The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-15
FORT PILLOW.
A Few Facts from an Eye-Wltness-Rs-
ply 60 the Letter Of General ForreEt.

Few Facts from an Eye-Wltness-hs-
ply to the Letter OF General FOrreHt,
TO the Editor Of The NeiO York Times
notice an article from N. B. Forrest, pub.
lished in many of the leading papers of the
country, wherein he ce0sures q correspondent
OF, your paper for making certain statements
relative to "the Fort Pillow affair." Now, 1t so
happens That / participated IN the defense Of
Fort Pillow, and decent respect to the memory
OF the brave men who fell around me upon that
occasion impels me to beg of you sufficient
truth OF many OF the statements made by your
correspondent as well also as to take a brief
review of the card from General Forrest.n
This type of Southern "chivalryn has indeed
the assurance to refer to the report of the Con-
gressional Investigation Committee, of which
Vice-PTesident Wade was the Chairman, 10
one of his statements. Has he forgotten that
the report of that Committee substanhated in
every respect the fact of the horrid barbarity
practised by his troops against the Federal
soldiers after capture In the words of the
report itself, alluding to the action OF Forrest
and his demons Immediately after the capture
OF the fort, "Tben followed a scene of cruelty
and murder without a parallel in civilized war
fare, which needed but the tomahawk and
scalpingknife to exceed the worst atrocities
ever committed by savages."
But the honorable" gentleman asserts that
he captured and can account for more than 300
of the garrison. Verify, he had captured more
than 450, and doubtless can account for all of
them, and II said account be truthfully rendered
IL will show more than three.fourths of this
number killed after the surrender.
In view of these facts, it seems decidedly
cool, to say the least, to one who, like the
writer, received portion of the boasted "hos-
pitality" and "chivalryn of the Southern peo-
pie, and who is yet Obliged to carry an ounce
of Rebel lead which he received after the sur
render, to hear this chivalrous son of the
South, with an air of injured innocence,
pratiug about his 'sense of honor and charac-
ter as a man and as a soldier"
Not desiring in the least degree to be egotis-
tic, or to subject myself TO that charge, deem
it proper here to state the rank and position /
held at the time of the capture of Fort Pillow,
in order the better 10 enable the public to judge
of the opportunities which had of knowing the
facts as regards the Fort Pillow atiair-if may
be allowed to use so mild an eXpressslon-and
for no other cause. was the First Lieutenant
and Adjutant of the Thirteenth West Tennessee
Cavalry, commanded by Major W. F. Bradford.
Major Bradford commanded the garrison most
of the day, Major j. F. Booth, who was the
ranking officer, having been killed about "A. NJ,
As Post Adutant had charge of the cores
pondence which took place under the flag OF
truce sent in by Forrest, about o'clock..P. NJ,
relative TO the surrender of the garrison. That
correspondence, as published in the report OF
the Congressional Investigating Committee, is
substantially correct, with but one exception,
viz, it omitted to state the threats which For
rest actually made in both the communications,
in these words, to wit.:-"lt this demand is not
complied with, you must take the consequent
ces." Having confidence in our ability to hold
the fort until reinforcements arrived, we refused
to surrender, never dreaming that pending the
negotiations under the flag of truce, Forrest, by
violating ai=rulss of cIVtlized fore, had
treacherouslY gained positions from which he
could successfully assault our works.
This, however, proved only the prelude to the
chapter of horrid atrocities which he and his
friends had in store for the Federal garrison
after its capture. That the massacre of our
troops which followed was deliberately premedI-
tated and planned, believe, rs believe in the
existence of just God, who will punish the
perpetrators OF this wholesale murder of un-
armed and many of them wounded men. was
myself deliberately shot down after had sur
rendered, and while lying on the field where
fell saw a number OF wounded men deliberately
shot. All this occurred after the fort was in
entire possession OF the Rebels, and when our
men had entirely ceased to offer resistance.
These atrocities were renewed early the fol-
lowing morning, when two unarmed, helpless
wounded Federal soldiers were shot within
thirty feet of where l was lying at the time.
] at the same time heard shooting going on all
around the fort but this occurred in my imme-
date sight and locality.
In conclusion, | would say that have by
no means desire to present my personal
wrongs and sufierings before the public, and
but for the fact that am the only surviving
officer of my regiment-the only regiment OF
white troops that participated in the defense OF
Fort PDiow--I should have remained silent upon
this occasion. MACK j. LEANING.