About this time they shot me. It must have been four or half-past four o'clock. I saw there was no chance at all, and threw down my sabre. A man took deliberate aim at me, but a short distance from me, certainly not more than 15 paces, and shot me.
Question. With a musket or pistol?
Answer. I think it was a carbine; it may have been a musket, but my impression is that it was a carbine. Soon after I was shot I was robbed. A secesh soldier came along, and wanted to know if I had any greenbacks. I gave him my pocket-book. I had about a hundred dollars, I think, more or less, and a gold watch and gold chain. They took everything in the way of valuables that I had. I saw them robbing others. That seemed to be the general way they served the wounded, so far as regards those who fell in my vicinity. Some of the colored troops jumped into the river, but were shot as fast as they were seen. One poor fellow was shot as he reached the bank of the river. They ran down and hauled him out. He got on his hands and knees, and was crawling along, when a secesh soldier put his revolver to his head, and blew his brains out. It was about the same thing all along, until dark that night.
I was very weak, but I finally found a rebel who belonged to a society that I am a member of, (the Masons,) and he got two of our colored soldiers to assist me up the hill, and he brought me some water. At that time it was about dusk. He carried me up just to the edge of the fort, and laid me down. There seemed to be quite a number of dead collected there. They were throwing them into the outside trench, and I heard them talking about burying them there. I heard one of them say, "There is a man who is not quite dead yet." They buried a number there; I do not know how many.
I was carried that night to a sort of little shanty that the rebels had occupied during the day with their sharpshooters. I received no medical attention that night at all. The next morning early I heard the report of cannon down the river. It was the gunboat 28 coming up from Memphis; she was shelling the rebels along the shore as she came up. The rebels immediately ordered the burning of all the buildings, and ordered the two buildings where the wounded were to be fired. Some one called to the officer who gave the order and said there were wounded in them. The building I was in began to catch fire. I prevailed upon one of our soldiers who had not been hurt much to draw me out, and I think others got the rest out. They drew us down a little way, in a sort of gulley, and we lay there in the hot sun without water or anything.
About this time a squad of rebels came around, it would seem for the purpose of murdering what negroes they could find. They began to shoot the wounded negroes all around there, interspersed with the whites. I was lying a little way from a wounded negro, when a secesh soldier came up to him and said: "What in hell are you doing here?" The colored soldier said he wanted to get on the gunboat. The secesh soldier said: "You want to fight us again, do you? Damn you, I'll teach you," and drew up his gun and shot him dead. Another negro was standing up erect a little way from me; he did not seem to be hurt much. The rebel loaded his gun again immediately. The negro begged of him not to shoot him, but he drew up his gun and took deliberate aim at his head. The gun snapped, but he fixed it again, and then killed him. I saw this. I heard them shooting all around there – I suppose killing them.
By the chairman:
Question. Do you know of any rebel officers going on board our gunboat after she came up?
Answer. I don't know about the gunboat, but I saw some of them on board the Platte Valley, after I had been carried on her. They came on board, and I think went in to drink with some of our officers. I think one of the rebel officers was General Chalmers.
Question. Do you know what officers of ours drank with them?
Answer. I do not.
Question. You know that they did go on board the Platte Valley and drink with some of our officers?
Answer. I did not see them drinking at the time, but I have no doubt they did; that was my impression from all I saw, and I thought our officers might have been in better business.
Question. Were our officers treating these rebel officers with attention?
Answer. They seemed to be; I did not see much of it, as they passed along by me.
Question. Do you know whether or not the conduct of the privates, in murdering our soldiers after they had surrendered, seemed to have the approval of their officers?
Answer. I did not see much of their officers, especially during the worst of those outrages; they seemed to be back.
Question. Did you observe any effort on the part of their officers to suppress the murders?
