Answer. I learn from what I consider unquestionable authority, that bodies were found which had been wounded by musket shots, and then their eyes bayoneted out; men wounded in a similar way, with their bowels cut open; and I have heard many other instances of equal barbarity.
Question. Did you hear, recently after that capture, of anybody being nailed to a building and burned?
Answer. I heard that Lieutenant Akerstrom was so treated.
Question. Did you learn that from a source that you could give credit to?
Answer. I had no reason to doubt it, with the exception of the identification of the body. The fact that somebody was so treated, I consider to be sufficiently proven; the identification I think is doubtful.
Question. Is there anything more you wish to state? If so, will you state it without further questioning?
Answer. I do not know that I can state anything more than my opinion in regard to certain things that might have been done. I do not know that it is worth while to do that. As I am under censure myself, at present I prefer not to.
Question. Will you give us a description of the situation of Fort Pillow?
Answer. It is a very difficult thing to describe. The original fortifications, as made by the rebels, were very much too large to be held by any force that we could spare. It was intended for a very large force; but there are two crowning heights – bold knobs – that stand up there, which command the entire region of approach, and which Major Booth was directed to occupy. He went up and examined the ground, and reported to me. A light work was thrown up upon one of them, and there was a portion of a work upon the other. The one to the south was not occupied during the fight; the one to the north of the ravine, which leads down to the landing, was occupied. That was the point which I considered should have been held; and I think yet it could have been, and would have been, if Major Booth had lived.
Question. Can you describe the position in which the men were placed by Major Booth?
Answer. Major Booth had his artillery upon this knoll, and held the slope of the hill with some rifle pits. From these rifle pits, as I am informed, he repulsed the enemy. The troops were afterwards drawn in by Major Bradford, into the fortification proper, and that was attacked on all sides. My opinion is that Major Bradford lost his head – got confused. The rush was too strong for him. The amount of the enemy's force that actually attacked there I do not know, but from all the testimony I could get, I should judge it to have been not less than 2,500 men.
Question. Who do you understand led the enemy's forces?
Answer. Forrest was there personally. I understand, however, that the main body of the force was Chalmers's command, who was also there. There was also a portion of Forrest's force there. Forrest will carry his men further than any other man I know of; he is desperate.
Question. Have we any force at Fort Pillow now?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Do you consider that a point which should be occupied by a force, in order to make the navigation of the river safe?
Answer. I do.
Question. What force do you deem should be placed there to hold it?
Answer. I think 500 steady troops, properly supplied with artillery, and properly covered with works, could hold the place until re-enforced – hold it, all that is necessary.
Question. Did you ever have any instructions or orders to evacuate Fort Pillow? or did you, at any time, ever propose to evacuate it?
Answer. I never had any orders to evacuate it. My orders from General Sherman were to hold certain points on the river. I never had any instructions with regard to Fort Pillow one way or the other that I recollect. I considered it necessary to hold it, and never intended to abandon it.
Question. Had it been held by us for some considerable time?
Answer. It had been held since we first occupied the river.
Question. Do not the same reasons exist for holding it now, that had existed during all that period?
Answer. The same. The reasons are geographical, and do not change.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Then I understand you to state that your instructions, in spirit, required you to hold it, and that it was necessary that it should be held?
Answer. My opinion is distinct that it should be held always, and there is nothing in my instructions that requires it to be abandoned. Some discretion, I suppose, belongs to an officer in charge of as much range as I have had to hold; and I certainly should not abandon that place, if I had troops to hold it.
By the chairman:
Question. Will you tell us what you know about the attack on Union City?
Answer. Colonel Hawkins, of the 7th Tennessee regiment, was at Union City as an advanced post. He had in round numbers about six hundred men. He was threatened by about fifteen hundred, I should think. They attacked him, and were repulsed. General Brayman moved from here with two thousand troops, and got down as far as the bridge, six miles from Union City, before Hawkins surrendered. They commenced the flag-of-truce operation on him, when they found they could do nothing else, threatening to open upon him with artillery, and to give no quarter. Contrary to the entreaties, prayers, and advice of all his officers and all his men, he did surrender his post, with a relieving force within six miles of him; and surrendered it, as I have no doubt, from pure cowardice.
