The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-05-12

Cdule On, OulJ w NC lSflNoo thO nOA'
morning, when the demons carefully |
sought among the dead lying about in
all directions, for any, wounded yet
alive, and those they found were de-
liberately shot. Scores Of the dead
and wounded were found there the
day of the massacre, by the men from
some Of our gunboats, who were per-
mitted to go ON shore and collect the
wounded, and bury the dead. The
rebels themselves had made o pretense
of burying great many Of their vic
tins, but they had merely, thrown
them into the trenches and bitches
about the fort or the little. -hollows
and ravines on the hillside, covering
them partially with earth. Portions
OF heads and faces, hands and feet,
were found protruding in every direc-
tion, and were, when your Committee
visited the spot, two weeks afterward,
Although parties of men had been sent
on shore from time to time TO bury
the bodies unburied, and reibury the
others, and were even then engaged in
the same work, we found the evidences
Of this murder and cruelty still most
painfully evident. We saw the bod
les still unburied, at some distance
from the fort, of the sick who had been
met fleeing from the hospital, and beat
en- down and brutally murdered, and
their bodies left where they had fall
len. Many other instances of equally
atrocious cruelty might be enumerated
but your Committee feel compelled to
refrain from giving here more of the
heart sickening details, and refer TO
the statements contained in the volu-
minous testimony herewith submitted.
Those statements were obtained by
them from eye witnesses and sufferers.
Many of them as they were examined
by your Committee, were lying upon
beds ofpain and suffering, some so fee
BILE that their lips could with difficulty
tell their story. But two officers are
known to be living and they are woun-
ed. Oneofthem, Captain Porter, may
even now be dead no hopes were en-
tertained of his recovery. Of the men
from 300 to 400 are known to have
been killed at Fort Pillow, ofwhom at
least 800 were murdered in cold blood,
after the fort was in possession of the
rebels, and our men had thrown down
their arms and ceased to offer resist
ance. 5tt
When your committee reached Mem
phis, they found and examined man,
Mr.. McLagan, who had been conscript-
cd by some of Forests forces, but with
other conscripts had succeeded in max
ing his escape. He testified that while
two companies of rebels with Major
Bradford and many other prisoners
were on their march from Brownville
to Jackson, Tennessee Major Bradford
was taken by five rebels Zone an Off
cer0 led about fifty yards from the
line of march, and deliberately mur-
dered in view OF all there assembled
He fell instantly killed by the muslet
balls, even while asking that his life
might be spared, as he had fought
them manfully and was deserving of q
better fate. The motive for this mur.
/, der seems to have been that, although
q native of the South, he remained
royal to his Government. The tcsti.
mony, herewith submitted, contains
many statements made by the rebels
that they did not trust homemade Yam
KEGS, as they termed loyal Southerncrs
any better than negro troops.
, There is one circumstance connected
| with tho events here narrated, which
your committee cannot permit to pass
unnoticed. The testimony herewith
submitted, discloses the most astound
J ing and shameful fact, that on the NOR
ming of the day succeeding the capture
of Fort Pillow, the gunboat Silver
Cloud, the transport Platte Valley ant
gunboat New Era landed at Fort Pill
low under flag oftruce. While they
: were lying there the rebel Genera
Chalmer and other rebel officers came
down to the landing, and some Of then
: went on the boats. Notwithstanding
the evidences Of rebel atrocity and bar
| barity with which the ground was co
: vered, there were some of our army
r officers on board tho Plato Valley 81
} silent to every feeling of decency, hon
or and respect, rs to make themselve
= disgracefully conspicuous in bestowint
D civilities and attentions upon the rebe
l officers, even while boasting ofthe mur
ders they had committed. Your com
s mittce were unable to ascertain tn,
: names of the officers. They are assur
!, ed; however by the military authori
l ties that every effort will be made t
: ascertain their names and bring then
t to the punishment they so richly me
s rit. In relation to the enforcement
b or evacuation Of Fort Pillow, it woulc
: appear that the troops there stationc,
t were withdrawn on the 25th of Janua
Q ry last, in order to accompany theMeri
: dian expedition under General Sher
t man. General Hurlbut testifes tha
s he had received instructions to perma
q nently vacate the post, and deeming il
e that the rebels should not interrup
s the navigation of tho river, by plant
s ing artillery there He sent som
troops there about the middle Of Feb
d ruary, increasing their number after
J. ward until the garrison amounted t
h nearly 600 men. He also states tha
# as soon as he learned that the garriso
l. -..u.. n4ln nl.nd L. Aoolr ~ az n,Annu 4