Answer. No, sir; I did not see any where I was first carried; just about dusk, all at once several shots were fired just outside. The cry was: "They are shooting the darkey soldiers." I heard an officer ride up and say: "Stop that firing; arrest that man." I suppose it was a rebel officer, but I do not know. It was reported to me, at the time, that several darkeys were shot then. An officer who stood by me, a prisoner, said that they had been shooting them, but that the general had had it stopped.
Question. Do you know of any of our men in the hospital being murdered?
Answer. I do not.
Question. Do you know anything of the fate of your quartermaster, Lieutenant Akerstrom?
Answer. He was one of the officers who went with me to meet the flag of truce the last time. I do not know what became of him; that was about the last I saw of him. I heard that he was nailed to a board and burned, and I have very good reason for believing that was the case, although I did not see it. The first lieutenant of company D of my regiment says that he has an affidavit to that effect of a man who saw it.
Question. Have you any knowledge in relation to any of our men being buried alive?
Answer. I have not, other than I have stated.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. How long had your regiment been in Fort Pillow?
Answer. We reached there the 8th of February. There were no other troops there then, and we held the place alone for some time.
By the chairman:
Question. By whom were you ordered there?
Answer. By General W. S. Smith, chief of cavalry, and also by General Hurlbut.
Question. What other troops were there at the time of the fight?
Answer. Four companies of the 6th United States heavy artillery, colored, and a battery called now, I think, the 2d United States light artillery. It was before the 1st Tennessee light artillery, colored.
Question. What was about the number of our force there?
Answer. Not far from 500 men.
Question. Do you know what became of Major Bradford?
Answer. He escaped unhurt, as far as the battle was concerned. I was told the next morning on the boat that he had been paroled. I did not see him after that night.
Question. Do you know why you were left unsupported, as you were, when it was known that Forrest was in your vicinity?
Answer. I do not know why, unless it was thought that he would not attack us. I think it was supposed that he was going to make an attack on Memphis.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. What do you estimate Forrest's force to have been?
Answer. From all I could see and learn, I should suppose he had from 7,000 to 10,000 men.
Question. Is there anything further you desire to state?
Answer. I heard some of the rebels talking during the night after the fight. They said we ought to have surrendered when we had the opportunity, but that they supposed the Yankees were afraid the colored troops would not be treated as prisoners of war; and they intimated that they would not be; and said it was bad enough to give to the "home-made Yankees" – meaning the Tennessee soldiers – treatment as soldiers, without treating the negroes so, too.
On the morning of the fight there was so much hurry and confusion that our flag was not raised for a time; we had been firing away an hour before I happened to notice that our flag was not up. I ordered it to be raised immediately, and our troops set up vociferous cheers, especially the colored troops, who entered into the fight with great energy and spirit.
Question. How many officers of your regiment were left alive?
Answer. Only two, immediately after the surrender, that I know of. We had ten officers in our regiment, and eight were in the battle, only two of whom remained alive.
Question. Were those who were killed killed before or after the fort was captured?
Answer. I don't know of but one who was killed before we were driven from the fort.
Question. Was Captain Potter, who is now lying here unable to speak, shot before or after the surrender?
Answer. He was shot in the early part of the engagement. I have been told that Major Bradford was afterwards taken out by the rebels and shot; that seems to be the general impression, and I presume it was so.
Mound City, April 23, 1864.
Nathan G. Fulks, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. To what company and regiment do you belong?
Answer. Company D, 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. Where are you from?
Answer. About twenty miles from Columbus, Tennessee.
Question. How long have you been in the service?
Answer. Five months, the 1st of May.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow at the time of the fight there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Will you state what happened to you there?
Answer. I was at the corner of the fort when they fetched in a flag for a surrender. Some of them said the major stood a while, and then said he would not surrender. They continued to fight a while; and after a time the major started and told us to take care of ourselves, and I and twenty more men broke for the hollow. They ordered us to halt, and some of them said, "God damn 'em, kill 'em! kill 'em!" I said, "I have surrendered." I had thrown my gun away then. I took off my cartridge-box and gave it to one of them, and said, "Don't shoot me;" but they did shoot me, and hit just about where the shoe comes up on my leg. I begged them not to shoot me, and he said, "God damn you, you fight with the niggers, and we will kill the last one of you!" Then they shot me in the thick of the thigh, and I fell; and one set out to shoot me again, when another one said, "Don't shoot the white fellows any more."
