Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-09-09
THE FORT PILLOW MASSACRE.
Extract from the Congressional Commit
tees Report. -f

!
Immediately after the second flag of
truce retired, the rebels, under Forrest,
made rush from the positions they had
so treacherously gained and obtained pos
session of the fort, raised the cry of mo
quarter p But little opportunity was
allowed for resistance. Our troops, black
and white, threw down their arms, and
sought to escape by running down the
steep bluff near the fort, and secreting
themselves behind trees and logs, in the
bushes, and under the brush-some even
jumping into the river. leaving only their
heads above the water, as they crouched
down under the bank. .a -.-s.t
"Then followed scene of cruelty and
| murder without parallel in civilized war
fare, which needed but the tomahawk and
sealping- kaife to exceed the worst atroei-
ties ever committed by savages. The
rebels commenced an indiscr1minate
slaughter, sparing neither age nor sec,
uhite or black, soldier or c5vilian. The
| officers and men seemed to vie with each
other in the devilish work; men, women,
and even children, wherever found, were
deliberately shot down, beaten, and hacked
with sabres !; some of the children not
more than ten years old were forced to
stand up and face their murderers while
being shot; the sack and aoounded acere
6utchsred eoithout mercy, the rebels even
entering the hospital building and drag
ging them out to be shot, or killing them
as they lay there unable to offer the least
resistance. All over the hillside the
work of murder was going on; numbers
of our men were collected together in
lines or groups and deliberately shot,;
some were shot while in the river, while
others on the bank were shot and their
bodies kicked into the water, many OF
them still living but unable to make any
exertions to save themselves from drown
ing. Some of the rebels stood on the
top of the hill or a short distance down
its side, and called to our soldiers to come
up to them, and as they approached, shot
them down in cold blood if their guns
or pistols missed fire, forcing them to stand
| there until they were again prepared to
fire. All around were heard cries OF
'No quarter p mo quarter" "Kill the
damned niggers; shoot them DOWN. All
who asked for mercy were answered by
the most cruel taunts and sneers. Some
were spared for time, only to be mur.
dered under circumstances of greater
cruelty. No cruelty which the most
fendish malignity could devise was omit
ted by these murderers. One white sol
dier who was wounded in one leg so as tc
be unable to walk, was made to stand uI
while his tormentors shot him other!
who were wounded and unable to stanl
were held up and again shot. One negro
who had been ordered by a rebel officer tt
hold his horse, was killed by him when h'
: remounted another, mere child, whom
an officer had taken up behind him on hi
horse, was seen by Chalmers, who at one
ordered the officer to put him down AM
shoot him, which was done. The hut
+ and tents in which many of the woundeC
= had sought shelter were set On fire, bot
t that night and the next morning, Will
e the wounded were still in them-thos
$ only escaping who were able to ge: them
! selves out. or who could prevail on other
less injured than themselves to help ther
out and even some of those thus seekin
to escape the flames were met by thes
T rufians and brutally shot down, or ha
; their brains beaten out. One man Wa
!, deliberately fastened down to the floor {
a tent, face upwards, by means Of mai