Reports of the Committee on the Conduct of the War Part 53

MOUND CITY, _April 18, 1864_.

_Statement of William F. Mays, company B, 13th Tennessee cavalry._

I was at Fort Pillow on the 12th of April, 1864, and engaged in the fight there. The pickets were driven in about six o'clock a. m., when skirmishers were thrown out to ascertain the position and number of the enemy. The contraband camp was then discovered to be on fire, and the firing of small-arms was heard in the same direction. The skirmis.h.i.+ng lasted about one hour, when our skirmishers were gradually drawn back towards the fort on the bluff. They then attacked the fort. Two a.s.saults were made by them, and both repulsed. This was about eleven or twelve o'clock a. m., when a flag of truce was sent in, demanding a surrender.

While the flag was being received and the firing suspended, the enemy were moving their forces into position, and occupied one position which they had been fighting to obtain all day, but had not been able to gain, except under the protection of a flag of truce. It was from this position they made their heaviest a.s.sault, it being impossible to bring our artillery to bear upon them.

Question. Do you believe they could have taken the fort or that particular position had they not done so under cover of the flag of truce?

Answer. I do not. They had been kept from it for six hours.

Question. What further took place? Go on with your statement.

Answer. In about five minutes after the disappearance of the flag of truce, a general a.s.sault was made upon our works from every direction.

They were kept at bay for some time, when the negroes gave way upon the left and ran down the bluff, leaving an opening through which the rebels entered and immediately commenced an indiscriminate slaughter of both white and black. We all threw down our arms and gave tokens of surrender, asking for quarter. (I was wounded in the right shoulder and muscle of the back, and knocked down before I threw down my gun.) But no quarter was given. Voices were heard upon all sides, crying, "Give them no quarter; kill them; kill them; it is General Forrest's orders." I saw four white men and at least twenty-five negroes shot while begging for mercy; and I saw one negro dragged from a hollow log within ten feet of where I lay, and as one rebel held him by the foot another shot him.

These were all soldiers. There were also two negro women and three little children standing within twenty-five steps from me, when a rebel stepped up to them and said, "Yes, G.o.d d.a.m.n you, you thought you were free, did you," and shot them all. They all fell but one child, when he knocked it in the head with the breech of his gun. They then disappeared in the direction of the landing, following up the fugitives, firing at them wherever seen. They came back in about three-quarters of an hour, shooting and robbing the dead of their money and clothes. I saw a man with a canteen upon him and a pistol in his hand. I ventured to ask him for a drink of water. He turned around, saying, "Yes, G.o.d d.a.m.n you, I will give you a drink of water," and shot at my head three different times, covering my face up with dust, and then turned from me, no doubt thinking he had killed me, remarking, "G.o.d d.a.m.n you, it's too late to pray now," then went on with his pilfering. I lay there until dark, feigning death, when a rebel officer came along, drawing his sabre and ordered me to get up, threatening to run his sabre into me if I did not, saying I had to march ten miles that night. I succeeded in getting up and got among a small squad he had already gathered up, but stole away from them during the night, and got among the dead, feigning death for fear of being murdered. The next morning the gunboat came up and commenced sh.e.l.ling them out, when I crawled out from among the dead, and with a piece of paper motioning to the boat, she came up and I crawled on board.

his WM. F. + MAYS.

mark.

Sworn and subscribed to before me this 27th day of April, 1864.

WM. STANLEY, _Lieutenant and a.s.sistant Provost Marshal_.

A true copy.

C. B. SMITH, _Lieutenant and A. D. C._

_Official statement of facts connected with the attack, defence, and surrender of the United States military post at Union City, Tennessee, on the 24th of March, 1864._

CAIRO, ILLINOIS, _April 4, 1864_.

On the 23d of March it was generally understood at the said post that at least a portion of the rebel General Forrest's command were advancing on us. At about eight o'clock p. m. of that day the advance of the enemy were seen and fired upon, near Jacksonville, six miles from Union City, by a small scouting party sent in that direction from our post. This party reported the facts immediately to Colonel Hawkins, of the 7th Tennessee cavalry, who was commander of the post.

The picket guard was then doubled, and two or three companies were ordered to keep their horses saddled during the night.

I was notified at 4.30 a. m. of the 24th of March to order my horses saddled. About five o'clock firing commenced all around the line of pickets. The main part of company B, Captain Martin, were abreast, and a part of company I, also, I think. The remaining force, about 500 strong, were distributed around at the breastworks. The pickets were driven in, with a loss of two killed and several wounded. About 5.30 a. m.

a cavalry charge was made from the south side. It was repulsed with but little difficulty. The same were immediately dismounted and charged again, this time coming within twenty or thirty yards of the breastworks. They were repulsed again, and with considerable loss this time. Immediately following this another charge was made in front, from the northwest, and again repulsed. Immediately following this, the fourth charge, and last, was made from the northeast, which charge confronted my company, and were repulsed again with loss. This charge was made at about 8 a. m. About this time the colonel came to this part of the works; I remarked to him that it was my opinion the rebels were defeated in their first programme; that they would either leave the field or a.s.semble and make a consolidated charge. Our troops were in fine spirits. Sharpshooting lasted till 9.30 a. m., when an escort, with a flag of truce, approached my position. I sent notification to Colonel Hawkins of the approaching truce flag, and then advanced in person and halted the truce escort two hundred yards from the defences. Then Colonel Hawkins came; a doc.u.ment was handed him, the contents of which I know not. At this time the rebel troops were in full view, in the logs and stumps. The truce escort retired, and in twenty minutes after again came. I again halted them on the same ground as before, and remained with them during this interview. This time an order was handed to Colonel Hawkins, which I read. As near as I can remember, it read as follows:

"HEADQUARTERS CONFEDERATE STATES FORCES, "_In the Field, March 24, 1864_.