Question. Was he aware of the re-enforcements approaching?
Answer. I think so, but I will not be positive. General Brayman can tell more about that than I can. I was at Columbus when General Brayman returned.
Question. Where is Colonel Hawkins now?
Answer. He is a prisoner. This is the second time he has surrendered to Forrest.
Captain Thomas P. Gray, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. What is your rank and position in the army?
Answer. For the last four months I have been holding the place of captain in the 7th Tennessee cavalry, but I have not been mustered in yet.
Question. Had you been in service before?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. For how long?
Answer. I enlisted in Illinois on the 24th of July, and was mustered into the United States service August 1, 1861.
Question. Were you at Union City when the late attack was made there?
Answer. I was.
Question. Will you give us an account of what occurred there?
Answer. On the 23d of March last it was generally understood by the troops there that the rebels were advancing upon us; we supposed under General Forrest. That night two companies, I think, were ordered to keep their horses saddled. The first orders I received were about half-past four, the morning of the 24th. The adjutant of our regiment came to me and told me to have my horses saddled. In perhaps half an hour after that we were ordered into line, and I held my company in line for some time waiting for orders. As Colonel Hawkins came by I asked him if he wanted me to take my position at the breastworks, and he said he did. I then took my position at a place where I thought I was most needed, at some breastworks that my company had thrown up on the east side. At this time the rebels were firing on our pickets. I think there was no general charge until about half-past 5 or 6 o'clock. That charge was made by cavalry, on the south side. They did not charge a great way, and were easily repulsed. The same men then reassembled, dismounted, and charged on the fort. This time they came very close to the breastworks, but were again repulsed. After that our troops were very exultant, and ready to meet the rebels anywhere. The next charge was made on the northwest; that was easily repulsed. The last charge was made on the northeast, fronting my position; that was repulsed tolerably easily, but with more loss to the rebels than previously. Then there was sharpshooting for about an hour and a half, and we were all in good spirits. At the expiration of that hour and a half a flag of truce came in in my front. I sent word to Colonel Hawkins that there was a flag of truce coming. I went in person to meet the flag, and halted it about two hundred yards from the breastworks, and asked them what they desired. They said they wished to see the commander of the forces there. I told them I had notified him, and he would be there in a moment. At that time they ordered me under arrest, because I made myself easy looking around upon their position. I demanded their right to order me under arrest under a flag of truce, and told them I had as much right to look around as they had. They then ordered me to sit down. I told them that was played out; that I was not only there under the right of a flag of truce, but that I was there to give them their orders if they made any mismoves. They gave up then, as Colonel Hawkins was in sight. When the colonel came a document was handed him. I do not know anything about it; for, as soon as the colonel came near, I went back to the breastworks. The flag of truce then retired. As soon as I got back I made it my business to go around inside the breastworks to get a view of the rebel troops. They were there upon stumps and logs, and every place where they could see.
In about twenty minutes, I think it was, they came again with another flag of truce. I met them as before. This time a demand for surrender was handed to Colonel Hawkins. I remained there this time, and saw the communication. I could once give almost the exact language of it. At any rate, it was a demand for unconditional surrender, promising us the rights of prisoners of war if the surrender was made; if not, then we must take the consequences. After consulting with them for a little time Colonel Hawkins was allowed fifteen minutes to go to camp and back again. I remained there about fifteen minutes with the rebel truce bearers. During this time I could observe in every move and remark they made that they were beaten. Perhaps I should have said before, that when Colonel Hawkins was talking about the matter, I gave my opinion in regard to it. This was before the flag of truce came in at all. Colonel Hawkins came down to my corner of the breastworks. I told him that the rebels were beaten on their first programme, at any rate; that it was my opinion that they would either consolidate and make a charge on one side, or else they would leave the field, or else lie there and sharpshoot until they could get re-enforcements. I state this merely to show what our feelings were – that we were satisfied they were whipped, were beaten.
