Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-05-08
He Denies in Toto the Lying Charges
Of Radical Papers and
Statesmen.
How Forrest and Himself Pro-
tected Those who Remain
ed in the Works.
Garfield Thinks it was Not so Bad and
Enough Has Been Said.
The Bill TO Keep BayOnets from
the Polls.

10 communicate 10 the senate what
measures have been taken to prevent
the occupation of the Indian Terri
tory by white settlers.
The house bill to prohibit military
interference in elections was read
twice, and by a vote of "a against 81
the senate disagreed to the motion of
Mr.. Edmunds to refer it to the judi
ciary committee, and then laid it on
the table to be called up hereafter.
Consideration was then resumed of
the resolution asking for authority to
take testimony in the contested case of
Spofford against Kellogg, and Mr..
Carpenter continued his remarks in
support of Kellogg's right to the seat.
Mr.. Chalmers called up as a ques-
ton of privilege the resolution offered
by him for investigation into his con-
duct at Fort Pillow.
He said his friends had pointed out
to him difficulties in the way of such
investigation and that he himself rec
ognized the danger of reminding the
flames of passion and prejudice, which
all good men see covered up in their
ashes, but it was a hard thing to ask
soldiers who had lost all save honor to
permit that also to be taken from
them by the repetition of the accusa-
tions that were utterly untrue. The
action of the house yesterday had,
however, satisfied him that gentlemen
were not willing now to go into an in
vestigation, and therefore he had con-
cluded to accept the advice of his
friends and make his own statement.
He then narrated incidents of the at
tack on Fort Pillow, in which attack he
had been, early in the day, in com
mand of Confederate cavalry, but
about nine in the morning General
Forrest had arrived and taken com
mand. He admitted to a number of
the garrison making a rush for the
gunboat, which had been fred at and
a number of men killed, but if any
had been killed in violation of
the usages of war the most search
ing examination on the part of the
congress committee had been unable
to fix any responsibility for it, at least
on the general officers in command.
He denied that any wounded men had
been burned up in the quarters that
had been set on fire on the morning
after the capture of the fort.
He asserted hal forty per cent. of
the garrison were saved wholly un-
touched. A part Of the Federal troops
had. to run out of the fort, and nearly
all Of these were killed or wounded. but
a large number Of the garrison, most by
white men, had remained, and they
had gathered around General Forrest
and himself for protection, and had
been protected. As to the Confederates
taking advantage of the flag of truce
in order to gain a better position, that
statement was not true. lie said so in
vindicatiOn Of his dead commander,
for glory is the soldiers pride, the
soldiers wealth is honor"
The garrison of Fort Pillow mum
bered 57 men, of whom about 40 per
cent. were saved; that about 300 were
killed and about $50 on the Confod-
crate side.
Remarks were made by Mr., Garfield
as to the impolicy of reopening the
subject, with the intimation that the
officers were not as responsible as
had been at first supposed, but
general impression at the time had
been strengthened by the order issued
in about three weeks by Gen. Forrest,
that if the fort were surrendered the
garrison should have been treated as
prisoners of war, but ifthe works were
stormed no quarter might DO expect
ed. He was glad SO much had been
done by the gentleman from Missis-
sippi to disconneet his name from
any responsibility in the matter.
The subject occupied the attention Of
the house for a long time, aud at one
period there we're indications of
trouble between Chalmers and Bur
roughs, in consequence of the allusion
made to Chalmers to some canvass
criticisms against Burroughs for his
own conduct In the war. Chalmers,
however, disclaimed any personal
knowledge on the subject, saying that
he had his information from a Wash
ington newspaper. Burroughs branded
the allegation as utterly untrue, FL
nally the whole subject was laid on
the table.
The eight hour law went over on
the expiration of the morning hour,
and the bill relating to coinage and
coin and bullion certificates was taken
up and Mr.. Claain spoke in opposi-
ton.