"_Commanding Officer United States Forces, at Union City, Tennessee_:

"SIR: I have your garrison completely surrounded, and demand an unconditional surrender of your forces. If you comply with the demand, you are promised the treatment due to prisoners of war, according to usages in civilized warfare. If you persist in a defence, you must take the consequences.

"By order of

"N. B. FORREST, _Major General_."

Then followed a council of our officers, in which a large majority violently opposed any capitulation whatever with the enemy.

Notwithstanding this, the colonel made a surrender at 11 a. m., which, to the best of my knowledge and belief, was unconditional. No artillery was seen or used. The surrendered troops were very indignant on hearing of the surrender. Only one man had been killed and two or three wounded inside of the works. It was generally believed to be a rebel defeat. Our troops, after grounding arms, were marched away on foot. The rebel troops were commanded by Colonel Duckworth, and as nearly as I could estimate them, there were 800.

A list of prisoners was made on the 26th, at Trenton, which numbered 481, including ten of Hardy's men and a few of the 24th Missouri infantry, who were doing provost duty.

T. P. GRAY, _Captain, Company C, 7th Tennessee Cavalry_.

HEADQUARTERS POST OF PADUCAH, _Paducah, Kentucky, April 6, 1864_.

SIR: I have the honor to report in relation to the late engagement with the rebel General Forrest. On the 25th instant my scouts came in at about 12 o'clock m., bringing no news of the enemy's whereabouts. I immediately ordered out others, and directed them to proceed on the Mayfield road. They had gone but three miles when they were met by Forrest's advance guard, who fired upon them. They hurriedly fell back and gave the alarm, and in less than ten minutes after they reported, the enemy were driving in my pickets, who opened a skirmish-fire and fell back to Fort Anderson, according to previous instructions. I immediately ordered the little force under my command to double-quick to the fort, which order was promptly obeyed; yet, before they could reach there, such was the impetuosity of the attack, that their rear was fired into by the enemy.

At 2 p. m. the enemy took position surrounding the fort, and a sharp fight commenced, which in a few minutes became furious, and continued for about one hour, when it was announced that a flag of truce was approaching. I immediately ordered my men to cease firing, and sent out to meet the bearer, from whom I received the following demand for a surrender:

"HEADQUARTERS FORREST'S CAVALRY CORPS, "_Paducah, Kentucky, March 25, 1864_.

"COLONEL: Having a force amply sufficient to carry your works and reduce the place, and in order to avoid the unnecessary effusion of blood, I demand the surrender of the fort and troops, with all public property.

If you surrender, you shall be treated as prisoners of war; but if I have to storm your works, you may expect no quarter.

"N. B. FORREST, "_Major General, Commanding Confederate Troops_.

"Colonel HICKS, "_Commanding Federal Forces at Paducah_."

To which I replied as follows:

"HEADQUARTERS POST OF PADUCAH, "_Paducah, Kentucky, March 25, 1864_.

"I have this moment received yours of this instant, in which you demand the unconditional surrender of the forces under my command. I can answer that I have been placed here by my government to defend this post, and in this, as well as all other orders from my superior, I feel it to be my duty as an honorable officer to obey. I must, therefore, respectfully decline surrendering as you may require.

"Very respectfully,

"S. G. Hicks, "_Colonel, Commanding Post_.

"Major General N. B. FORREST, "_Commanding Confederate Forces_."

While the flag of truce was near the fort, and during its pendency, the enemy were engaged in taking position and planting a battery. As soon as the answer was returned they moved forward, and our forces opened on them, and the fight became general. They attempted to storm our works, but were repulsed. They rallied and tried it again, and met the same fate. They made a third effort, but were forced to abandon their design.

It was in this last struggle that Brigadier General A. P. Thompson (confederate) was killed.

I now discovered, on examination, that my ammunition was growing short, and out of 30,000 rounds, (the amount we commenced the fight with,) 27,000 had been already expended. In this emergency I ordered the remainder to be equally distributed; the men to fix their bayonets; to make good use of the ammunition they had, and, when that was exhausted, to receive the enemy on the point of the bayonet, feeling fully determined never to surrender while I had a man alive. When this order was repeated by the officers to their respective commands, it was received with loud shouts and cheers.

The enemy's sharpshooters in the mean time got possession of the houses around and near the fort, from which position they picked off some of my gunners, shooting nearly all of them in the head.

Towards dark the enemy took shelter behind houses, in rooms, and hollows, and kept up a scattering fire until half past 11 o'clock, when it entirely ceased, and the rebel general withdrew his command out of the range of my guns, and went into camp for the night.

On the morning of the 26th the enemy again made a demonstration by surrounding the fort in the distance. As soon as I discovered this, I ordered Major Barnes, of the 10th Kentucky cavalry, to send out squads to burn all the houses within musket range of the fort, from which the sharpshooters had annoyed us the day previous.

While the houses were burning General Forrest sent in a second flag of truce, with the following communication: