The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-08-14
Forest at Fort PiIlo,e.

Forest at Fort Pulo~.
The following Is an extract from the Con-
gressional Committees Report on the Fort
Pillow massacre, wherein Is shown the char
actcr Of Napoleon Bonapanc Forrest,
conspicu6ussbelegnte in the Dem. Nat. Con-
ven,io,ne~
'Tmmediately after the second flag Of
truce SeliHd, the rebels, under Forrest,
made = fQ5istrom the positions they had 80
treachcrghhy gained and obtaihed possess
sion n tIM fort, raising the cry of"No quar-.
teri" but little opportunity was allowed
for resistapse. Our troops, black and
white, threw down their arms. and sought
to escape by running down the steep bluff
near the foh. and secreting themselves be-
hind trees and logs, In the bushes, and un.
der the brush-some even jumping into the
river, leaving only their heads above the
water, as they crouched down under the
bank.
Then followed a scene Of cruelty and
murder without parallel IN civilized war.
fare, which needed hut the tomahawk and
scalping. knife to exceed the worst atroci-
ties ever committed by savages. The rebels
commenced an indiscriminaio slaughter,
spdring neither age nor ser, Mack or trhite,
soldier or ortiidn.. The officers and men
seemed to vie with each other in the devil
ish work; men, women, and even little
children, wherever found, were deliberately
shot down, beaten, and hacked with sabres.
Some Of the children not moro than ten
years old were forced to stand up and iaco
their murdere,s while being shot the sick
and wounded were butchered without
mercy, the rebels even entering the hospi.
tai building and dragging them out to bo
shot, or killing them as they lay there un-
able to offer the least resistance. All over
the hillside the work Of murder was going
OF numbers Of our men were collected to.
gether in lines or groups and deliberately
shot, some were shot while In the river,
while others on tho 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 short distance down It's side,
aud called to our soldiers 10 come up 10
them, and as they approached, shot them
down in cold blood (; if their gups or pistols
missed fire forcing them to stand there un.
Ill they were again prepared TO firc. All
around were heard cries Of "No quarter !"
"No quarter :" "kill the damned niggers |:
shoot them down - All who asked for
mercy were answered by the most cruel
taunts and snecrs. Some were spared for
time only to be murdered under circum.
stances OF greater cruelty. No cruelty
which the most fendish malignity could
devise was omitted by these murderev.
One white soldier who was wounded In ono
leg so rs to bc unable TO walk. was made to
stand up while his. sonneniors shot him;
others who were wounded and unable TO
stand were held up spd again shot One
negro who had bcen orders,l by rebel Of
fccr 10 hold his horse, was killed by him
when ho reinOunted another, mere child
whom an officer had tnken up behind him
on his horse. was seen by Chalmers, who
at once ordered the officer to put him down
and shoot him, which was done.
The huis and tents In which many OF tho
wounded had sought shelter were set on
fire. both that night and the next morning,
while the wounded were still in them
those only escaping who were able to get
;"...' - ~ , g.. 80, 80, L,, ,Loss,
'nG W cec"l'o ,I.. '"o 'a,es ~ ~ IA
."na.s nun u"'a"y '"yt - .o", - w. T.
liberatcIy fastened down 10 the floor of
tent by means of nails driven through his
c5otfing;.and into the boards under him, 90
that he could not possibly escape, and tho
tent set On 5ire another was nailed 10 tho
side Or building outside the Tort, and tho
s oh.,r"d ,.ms;n. If 6yo oS .;r bodies were
.Sa,ws,J. s ,SS ca"nJ ali m hu, nm. ~ much dis.
Saurs% "' ."d c co".,,,n.d w m nv ibe a.mes that
,b.v could M, be ;d.n,ii;.j. and the iden.
,;s.y.,;o" .c ,h., On. i. mn, .hsoIu,.lv cor.
.' ,";. ,,,h",,, ~ III ,hsr. ... h:,dIy n. . doubt
,a", n. a wv" a.. ho.,v oc I;.m AI.,,,on, or
.""' .u ,,,s M"S T'n,.:.. wv wv. .,,.I,v and . n.,;ve
.ne i'n icn"es.ee J..a ..:,'...... a"' ,,ho ..S
ienhesseeah SEVERN M'.nesses .'I. III -" "
'he REMAINS, ana "nI me,. r,;,.' " S."" ,..,;.
quannted WIN wv" w""o ",ms, "
he'd that u the'r nrIn pe'ie' "'a' "' "a'
his body that was mus 'ren'e''
These deeds OF murder and cruelty
ceased when night came on only to % ro-
newell tho next morning. when ti'e demons
carefully sought among me desa yns
about 10 all direci'ons 'o' any W wv Tounu.
ed yet alive, and tho'e 'hsy io'ind were
deliberately shot, Sco,es " nc oeea snd
wounded were found there Tho day Alter
The massacre by the men from some OF our
sunboa,s who were permitted 10 10 on
shore and collect the wounded and bury
the dead. The rebels themselves bad
,nnde prctcncc OF burying 4 great many
Of their victims. bat they had merely thrown
them without tbe lsast reosrd ioacaro or