Question. Did you see any person shot besides yourself?
Answer. I didn't see them shot. I saw one of our fellows dead by me.
Question. Did you see any buildings burned?
Answer. Yes, sir. While I was in the major's headquarters they commenced burning the buildings, and I begged one of them to take me out and not let us burn there; and he said, "I am hunting up a piece of yellow flag for you." I think we would have whipped them if the flag of truce had not come in. We would have whipped them if we had not let them get the dead-wood on us. I was told that they made their movement while the flag of truce was in. I did not see it myself, because I had sat down, as I had been working so hard.
Question. How do you know they made their movement while the flag of truce was in?
Answer. The men that were above said so. The rebs are bound to take every advantage of us. I saw two more white men close to where I was lying. That makes three dead ones, and myself wounded.
Francis A. Alexander, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. To what company and regiment do you belong?
Answer. Company C, 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow at the fight there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Who commanded your regiment?
Answer. Major Bradford commanded the regiment, and Lieutenant Logan commanded our company.
Question. By what troops was the fort attacked?
Answer. Forrest was in command. I saw him.
Question. Did you know Forrest?
Answer. I saw him there, and they all said it was Forrest. Their own men said so.
Question. By what troops was the charge made?
Answer. They were Alabamians and Texans.
Question. Did you see anything of a flag of truce?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. State what was done while the flag of truce was in.
Answer. When the flag of truce came up our officers went out and held a consultation, and it went back. They came in again with a flag of truce; and while they were consulting the second time their troops were coming up a gap or hollow, where we could have cut them to pieces. They tried it before, but could not do it. I saw them come up there while the flag of truce was in the second time.
Question. That gave them an advantage?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Were you wounded there?
Answer. Not in the fort. I was wounded after I left the fort, and was going down the hill.
Question. Was that before or after the fort was taken?
Answer. It was afterwards.
Question. Did you have any arms in your hand at the time they shot you?
Answer. No, sir. I threw my gun away, and started down the hill, and got about twenty yards, when I was shot through the calf of the leg.
Question. Did they shoot you more than once?
Answer. No, sir; they shot at me, but did not hit me more than once.
Question. Did they say why they shot you after you had surrendered?
Answer. They said afterwards they intended to kill us all for being there with their niggers.
Question. Were any rebel officers there at the time this shooting was going on?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did they try to stop it?
Answer. One or two of them did.
Question. What did the rest of them do?
Answer. They kept shouting and hallooing at the men to give no quarter. I heard that cry very frequent.
Question. Was it the officers that said that?
Answer. I think it was. I think it was them, the way they were going on. When our boys were taken prisoners, if anybody came up who knew them, they shot them down. As soon as ever they recognized them, wherever it was, they shot them.
Question. After they had taken them prisoners?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did you know anything about their shooting men in the hospitals?
Answer. I know of their shooting negroes in there. I don't know about white men.
Question. Wounded negro men?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Who did that?
Answer. Some of their troops. I don't know which of them. The next morning I saw several black people shot that were wounded, and some that were not wounded. One was going down the hill before me, and the officer made him come back up the hill; and after I got in the boat I heard them shooting them.
Question. You say you saw them shoot negroes in the hospital the next morning?
Answer. Yes, sir; wounded negroes who could not get along; one with his leg broke. They came there the next day and shot him.
Question. Do you know anything about their burning buildings and the hospital?
Answer. I expect they burned the hospital after we got out. They said they would not while we wounded ones were in there. The hospital we were in was standing when I went down the hill on the boat.
Question. You don't know what happened to it afterwards?
Answer. I don't.
Question. Something has been said about men being nailed to the buildings, and then burned. Do you know anything about that?