When the colonel came back from his second flag of truce I left them and went inside the breastworks. I was satisfied from appearances that the surrender would be made, and I hid a couple of revolvers and some other things I had; I did not know whether I should ever find them again or not. The troops considered that the surrender was made as soon as they saw a rebel officer coming back with the colonel, and every man tried to hide his stuff. Some broke their guns, and all were denouncing Colonel Hawkins as a coward, in surrendering them without cause. That is all I know of the matter up to the time of the surrender.
Question. Do you say it was the opinion of all the officers and men, so far as you know, that the surrender was wholly unnecessary?
Answer. Yes, sir; every man I ever heard say anything about it.
Question. To what cause do you attribute the surrender?
Answer. Some said that the colonel was half rebel, anyway; others said that he was a little cowardly, and surrendered to an imaginary foe – to a force that was not there. Those were the reasons that I have heard.
Question. What was your force there?
Answer. About 500 men.
Question. Did you have any colored troops?
Answer. None.
Question. What was the force of the enemy?
Answer. As near as I could judge – and I tried to estimate their number – they had about 800 after the surrender; I think they must have had a thousand at first.
Question. Could you have held that position against them?
Answer. I am satisfied we could have held it all day, unless our ammunition had given out.
Question. Had you any information in regard to any re-enforcements approaching to your relief?
Answer. For the last two hours we had expected to see them at any time.
Question. What reason had you to expect re-enforcements?
Answer. We had a communication that they knew our situation at Columbus, that they knew the rebels were advancing on us, and, of course, I thought they would send us re-enforcements.
Question. From what point did you expect re-enforcements?
Answer. From Columbus. I remarked to the men, as soon as the surrender was made, that I would be ten times more mad if I should hear afterwards that our re-enforcements were right close to us, which I expected was the case.
Question. What occurred after the surrender?
Answer. The men were marched on foot; the officers were allowed to ride their horses. They were marched two days – it was rainy and muddy weather – nearly east, towards Dresden. They had nothing to eat for two days, until eight o'clock the second night, and then we got some corn-bread and meat. The second day they turned from the Dresden road, towards Trenton, through the country, not in the regular road. On the evening of the third day we arrived at Trenton, Tennessee. There all our money, and I think all our watches, were taken – I know some of them were – and the pocket-knives were taken from the men: all done officially, one company at a time.
We laid over the fourth day at Trenton. On the fifth day at noon we marched toward Humboldt, and arrived there in the evening, just before dark. At seven o'clock, or nearly seven o'clock, I left them. My intention was to go to the commander at Memphis and get him to send a force out to make the rebels release our troops. Before I left the rebels, after I had concluded to leave them, I commenced getting up a plot to break the guards, and see if we could not redeem our name a little in that way and get off. It was working finely, but I met the opposition of the officers, because it was the general opinion that if we were caught, one in every ten would be killed. I abandoned that and escaped. I travelled on foot twenty-five hours without stopping, through the brush, dodging the rebels and guerillas. I was then directed by a negro to a farm where there were no whites, and where, he said, I could get a horse. When I got there I found I was so tired and sleepy that I dared not risk myself on a horse, and I secreted myself and rested there until early the next morning; I got a little refreshment there, too. I then got an old horse, with no saddle, and rode into Fort Pillow, just forty miles, in a little more than five hours. I reached there a little before noon, on the 30th of March.
