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THE MASSACRE AT FORT PILLOW Official Confirmation of the
Report— Three Hundred Black Soldiers
Murdered After Surrender— Fifty three White Soldiers
Killed and One Hundred Wounded— Retaliation to be made— The People of Western Kentucky
Greatly Alarmed Washington, D.
C, Saturday, April 16. Yesterday afternoon, about 6
o'clock, dispatches ware received here from Gen. Sherman, confirming the surrender
of Fort Pillow, and the brutal conduct of the rebels immediately afterward,
which bids fair to be amply retaliated in that quarter in due time. The Star says: "According to Gen. Sherman,
our loss was fifty-three white troops killed, and one hundred wounded, and three hundred black
troops murdered in cold blood alter the surrender. Fort Pillow is an isolated post, of no value whatever to
the defense of Columbus, and utterly untenable by the rebels, who have no doubt left that vicinity area
this, having been disappointed, with considerable loss, in the object of their raid thriller, which
was the capture of Columbus, whence they were promptly and severely repulsed with no loss to us. We are
satisfied that due investigation will allow that the loss of Fort Pillow was
simply the result of a mistake of
the local commander, who occupied it against direct orders, a contingency incident to all wars." "The rebels, according
to official dispatches, received here last evening, effected nothing at Paducah,
losing a soldier killed or wounded, for every horse they succeeded in stealing,
and doing us no other damage than by a few thefts." It is believed that Forest’s
raiders will next appear in the vicinity of Memphis, where they can effect no
more than at Columbus and Paducah, and stand
a very fair chance, indeed, of finding themselves surrounded by
overwhelming superior forces. Reports
From Cairo Cairo,
Friday, April 15 Three other Negroes were
buried alive by the Rebels at Fort Pillow, making five in all. All were wounded but one. He was forced to help dip the pits, and was
then thrown in and covered up. Gen. Chalmers said
to a Federal officer on the Platte Valley that it was their intention to
show no mercy to home-made Yankees"—thereby
meaning southerners serving in the Union army and Negroes “but that genuine Yankees would
be treated as prisoners of war." The steamer Swallow, from
Paducah at 8 o'clock last evening, reports all quiet there. No fighting occurred up to the time she
left. The Third, Seventh and
Eighth Kentucky Regiments are overrunning Western Kentucky with impunity ,
and the inhabitants are in a constant state of suspense, not knowing at what
hour they may be attacked. Everybody bas slept in their clothes for the past
two nights, ready to defend themselves or decamp, as circumstances might
require. The gunboats are constantly
"patrolling," and taking every precaution to prevent the rebels from
crossing the river here, by destroying all the skiffs and sinking all other
craft that could be used for that pose. Reports From St. Louis St. Louis, Saturday, April 16 The steamer Baker, from Paducah last
evening, reports that at 3 o'clock on that afternoon the Rebels, 800 strong, appeared
before that place, sent in another flag of truce, and again demanded the surrender of the fort. Col. Mitchell, with the
Fifty-fourth Illinois Regiment and other troops, were marching out of the fort to meet the rebels as the Baker left. No fighting bad taken place up to that time. Reports From Memphis Memphis,
Sunday, April 17 There is not much said, but
there is a general gritting of teeth among officers here when the massacre of the brave garrison at
Fort Pillow is alluded to. Several officers have been heard to say that unless
the Government takes retributive steps, they will consider it their duty to
shoot every man of Forrest’s command they meet, and take no prisoners. The soldiers threaten to
shoot Forrest’s men now in Irvin
Prison, if they can get a chance. This is the general feeling. The
Mississippi Clear Of Rebels Fort Pillow In Ruins—Arrival
of Cotton at Cairo Cairo,
Saturday, April
16 The steamer Glendale from
Memphis, morning of 15th, has arrived. She
past Fort Pillow last evening There was no appearance of
the enemy, and the river is all clear. Nothing remains of the fort but ruins. The Glendale brought
up nine hundred and sixty bales of cotton for Cincinnati. She brings no papers or news from below. A number of steamers are leaving here for the South. Cairo,
