Is this war or-murder2 Is this
civilization or barbarism Is this chiyalry or pa
ganism The questions can be left to the calm
verdict of history and the general judgment of
mankind
But mere murder is not ALL Va can find an
excuse for many exeesses of hot blood yreaked
upon opponents The savages of southern insti-
tutlons shOl; 6aDred ana D2yoneted tnelr Whlle
and black opponents indiseriminatey, even after
surrender. Whosoever yielded was killed, and
the very bodies of the dead were torn wich jack
81 ferocity Negro women weremurdered chill
dren not eight years old were butchered; soldiers
gaspng in their gore were pierced with fresh
wounds, and their manned bodies thrown into the
river. Two-thirds of the entire garrison was kill
ed; and all of this was done by our misguided
southern brethren by those with whom 80
many northerners are willing 10 fraternize.
a passing steamer was signaied by the rebels
and hfty-seYen wounded men were put on board,
ofwhem eight died before reaching port The at
tack cost Us many lives, two ten-poundr Parrott-
rifles and two twelve poundhowitzera The stores
were destroyed or trans ported, and the manly he
roes OF civil war waged for slavery marched away
with aurels eolered by the butehery oftheir woun-
dsd opponents, and signalizcd by the murder of
moitensiFe women and children. Their victory
however, was Ike that won against Rome of which
the victor said, such another conquest would be
our defeat
We alludc to this as an instance and exempli6-
cation OF the ferocty OF that treason which grew
frantic over Mumford's just execution, and the
mllder punishment of his abettors. 1t is not CRATE
ful to record such crimes against our very foes
But 1t the characteristics of the war are everto be
known and its nature to be Justly appreciated,
these proofs cannot beignored Can toomuch be
done to prevent and opunish such excessive bar
barlsm in behalf ofsach excessive wrong g?-Aorth
American