Answer. No, sir; I did not see that, but I heard some of them say they drove the negroes into the houses and then burned them.
Question. Did you see anything about their burying them?
Answer. No, sir.
Wiley Robinson, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. What State are you from?
Answer. Tennessee.
Question. When did you enlist?
Answer. I think about eight months ago.
Question. How old are you?
Answer. Eighteen years old the 19th of next May.
Question. What regiment and company were you in?
Answer. Company A, 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow at the time of the attack there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Were you wounded there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. State all about that; when it was, &c.
Answer. I was wounded once in the hand before I surrendered.
Question. Were you shot afterwards?
Answer. Yes, sir; six times. I was shot twice in the foot, twice in the legs, and twice in the hands.
Question. Had you arms in your hands when they shot you?
Answer. We had retreated to the river bank and thrown down our arms.
Question. What did they say when they shot you?
Answer. They swore at us, and then shot us.
Question. Did you see any of the rebel officers there?
Answer. Yes, sir; I saw some, who came round and told them to kill us all.
Question. Did you see them shoot anybody else besides yourself?
Answer. Yes, sir; I saw them shoot one white man close beside me.
Question. Did they shoot you after you were down?
Answer. Yes, sir; through the leg with a musket.
Question. Did you see any negroes shot?
Answer. No, sir; I did not see any. I fell after they shot me, and did not see much.
Question. Were you there the next day after the fight?
Answer. Yes, sir; they took me on board the boat the next day about ten o'clock.
Question. Do you know whether they killed any persons in the hospital?
Answer. I know they killed one of our company in the hospital. They said they fired into the hospital.
Question. Do you know anything about their burying anybody alive?
Answer. No, sir.
Daniel Stamps, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. To what company and regiment do you belong?
Answer. Company E, 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. What was your position?
Answer. I was the company commissary sergeant.
Question. Where do you reside?
Answer. In Lauderdale county, Tennessee.
Question. What was your occupation?
Answer. I was a farmer.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow when the fight was there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. State what happened there.
Answer. The first thing, I went out sharpshooting, and was out about two hours, and then was ordered in the fort. I staid there, I reckon, about an hour. Then I was called out by Lieutenant Akerstrom to go down alongside the bluff sharpshooting again, because the rebels were coming down Cold creek. We staid there all the time until they charged into the fort. Then they all ran down under the hill, and we went down under the hill too. I reckon we staid there close on to an hour. They were shooting continually. I saw them shooting the white men there who were on their knees, holding up their hands to them. I saw them make another man get down on his knees and beg of them, and they did not shoot him. I started out to go up the hill, and just as I started I was shot in the thigh. Pretty well towards the last of it, before I got shot, while I was down under the hill, a rebel officer came down right on top of the bluff, and hallooed out to them to shoot and kill the last damned one of us.
Question. Do you know the rank of that officer?
Answer. I do not. I can't tell them as I can our officers. Their uniform is different. I went round on the hill then. I heard several of them say it was General Forrest's orders to them to shoot us and give us no quarter at all. I don't know whether they were officers who said so or not. I don't recollect anything else particularly that I saw that night. The next morning they came round there again, shooting the negroes that were wounded. I saw them shoot some 20 or 25 negroes the next morning who had been wounded, and had been able to get up on the hill during the night. They did not attempt to hurt us white men the next morning.
Question. Were any of their officers with the men who were round shooting the negroes the next morning?
Answer. One passed along on horseback, the only one I saw. He rode along while they were shooting the negroes, and said nothing to them. I said, "Captain, what are you going to do with us wounded fellows?" He said they were going to put us on the gunboats, or leave us with the gunboats. He had a feather in his cap, and looked like he might have been a captain. I don't know what he was. He was the only man I saw pass that looked like an officer while they were shooting the negroes.
Question. Where were you when the flags of truce were sent in?
Answer. I was down under the bluff sharpshooting.
Question. Is there anything else that you think of important to state?