Sunday, April
17 The main body of the rebels
left Fort Pillow on Friday morning and their rear guard in the afternoon, after destroying all the
ammunition and everything else destructible. Late advices from Duvall's
Bluff report the country infested with guerillas, who are constantly robbing the people and committing
all manner of depredations. Mr. Nixon, State
Representative from Franklin County, has been murdered, and the Representative
from Arkansas County kidnapped,
as nothing had been beard from him. On the 11th, 400
Texan cavalry attempted to surprise a camp of 240 Federals at Roseville, on the
Arkansas River, but were repulsed
with the loss of 12 killed and a large number wounded. Our loss was 5 killed. The New York Times, New York, Monday,
April 18, 1864 The Mr.Howard, of Michigan, (Union,)
offered a resolution that the Committee on the Conduct of the War inquire into
the expediency of sending such of their number as they may depute to Fort
Pillow, Tenn., to inquire into the late massacre of Union troops, and report as
soon as possible. Mr. Fressenden, of Maine, (Union,)
thought that, unless in cases of extreme urgency, it was hardly worth while for
members of Congress to make these inquires at a distance. Their place of duty
was here. We are coming to a period in the session when it was Very important
to have all the members present for the dispatch of business. It was
the duty of the War Department to look into these matters, and it was presumed it
would duly discharge that duty. Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts, (Union.) said that he had
called at the War Department this morning, and the Secretary had told him he
had a dispatch from Gen. Sherman, saying that about three hundred or our
soldiers had been massacred at Fort Pillow, and he intended to make immediate investigation
of the matter. He had appointed officer» for that purpose. Gen. Sherman was
not on the spot, but had received his infoimatlon in the way the other statement
came. Mr. Howard said he wished to get
the original evidence of persons on the spot. It would be a disgrace to the
nation not to avenge promptly this gross wrong. No matter what was the color of the soldiers,
this must be done. It would be impossible to keep colored troops in the
service, unless we protected them tbe same as white troops. It concerned tbe
national honor to protect tbe men who are fighting our battles, and those who
wear our uniform. If this is not done, the black troops, by reason of these
threatened terrors, at some critical hour in battle may lose us tbe day. It has
been and be supposed it would continue to be tbe practice of the rebels to put
them to death in cold blood, or sell them iInto Slavery when captnred, and hide
it from our officers; but he was for retaliation, man for man, and if necessary, two for one. He was for
retaliation in the promptest and the severest manner. Mr. Johnson,
of Maryland, (Union,) agreed with the objects of the resolution, but
it did not go far enough. This was not the first time a small garrison had been
left to be sacrificed. It had been done at Paducah, Kentucky. Those in command in
that region should know their
responsibility to tbe Government, and should know that there is now in
the rebel ranks a feeling instigated by
their officers equal to that of savages. The Government must act. As the
life of a soldier under our flag is as dear as that of any rebel, nothing less
than life for life is dictated by our reputation and our duty. But he wanted
to know why these disasters had been brought against our flag, while we
appropriated money without stint. He moved to amend the resolution by directing
the Committee also to inquire whether Fort Pillow could not have been
reinforced or evacuated. Which was agreed to, Mr. Howard then withdrew the clause
requiring the committee to send some of their members to the spot, and as thus modified the resolution was
adopted. The New York
Times, New York, Monday, April 18, 1864 The Mr. Wilson, of Iowa, (Union) introduced a joint resolution
which was unamimously passed, that the Joing Commities on the Conduct of the
War, or such members thereof as the committee may designate, proceed at once to
Fort Pillow, and examine into the facts and circumstances attending the recent
attack and capture of the fort by rebels, and that they report with as little
delay as possible. The New York
Times, New York, Monday, April 18, 1864 Transcribed
and Contributed by: Frances Cooley |