The morning after I escaped from the rebels I wrote myself a parole, which screened me from a great many rebels whom I could not avoid. I was chased by two guerillas for some distance at this place, where I stopped over night, and got a horse. I knew two guerillas had been chasing me over ten miles. I told the negroes, as I laid down, that if any strangers came on the place, or any one inquiring for Yankees, to tell them that one had been there and pressed a horse and gone on. They did so; and more than that, they told the guerillas that I had been gone but a few minutes, and if they hurried they would catch me. They dashed on five miles further, and then gave up the chase and turned back. That is the way I avoided them.
After I got to Fort Pillow I got on a boat and went to Memphis, reaching there before daybreak on the morning of the 31st of March, and waked General Hurlbut up just about daybreak, and reported to him.
Question. Did you have much conversation with these rebels, or hear them express opinions of any kind, while you were with them?
Answer. I was talking almost continually with them. Somehow or other I got a little noted in the command, and a great many came to me to discuss matters about the war. They seemed to be confident that they were all right, and would succeed. I did not hear the command I was with say they intended to attack Fort Pillow; but while I was on my way from there to Fort Pillow, the report was current along the road that the rebels were going to attack it. But I reported to Major Booth, when I got to Fort Pillow, that I did not think there was any danger of an attack, because I thought I should have seen or heard something more to indicate it. I told him, however, that I thought it would be well to be on the lookout, though I did not think they would attack him. I heard the rebels say repeatedly that they intended to kill negro troops wherever they could find them; that they had heard that there were negro troops at Union City, and that they had intended to kill them if they had found any there. They also said they had understood there were negro troops at Paducah and Mayfield, and that they intended to kill them if they got them. And they said that they did not consider officers who commanded negro troops to be any better than the negroes themselves.
Question. With whom did you have this conversation?
Answer. With officers. I did not have any extensive conversation with any officer higher than captain. I talked with three or four captains, and perhaps twice that number of lieutenants.
Question. Did you see Colonel Hawkins, or have any conversation with him, after the surrender?
Answer. I did not. I felt so disgusted with him that I never spoke a word to him after the surrender.
Captain John W. Beattie, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. To what regiment do you belong?
Answer. I am a captain in the 7th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. Were you at Union City when it was surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What was our force there?
Answer. Something near five hundred, altogether. There were some there that did not belong to our regiment.
Question. What was the force that attacked you?
Answer. From 1,500 to 1,800, as near as we could learn from the rebel officers while we were with them.
Question. What rebel officers were in command there?
Answer. The surrender was made to Colonel Duckworth; but I am not certain whether it was Duckworth or Faulkner who had the command.
Question. Will you state briefly the circumstances attending the attack and surrender of Union City?
Answer. Our pickets were driven in about 4 o'clock in the morning. We sent some men out to see what force it was. As soon as it was light enough to see we found the rebels were all around our camp. Skirmishing commenced all around. Those of our men who were out, and could get in, came in; but some of the pickets did not get in at all. My company were almost all out on picket. The enemy, mounted men, made a charge on our camp; they came up on all sides, but we drove them back. They then dismounted and made three other charges, and we drove them back each time. I did not see but one of our men killed; and I did not see any that were wounded at all. One of my sergeants was killed. About 9 o'clock, I should think, the enemy got behind logs and stumps, and all such places, and commenced sharpshooting. If a man raised his head up, there would be a shot fired at him. We put out the best of our men as sharpshooters. A great many of our men lay down inside of our works and went to sleep, as they felt altogether easy about the matter. I think it was about half past ten o'clock when the bugle was sounded to cease firing; and fifteen minutes before eleven they sent in a flag of truce demanding an unconditional surrender. Colonel Hawkins called the officers together and asked them what they thought best to be done. All were in favor of fighting. When he asked me about it I told him that if they had artillery they could whip us; but if they had no artillery we could fight them till hell froze over; those were my very words. Then the telegraph operator said that he had seen two pieces of artillery. He had my glass, and had been up in a little log shanty, where he could see all over the ground. Colonel Hawkins said if they had artillery, and we renewed the fight, like enough they would kill every man of us they got. So we agreed then he should make the surrender on condition that we should be paroled there, without being taken away from the place, and each one allowed to keep his private property, and the officers allowed to keep their fire-arms. He went out to make the surrender on those conditions; and if they did not accept them, then we were to fight them as long as a man was left. He went out, and the next thing I knew there was an order came there for us to march our men out and lay down their arms. We marched them out in front of his headquarters and laid down our arms. The rebels then piled into our camp and cleaned out everything; what they could not carry off they burned. We were then marched off. The colonel had not then told us on what conditions the surrender was made; he only said he supposed we would be paroled.