Answer. I don't know that there is.
James P. Meador, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. To what company and regiment do you belong?
Answer. Company A, 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. Do you live in Tennessee?
Answer. Yes, sir; I am a native of the State.
Question. Were you in Fort Pillow at the time of the attack there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Were you wounded there?
Answer. Yes, sir; twice.
Question. When?
Answer. Once before I surrendered and once afterwards.
Question. Did you see anybody shot besides yourself after he surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir; I saw lots of negroes shot, and some few white men, and I heard them shoot a great many. I was lying down under the bank.
Question. What were our men doing when they were shot?
Answer. They were begging for quarter when they shot them.
Question. Did you see any of them shot while begging for quarter?
Answer. Yes, sir; I heard an officer say, "Don't show the white men any more quarter than the negroes, because they are no better, and not so good, or they would not fight with the negroes." I saw them make one of our company sergeants kneel down and ask for quarter, and another secesh soldier came up and snapped his pistol at him twice; but they told him not to shoot him. I saw them shoot others when they were kneeling down.
W. J. Mays, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. To what company and regiment do you belong?
Answer. Company B, 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. Were you in Fort Pillow when it was attacked?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. State what happened there.
Answer. They attacked us about six o'clock in the morning. Sharpshooting commenced early afterwards, and kept coming closer and closer until the skirmishers were drawn in about ten o'clock. After that they made several efforts to gain the fort, and could not get the position. Under this last flag of truce they gained the position they had been trying to get all day.
Question. Did you see them moving their troops when the flag of truce was in?
Answer. Yes, sir; I showed it to the boys.
Question. What was the movement?
Answer. The place was pretty well surrounded, but they were not on the ground they had been trying to get all day. Under that flag of truce they gained the place, some 75 yards from the fort, and placed themselves under logs, with a better position.
Question. Are you sure this movement was made while the flag of truce was in?
Answer. I know it.
Question. Did others see it?
Answer. Yes, sir; two boys near me, who were both taken prisoners.
Question. Was anything said about it at the time?
Answer. We spoke of it among ourselves at the time. We remarked that under the flag of truce they were only gaining the position they had been trying for all day. I was shot in the charge on the fort. The place was then taken. I would not have fallen then, but our men after surrendering found no quarter shown them, and they flew down the bluff and ran over me and kept me down for some time, until I bled so that I could not get up. I saw them shoot a great many after they surrendered. I saw them shoot four white men and at least 25 blacks, some of them within 20 feet of me, while they were begging for quarter. They pulled one out of a hollow log by the foot and held him, when another shot him close by me. There were two negro women, and three little boys, some 8, 9 or 12 years old, about 25 steps from me. The secesh ran upon them and cursed them, and said, "Damn them;" they thought they were free to shoot them. All fell but one, a little fellow, and they took the breech of a gun and knocked him down. Then they followed up the men that were trying to get away down the bluff, and some hours afterwards they came back searching their pockets. They came on back then, looking over them, and I saw one man with a canteen and asked him for a drink of water. His reply was to turn on me with his pistol presented and shoot at me three times, saying, "God damn you; I will give you water." But he didn't hit me, though he threw the dirt over my face. I concluded it was best to lie still, and didn't move any more until after dark, and then I crawled in with some of the dead and laid there until about 9 o'clock the next morning, when the gunboat came up, and I crawled down on the gunboat with a piece of white paper in my left hand, and made signs, and the boat came ashore and I got on the boat. The general cry from the time they charged the fort until an hour afterwards was, "Kill 'em; kill 'em; God damn 'em; that's Forrest's orders, not to leave one alive." They were burning the buildings. They came with a chunk of fire to burn the building where I was in with the dead. They looked in and said, "These damned sons of bitches are all dead," and went off. I heard guns the next morning, but I was in there with the dead, and didn't see them shoot anybody.
