Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-06-04
FORT PILLOW.
A Manly VIndicat iSn Of General James
Il. Chalmers by an Ex-Union Omcer,
who Met him ut Fort Pillow,
and Knows whereof
he Speaks.

Washington letter to the Philadelphla
EUenfng Bulletin: Your correspondent had
an interview recently with General Chalmers,
of Mississippi, in which the general produced
the following letter from one g. Fitch, now
of Charlton, Iowa, but at the time of the at
tack on Fort Pillow surgeon In charge of the
fort. General Weaver, member of congress
from Iowa, speaks IN high terms of Mr.. Fitch,
as do others who are named in the letters as
references. General Chalmers sent copy to
President Hayes, who is also spoken OF In the
communication. General Chalmers states
that the letter was unsolicited; In fact, he
never heard of the writer until he received
the letter. In the interest of fair play your
correspondent asked and obtained a copy of
the letter, which has never before been pub
lished, and which is as follows:
CHARLTON, Iowa, May ID, 1879.
General Chalmers, Member Of Congress from Mis-
sisSippi:
S1R-I have seen at different times and in
various papers the charge made against you
that you murdered babe and had been en-
gagged, also, In numbering several whites and
negroes at Fort Pillow, on the twelfth of
April, 1864. l have no especial acquaintance
with you; have only seen you twice in my
bfe-once on the twelfth, and again on the
thirteenth of April, 1854; but desire to give
you my recollection of that battle. l was
acting surgeon of the post at the tme-the
twelfth, on the bluffs above, where the great
est number was killed, the greatest slaughter
having occurred under the bluffs next to the
river. | was under the bluffss most of the
time. The greater portion of the officers
that commanded the two negro regiments
were killed in the fort before there was q
charge made. They were picked off by sharp
shooters, there being several points much
higher than the miserable earth works, from
which 1t was quite easy tor sharpshooters to
pick out almost any man that they wished.
Booth, his aojutant, and several otee officers
were killed early In the forenoon. l bad my
field hospital under the bluffs next to the
river. When Forests forces charged into
the miserable fort the two negro regiments
and the men of the Thirteenth Tennessee
cavalry came down under the bluff W here |
was, followed by quite a number of the SOL
dlers of Forests command. | did not see
but few officers among FORESTS soldiers
under the bluffs-none above the ranks of
lieutenant and captain. | was taken up the
bluffs by a lieutenant of the Mississippi
rebel cavalry, and when l arrived on the
bluff within the fort there were but few
rebel soldiers there. Forrest was uB there
sighting piece of artillery on the little gun
boat up the river. | saw him sight 1t sew
eral times and FIRE on the gunboat, after
which | passed outside of the earJhworks. l
do not think Forrest knew what was going
on under the bluffs. After had passed out
with their drunken, eowardiy crew, who were
about to take off my boots, when you came
riding near by. Seeing you had on the evil
deaces Of being a general, called to you.
You rode up to me and asked me what was
wanted. l asked you if you would allow
those fellows to strip a prisoner of his
boots. You cursed them and put a guard
over me, giving orders to the guard to
shoot down the first one that molested me. |
again saw you on the thirteenth. Rode part
of the way from the camp to the river and
went aboard of the Platte Valley steamboat
with you, and saw you several times on the
boat. l had the wounded taken on board the
boat. l do not believe there was babe there
| for any one to kill, as early IN the morning all
of the women and all of the non-combat
were ordered on to some barges and were
| towed up the river to an island by gunboat
before any one Y hhurt. | fail to see how
you could hay I on to that island to kill
that babe. II lot believe you knew what
was going on Ter the bluffs, as | did not
see you under mere while / was there, but
saw you ride up, as | have stated, from an
opposite direction, after had got upon the
bluffs, and the most of the work was over
before left, next the river The most of
the men in the Thirteenth regiment were
deserters from Forests command. | have
examined great many of them myself who
told me they were. There seemed to be a
great hatred on the part of Forests men
toward many of them-personal feeling
as | heard many of Forests men charge
the soldiers of the Thirteenth regiment with
doing many things that were mean toward
their friends since they had deserted Forrest
and joined the Thirteenth Federal regiment.
l am not aware that there was any formal
surrender of Fort Pillow to Forests COM
mand. looked upon many things that were
done as the result of whisky and bitter per-
sonal hate, especially as regards the Ihlr-
teenth regiment. There was considerable
alcohol outside of the fort, which Forests
men must have got hold of long before the
charge was made. have always thought
that neither you nor Forrest knew everything
that was going on at the time, under the
bluffs. What was done was done very quickly.
l know that you treated me kindly on the
twelfth and thirteenth. l could tell you
many things about Fort Pillow, doubt
less, if l had time. IF l believed
what is published about your being
such an inhuman creature on that occa-
sion l should so tell you. If you wish to
learn about me further, talk with General
Weaver, member of congress from Iowa;
Hon. A. G. Dodge, Henry Clay Dean, of
Iowa; Belknap, eX-secretary of war; George
w. NJ 'Crary, and Hon. R. B. Hayes. The
latter and myself were young men living In
Fremont while it was called Lower Sandusky.
Call on him and ask him if he knew one G.
Fitch, who read medicine with DR.. l.. Q.
Ransom. of Fremont? have not seen Pres
ident Hayes for twenty-eight years. 1 have
been living here in Charlton since 1852, and
most of the time practicing surgery and
medicine. 1 was acting surgeon at Fort Pill
low on the twelfth of April, 1864; was not
before the Wade committee. If you wish to
write to me asking any questions, will try
to answer them honestly and fairly. looked
upon you on the twelfth and thirteenth of
April, 1864, as far a, l could. see, as anything
but cold-blJoded murderer. l took you to
be rather a good-feeling man. Your con-
duct toward me was that of gentleman l
no not believe what is charged against
you on that occasion. General, cali on Presi-
dent Hayes, and give him my respects, if you
feel at liberty to do SO. | have not had any
correspondence with him nor seen him for
twenty eight years. l am not politician.
General Weaver knows me well, think.
Give him my respects. Yours truly,
C. FITCH. Charlton. Iowa.