Question. The enemy had used no artillery?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you find out subsequently whether or not they had any artillery?
Answer. They had two pieces of artillery, but they did not have them at Union City.
Question. Where was it?
Answer. On the way from Dresden to Paducah. They told me it was in supporting distance; that they could have had it at Union City in a short time; but I heard so many stories I did not know what to believe.
Question. Did you suppose at the time you made the surrender that re-enforcements were approaching you?
Answer. The colonel could not tell us whether any re-enforcements were coming or not.
Question. How far was Union City from Columbus?
Answer. I think it was twenty-six miles; but I am not certain.
Question. You supposed re-enforcements would come from there, if at all?
Answer. From Cairo.
Question. How far were you from Cairo?
Answer. It is about forty-six miles from here to Union City. You would have to go from here to Columbus, and from Columbus out to Union City.
Question. How long did you remain with the enemy?
Answer. From Thursday until Monday night.
Question. How did you effect your escape?
Answer. We were not guarded very closely. When I was ready to leave I went into the kitchen, just after supper, and asked for some bread and meat for a man who was sick. The cook gave it to me, and I then went out the door and called Captain Parsons, and asked him if he did not want to go down and see the boys; that I had got a piece of meat to take down. He said yes; but instead of going down to see the boys we turned off into the woods.
Question. At what point did you come into our lines?
Answer. We came in at Waverly landing.
By the chairman:
Question. Have you heard since that re-enforcements under General Brayman were approaching to your relief?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did you hear how near they had got to you?
Answer. Within six miles of the place at four o'clock that morning.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Had you any conversation with the rebel officers while you were with them?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did you hear them say anything about negro troops, &c.?
Answer. Not much. I was talking with them about our regiment. They said when they first started to come there that they were going to get us, and seemed to be surprised to think we had fought them as well as we did, for they said they expected to get us without any trouble.
Question. Did they say why they expected to get you without any trouble?
Answer. No, sir. They said they would parole Hawkins again, and let him get some more horses, and knives, and things, and then they would come when they wanted him again.
Question. How did they treat our men?
Answer. They gave them nothing to eat until the second night, when they gave them about an ounce of fat bacon each. Some got a little bread, but a few of them, however. On Sunday morning they marched the men up in front of the court-house, passed them in one at a time and searched them, taking boots, hats, coats, blankets, and money from them.
Question. Did they leave you without boots, coats, or blankets?
Answer. There were a great many of our men who had new boots, and the rebels would take the new boots and give them their old ones, and so they exchanged hats and blankets.
Question. How many days were you in reaching our lines after you escaped from the rebels?
Answer. I reached Waverly landing on Thursday, the 7th of April, and Cairo in two weeks from the time that I got away from them.
Captain P. K. Parsons, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Were you at Union City when that place was surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. State briefly the circumstances attending the attack there and the surrender.