Question. Did you see any of the men in the fort shot after they had surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir; I saw four white men and 25 negroes that I spoke of that were shot in the fort. The white men didn't commence flying from the fort, though they threw their guns down, until they saw there was no quarter shown them.
James McCoy sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. Where do you reside?
Answer. When I am suffered to live at home I live in Tennessee.
Question. You don't belong to the army?
Answer. No, sir; but I have been with the regiment six months. The head officers were old acquaintances of mine. I once lived with Major Bradford.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow at the time the attack was made?
Answer. Yes, sir; I was in Fort Pillow at headquarters.
Question. Will you tell us what you observed there?
Answer. About daylight in the morning part of the pickets came in and said the rebels had captured some of the pickets and were coming. I had not got out of bed then. Major Bradford was up immediately the alarm was given. I had had my hands mashed a few days before. Major Bradford told me I had better go on the gunboat, as I would be in the way because I could not hold a gun. I went on board the gunboat, and about sunrise the firing commenced. The gunboat immediately played up and down the river, where I could see everything going on at the fort. I could not see over the bluff. Major Bradford had a flag and stood on the edge of the bluff and motioned to the gunboat where to throw their shells. We had a great many guns on the boat, and about 20 used their guns all the time. The rebel sharpshooters would come over the hill and shoot at the boat and everybody that passed.
Question. Where were you when the flag of truce came in?
Answer. I was on the boat.
Question. What did you see?
Answer. As soon as the flag of truce came in the gunboat stopped firing. It was about 3 o'clock when it came in, and while it was in the enemy were creeping up constantly, sharpshooters and all, nearer and nearer. I saw a great many creeping on their hands and feet, getting up to the hill close to the fort. I don't know what was back of that. Some men in the fort told me that they had advanced and got close to the fort before the flag of truce was taken out. I saw them gathering around there all the time, and all that time they were stealing from the commissary's stores blankets and everything else they could get at. I reckon I saw 200 men climbing the hill with as much as they could carry on their backs, shoes, &c.
Question. Why did our officers permit that without firing on them?
Answer. The gunboat, I think, was almost out of ammunition and had nothing to shoot; and none of them supposed the gunboat would stop shooting, but she ran out of ammunition.
Question. Were you there until the place was taken?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What happened after that?
Answer. About the time the rebels got over the fort there was just a cloud of them, our men in the fort running out. About 500 secesh cavalry, as well as I could see, came up and turned in to shooting them down just as fast as they could. I heard a great deal of screaming and praying for mercy. The negroes took a scare from that and ran down the hill and into the river, but they kept shooting them. I was not more than 400 yards off, on the gunboat. I don't suppose one of them got more than 30 yards into the river before they were shot. The bullets rained as thick in the water as you ever saw a hailstorm.
Question. Were those men armed who were shot?
Answer. No, sir; they threw down their arms.
Question. How many were shot?
Answer. I don't know how many. They lay thick there the next morning, beside those they had buried.
Question. You came back there the next morning?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What do you know about their burying men who were not dead?
Answer. I don't know anything myself, only what I heard.
Question. Did you go up there where they had buried them?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. What did you hear about it?
Answer. I heard one of them say that he saw where a negro was buried, and saw a large mass of foam and dirt where somebody had been breathing through the earth. He brushed it off and saw a negro there still breathing. I saw one or two who looked as if they had been buried when they came on board. I heard one ask them if they had been buried, and they said "Very near it." I don't think they were wounded. One of them had been in the dirt. I don't know whether he played dead and was buried or not.
Question. Do you know anything of their killing the men in the hospital?
Answer. Not of my own seeing. Mr. Akerstrom was in his office down under the hill after the flag of truce was in, and made some signs for us to come to him. Since that time I have been told that they wounded him and then nailed him to a door and burned him up, but I didn't see that myself.
Question. When did you hear about this nailing to a building and burning him up?
Answer. Since we came up here.
Question. Were you on board the gunboat the next day when some of the rebel officers came on board?
Answer. I was on board the Platte Valley.