Reports of the Committee on the Conduct of the War Part 21

Answer. There were a great many white men shot down, and a great many negroes.

Question. That you saw?

Answer. That I saw myself.

Question. Were you wounded there?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. At what time?

Answer. After 4 o'clock; after we gave up.

Question. How came they to shoot you after you had surrendered?

Answer. I can't tell; it was about like shooting the balance of them.

Question. Do you know who shot you?

Answer. It was a white man. He shot me with a musket loaded with a musket ball and three buck shot.

Question. Did you have any arms in your hands when you were shot?

Answer. No, sir.

Question. Did the one who shot you say anything to you?

Answer. I was lying down. He said, "Hand me up your money, you d.a.m.ned son of a b.i.t.c.h." I only had four bits--two bits in silver and two in paper. I handed it up to him. He said he had d.a.m.ned nigh a notion to hit me in the head on account of staying there and fighting with the n.i.g.g.e.rs. He heard a rally about the bank and went down there. They were shooting and throwing them in the river. A part of that night and the next morning they were burning houses and burying the dead and stealing goods. The next morning they commenced on the negroes again, and killed all they came across, as far as I could see. I saw them kill eight or ten of them the next morning.

Question. Do you know whether any wounded soldiers were burned in any of those buildings?

Answer. I do not. I was not in any of the shanties after they were fired.

Question. Did you see them bury any of the dead?

Answer. No, sir; I was lying outside of the fort.

Question. Did they bury the white and black together, as you understood?

Answer. Yes, sir; they were burying pretty much all night.

Question. How many whites and blacks do you suppose were killed after they had surrendered?

Answer. I had a mighty poor chance of finding out. But I don't think they killed less than 50 or 60, probably more; I cannot say how many. It was an awful time, I know.

Question. How many did you see killed?

Answer. I saw them kill three white men and seven negroes the next morning.

Question. Did you see them shoot any white men the day after the fight?

Answer. No, sir. I saw one of them shoot a black fellow in the head with three buck shot and a musket ball. The man held up his head, and then the fellow took his pistol and fired that at his head. The black man still moved, and then the fellow took his sabre and stuck it in the hole in the negro's head and jammed it way down, and said "Now, G.o.d d.a.m.n you, die!" The negro did not say anything, but he moved, and the fellow took his carbine and beat his head soft with it. That was the next morning after the fight.

Lieutenant McJ. Leming, sworn and examined.

By Mr. Gooch:

Question. Were you in the fight at Fort Pillow?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. What is your rank and position?

Answer. I am a first lieutenant and adjutant of the 13th Tennessee cavalry. A short time previous to the fight I was post adjutant at Fort Pillow, and during most of the engagement I was acting as post adjutant.

After Major Booth was killed, Major Bradford was in command. The pickets were driven in just before sunrise, which was the first intimation we had that the enemy were approaching. I repaired to the fort, and found that Major Booth was sh.e.l.ling the rebels as they came up towards the outer intrenchments. They kept up a steady fire by sharpshooters behind trees, and logs, and high knolls. The major thought at one time they were planting some artillery, or looking for places to plant it. They began to draw nearer and nearer, up to the time our men were all drawn into the fort. Two companies of the 13th Tennessee cavalry were ordered out as sharpshooters, but were finally ordered in. We were pressed on all sides.

I think Major Booth fell not later than 9 o'clock. His adjutant, who was then acting post adjutant, fell near the same time. Major Bradford then took the command, and I acted as post adjutant. Previous to this, Major Booth had ordered some buildings in front of the fort to be destroyed, as the enemy's sharpshooters were endeavoring to get possession of them.

There were four rows of buildings, but only the row nearest the fort was destroyed; the sharpshooters gained possession of the others before they could be destroyed. The fight continued, one almost unceasing fire all the time, until about three o'clock. They threw some sh.e.l.ls, but they did not do much damage with their sh.e.l.ls.

I think it was about three o'clock that a flag of truce approached. I went out, accompanied by Captain Young, the provost marshal of the post.

There was another officer, I think, but I do not recollect now particularly who it was, and some four mounted men. The rebels announced that they had a communication from General Forrest. One of their officers there, I think, from his dress, was a colonel. I received the communication, and they said they would wait for an answer. As near as I remember, the communication was as follows:

"HEADQUARTERS CONFEDERATE CAVALRY, "_Near Fort Pillow, April 12, 1864_.

"As your gallant defence of the fort has ent.i.tled you to the treatment of brave men, (or something to that effect,) I now demand an unconditional surrender of your force, at the same time a.s.suring you that they will be treated as prisoners of war. I have received a fresh supply of ammunition, and can easily take your position.

"N. B. FORREST.

"Major L. F. BOOTH, "_Commanding United States Forces_."

I took this message back to the fort. Major Bradford replied that he desired an hour for consultation and consideration with his officers, and the officers of the gunboat. I took out this communication to them, and they carried it back to General Forrest. In a few minutes another flag of truce appeared, and I went out to meet it. Some one said, when they handed the communication to me, "That gives you 20 minutes to surrender; I am General Forrest." I took it back. The substance of it was: "Twenty minutes will be given you to take your men outside of the fort. If in that time they are not out, I will immediately proceed to a.s.sault your works," or something of that kind. To this Major Bradford replied: "I will not surrender." I took it out in a sealed envelope, and gave it to him. The general opened it and read it. Nothing was said; we simply saluted, and they went their way, and I returned back into the fort.

Almost instantly the firing began again. We mistrusted, while this flag of truce was going on, that they were taking horses out at a camp we had. It was mentioned to them, the last time that this and other movements excited our suspicion, that they were moving their troops.

They said that they had noticed it themselves, and had it stopped; that it was unintentional on their part, and that it should not be repeated.

It was not long after the last flag of truce had retired, that they made their grand charge. We kept them back for several minutes. What was called ---- brigade or battalion attacked the centre of the fort where several companies of colored troops were stationed. They finally gave way, and, before we could fill up the breach, the enemy got inside the fort, and then they came in on the other two sides, and had complete possession of the fort. In the mean time nearly all the officers had been killed, especially of the colored troops, and there was no one hardly to guide the men. They fought bravely, indeed, until that time. I do not think the men who broke had a commissioned officer over them.

They fought with the most determined bravery, until the enemy gained possession of the fort. They kept shooting all the time. The negroes ran down the hill towards the river, but the rebels kept shooting them as they were running; shot some again after they had fallen; robbed and plundered them. After everything was all gone, after we had given up the fort entirely, the guns thrown away and the firing on our part stopped, they still kept up their murderous fire, more especially on the colored troops, I thought, although the white troops suffered a great deal. I know the colored troops had a great deal the worst of it. I saw several shot after they were wounded; as they were crawling around, the secesh would step out and blow their brains out.

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.