Answer. I think it was a few minutes after 4 o'clock in the morning that our pickets were driven in by the enemy. I was then sent out to look after them, and commenced skirmishing with them just at daylight. Before sun-up they had surrounded the fort. They then made three or four charges, two on horseback, I believe, but they were repulsed very easily. They then did not do anything but use their sharpshooters until about ten minutes before 11 o'clock, when they sent in a flag of truce demanding an unconditional surrender. The colonel went out and received the demand and brought it in. He then called the officers together and asked what we thought of the matter. He turned to Captain Harris, as the oldest officer, and asked him what we should do. The captain said he was for fighting, and I believe other officers there said "fight." The colonel then asked me to ride out with him, and I did so. On our way out I told the colonel that I thought we had the rebels whipped unless they had re-enforcements, which I did not think they had. They gave us fifteen minutes more to consider. Then some officers said they thought they saw artillery out there. Captain Beattie said if they had artillery they could whip us, but not without. The colonel then went out and made an unconditional surrender of the fort, about sixteen officers and about 500 men. I guess there were 300 men and officers out of the 500 who wanted to fight.
Question. Did you see any artillery?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. They had none there?
Answer. No, sir; I rode out as far as I dared go to see, and I did not see anything with the glass I had but an ambulance; there was no artillery there at all.
Question. To what do you attribute the surrender by Colonel Hawkins?
Answer. It is hard for me to make up my mind about that. Colonel Hawkins was a first lieutenant of a company in the Mexican war and I fought under him there, and I have fought under him in this war, and I never saw any cowardice about him before. I think this was one of the most cowardly surrenders there ever was. Still, I cannot think Colonel Hawkins is a coward; at least I never saw any show of cowardice in him before. I could see no reason for surrendering when we had but one man killed or hurt in the fort.
Question. You escaped from the enemy?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. How did you effect your escape?
Answer. I escaped with Captain Beattie.
Question. How long were you with the enemy?
Answer. Four days and a half.
Question. Who did you understand was in command of the rebels?
Answer. Colonel Duckworth.
Question. How many men did he have?
Answer. From the best information I could get there were about 1,500 of them. Several of their officers said they had 1,250 men, regular troops, and four independent companies. That was their statement to me.
Question. Had you a good position at Union City?
Answer. It was a very good position against small arms; it was not strong against artillery.
Question. Did you know anything about re-enforcements coming to you?
Answer. We were looking for re-enforcements. We had a despatch to hold the place, that re-enforcements would be sent.
Question. From whom was that despatch?
Answer. From General Brayman.
Question. Did Colonel Hawkins receive that despatch before he surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir; the day before the fight, before the wire was cut. He was getting a despatch when the wire was cut; we did not know what that despatch was. But the one he got before was an order to hold the place, that re-enforcements would be sent to him. We were looking for them to come that morning or that night. I heard some rebel officers and men say they had come 450 miles for our regiment, and that they had known they would get it. I asked them how they knew they would get it, but they would not tell me. A rebel cursed Colonel Hawkins; said he was a God damned coward, but he had good men.
Question. Were our men in good spirits before the surrender?
Answer. They were just as cool and quiet as you ever saw men; not a bit excited, but talking and laughing.
Mrs. Rosa Johnson, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Where have you been living?
Answer. I have a home at Hickman, Kentucky, but have been at Fort Pillow.
Question. Did you live there?
Answer. No, sir; my son was there, and I went down to stay with him.
Question. Where were you during the fight?
Answer. I was on a big island, where the gunboat men took us. I staid there a part of two days and one night.
Question. Did you go back to Fort Pillow after the fight?
Answer. Yes, sir; the gunboat took us over there.
Question. When did you go back there?
Answer. The battle was on Tuesday, and I went back Wednesday evening.
Question. Had our wounded men been taken away when you went back?
Answer. Yes, sir, I believe so.
Question. How long did you stay there?
Answer. I went about 2 o'clock in the evening, and staid till night.
Question. Did you go about the fort after you went back?
Answer. Yes, sir; I went up in it, expecting to find my son lying there, and I went around, where I saw some half buried, some with feet out, or hands out, or heads out; but I could not find him. I was so distressed that I could not tell much about it.
Question. Did you see anybody nailed to any boards there?
Answer. We saw a man lying there, burned they said; but I did not go close to him. I was looking all around the fort for my child, and did not pay attention to anything else.
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