Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-04-29
CAPTURE OF FORT PILLOW.
Interesting Particulars and Incidents

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A correspondent Of me 81. Louis Democrat
who was witness Of the attack and capture
Of Fort Pillow. furnishes some additional par
ticulars and incidents Of the assault, the gal
liant resistance Of the garrison, the bravery Of
the negro soldiers, and their indiscriminate
slaughter by the rebels after surrendering. -
He speaks as follows Of
THE ATTACK AND CAPTURE OF THE FORT.
The rebels. under Forrest, appeared and
drove in the pickets about sunrise on Tues
day morning. The garrison Of the fort con-
sisted of about two hundred Of the / 9Th Ten
nessee volunteers and four hundred negro ar
u,lery, all under command Of Maj. Booth !;
the gunboat No was also in the river. The
rebels first attacked the two outer forts. and
in several attempts to charge we're repulsed.
They were constantly reinforced and extend
ed their lines TO the river on both sides Of
the fort. The garrison ia the two outer forts
were at length overpowered by superior num-
bers, and about noon tRasuated them aud re-
tired to the fort on the river. Here the fight
was maintained with great obstinacy, and con-
tinued till about p. NJ. The approach to
the fort from the rear is over gentle decliv-
ity, cleared and fully exposed to a raking FIRE
from two sides Of the fJrt.
About thirty yards from the fort is deep
rayine, running all along the front, and so
steep at the bottom as to be hidden from the
fort, and not commanded by its guns. The
rebels charged with great boldness down the
declivity, and faced without blanching a muir
derous fire from the guns and small arms Of
the fort, and crowded into the rayine where
they were sheltered from FIRE by the steep
bank which had been thus left by some un
accountable neglect or ignorance. Here the
rebels organized for final charge upon the
fort, af'er sending flag Of truce with de-
mand ior surrender, which was refused. The
approach from the ravine was up through a
deep, narrow gully, aud the steep emhank
ments of the fort. The last charge was made
about p NJ, by the whole rebel force, and
was successful after a most desperate and gall
liant defense. The rebel army was estimated
at from 20OO to 1000, and succeeded by mere
force Of numbers. The gunboat had not been
idle, but guided by signals from the fort
poured upon the rebels constant stream Of
shot and shell. She fired 26O shells, and as
testified to by those who could see, with mar
velous precision and with fatal effect. Major
Booth, who was killed near the close Of the
fight, conducted the defense with great cool
ness, skill and gailantry His last signal to
the beat, was, " We are hard pressed and
shall be overpowered" He refused to sur
render, however, and fought to the last. b.
the uniform and voluntary testimony of the
rebel officers as well as the survivors of the
fight, the negro artillery regiments fought
with the bravery and coolness of veterans aud
served the guns with skill and precision
kav q I. af I'll l,af
charge, when it was evident they would be
overpowered, they broke and fed towards
the river, and here commenced the most bar
barous and cruel outrages that ever the hend-
ishness of rebels have PCsP-trated during the
war.
REBEL ATROCITIES.
After the rebels were in undisputed pos
session of the fort and the survivors had sur
rendered, they commenced the indiscriminate
butchery of all the Federal soldiery. The
colored sohiers threw down their guns and
raised their arms in token Of surrender, but
not the least attention was paid to it, They
continued to shoot doan all they found. A
number of them, finding no quarter was
given, ran over the bluff to the river. and
tried to conceal themselves under the bank
and in the bushes they were pursued by the
rebel savages, and implored them to spare
their lives. Their appeals we're made in
vain, and they were all shot down in cold
blood and in full sight Of the gunboat-
chased and shot down as il they were dogs.
To great extent the whites and negroes
were ndiscriminately murdered. The rebel
Tennesseans have about the same bitterness
against Tennesseans in the Federal army, as
against the negroes. ] was told by rebel
officer that Gen. Forrest shot one Of his men
and cut another with his sabre who were
shooting down prisoners. 1t may be so, but
he is responsible for the conduct of his men,
and Gen Chalmers stated publicly, while on
the Platte Valley, that though he did not en-
courage or countenance his men in shooting
down negro captives, yet that it was right and
iustifuble.
DR.. Fitch, Surgeon of the fort, who was
taken prisoner, and afterwards paroled. says
he saw twenty white soldiers paraded in line
on the bank of the, and when in line the reb-
els fired upon and killed all but one, who ran
to the river and hid under log, and in that
condition was fred at number of times and
wounded He says Major Bradford also ran
down to the river, and after he told them he
had surrendered, moreihan fifty shots were
fred at him. He then jumped into the river
and swan out little ways, and whole vol
leys were fred at him there without hitting
him. He returned to the shore, and meeting
as the Doctor supposes, some officers, was
protected, but be heaId frequent threats from
the rebels that they-would kill him, and he
believes that they have killed him. 1t was a
subject Of considerable remark that Captain
Young was treated by the rebels with so
ank nd 10 s.,d that hrofbar
who has been in the rebel army, kept grog-
shop at the fort, and was a rebel sympathizer
1t was stated by some of the rebel officers
that they had only about twenty-five colored
prisoners, and they were old servants of white
officers, and that all Splored soldiers were
killed. This believe to be true
SEVENTH REGIMENT.-A small battle was
fought at Pollard, near Pensacol0, Fla, on
the I'd, between the rebel troops there and