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Captain Shirk of the navy-successfully repelling the attacks of the enemy. Failing to make any impression upon our forces, Forrest then demanded an unconditional surrender, closing his communication to Colonel Hicks in these words: "If your surrender you shall be treated as prisoners of war, but if I have to storm your works you may expect no quarter." This demand and threat was met by a refusal on the part of Colone Hicks to surrender, he stating that he had been placed there by his Government to defend that post, and he should do so. The rebels made three other assaults that same day, but were repulsed with heavy loss each time, the rebel General Thompson being killed in the last assault. The enemy retired the next day, having suffered a loss estimated at three hundred killed, and from one thousand to one thousand two hundred wounded. The loss on our side was fourteen killed and forty-six wounded.

citizens which had been brought in there for security.

It was at Fort Pillow, however, that the brutality and cruelty of the rebels were most fearfully exhibited." The garrison there, according to the last returns received at headquarters, amounted to nineteen officers and five hundred and thirty-eight enlisted men, of whom two hundred and sixty-two were colored troops, compris ing one battalion of the Sixth United States heavy artillery, (formerly called the First Alabama artillery,) of colored troops, under command of Major L. F. Booth; one section of the Second United States light artillery, colored, and one battalion of the Thirteenth Tennessee cavalry, white, commanded by Major W. F. Bradford. Major Booth was the ranking officer, and was in command of the post.

On Tuesday, the twelfth of April, (the anniversary of the attack on Fort Sumter, in April, The operations of the enemy at Paducah were 1861,) the pickets of the garrison were driven in characterized by the same bad faith and treachery just before sunrise, that being the first intimathat seem to have become the settled policy of tion our forces there had of any intention on the Forrest and his command. The flag of truce part of the enemy to attack that place. Fighting was taken advantage of there, as elsewhere, to soon became general, and about nine o'clock secure desirable positions which the rebels were Major Booth was killed. Major Bradford sueunable to obtain by fair and honorable means; ceeded to the command, and withdrew all the and also to afford opportunities for plundering forces within the fort. They had previously ocprivate stores as well as Government property.cupied some intrenchments at some distance At Paducah the rebels were guilty of acts more from the fort, and further from the river. cowardly, if possible, than any they have practised elsewhere. When the attack was made the officers of the Fort and of the gunboats advised the women and children to go down to the river for the purpose of being taken across out of danger. As they were leaving the town for that purpose, the rebel sharp-shooters mingled with them, and, shielded by their presence, advanced and fired upon the gunboats, wounding some of our officers and men. Our forces could not return the fire without endangering the lives of the women and children. The rebels also placed women in front of their lines as they moved on the Fort, or were proceeding to take positions, while the flag of truce was at the Fort, in order to compel our men to withhold their fire, out of regard for the lives of the women who were made use of in this most cowardly manner. For more full details of the attack, and the treacherous and cowardly practices of the rebels there, your Committee refer to the testimony herewith submitted.

On the thirteenth of April, the day after the capture of Fort Pillow, the rebel General Buford appeared before Columbus, Kentucky, and demanded its unconditional surrender. He coupled with that demand a threat that if the place was not surrendered, and he should be compelled to attack it "no quarter whatever should be shown to the negro troops." To this Colonel Lawrence, in command of the post, replied, that "surrender was out of the question," as he had been placed there by his government to hold and defend the place, and should do so. No attack was made, but the enemy retired, having taken advantage of the flag of truce to seize some horses of Union

This Fort was situated on a high bluff, which descended precipitately to the river's edge, the side of the bluff on the river side being covered with trees, bushes, and fallen timber. Extending back from the river, on either side of the Fort, was a ravine or hollow-the one below the Fort containing several private stores and some dwellings, constituting what was called the town. At the mouth of that ravine, and on the river bank, were some government buildings containing commissary and quartermaster's stores. The ravine above the Fort was known as Cold Creek ravine, the sides being covered with trees and bushes. To the right, or below and a little to the front of the Fort, was a level piece of ground, not quite so elevated as the Fort itself, on which had been erected some log huts or shanties, which were occupied by the white troops, and also used for hospital and other purposes. Within the Fort tents had been erected, with board floors, for the use of the colored troops. There were six pieces of artillery in the Fort, consisting of two six-pounders, two twelvepounder howitzers, and two ten-pounder Parrotts.

The rebels continued their attack, but, up to two or three o'clock in the afternoon, they had not gained any decisive success. Our troops, both white and black, fought most bravely, and were in good spirits. The gunboat No. Seven (New Era) Captain Marshall, took part in the conflict, shelling the enemy as opportunity offer ed. Signals had been agreed upon by which the officers in the Fort could indicate where the guns of the boat could be most effective. There being but one gunboat there, no permanent impression appears to have been produced upon the enemy

for as they were shelled out of one ravine, they would make their appearance in the other. They would thus appear and retire as the gunboat moved from one point to the other. About one o'clock the fire on both sides slackened somewhat, and the gunboat moved out in the river, to cool and clean its guns, having fired two hundred and eighty-two rounds of shell, shrapnel, and canister, which nearly exhausted its supply of ammunition.

The rebels having thus far failed in their attack, now resorted to their customary use of flags of truce. The first flag of truce conveyed a demand from Forrest for the unconditional surrender of the Fort. To this, Major Bradford replied, asking to be allowed one hour to consult with his officers and the officers of the gunboat. In a short time a second flag of truce appeared, with a communication from Forrest, that he would allow Major Bradford twenty minutes in which to move his troops out of the Fort, and if it was not done within that time an assault would be ordered. To this, Major Bradford returned the reply that he would not surrender.

work; men, women, and even children, wherever found, were deliberately shot down, beaten, and hacked with sabres; some of the children not more than ten years old were forced to stand up and face their murderers while being shot; the sick and the wounded were butchered without mercy, the rebels even entering the hospitalbuilding and dragging them out to be shot, or killing them as they lay there unable to offer the least resistance. All over the hillside the work of murder was going on; numbers of our men were collected together in lines or groups and deliberately shot; some were shot while in the river, while others on the bank were shot and their bodies kicked into the water, many of them still living but unable to make any exertions to save themselves from drowning. Some of the rebels stood on the top of the hill or a short distance down its side, and called to our soldiers to come up to them, and as they ap proached, shot them down in cold blood; if their guns or pistols missed fire, forcing them to stand there until they were again prepared to fire. All around were heard cries of "No quarter!" "No fly-quarter!" "Kill the damned niggers; shoot them down!" All who asked for mercy were answered by the most cruel taunts and sneers. Some were spared for a time, only to be murdered under circumstances of greater cruelty. No cruelty which the most fiendish malignity could devise was omitted by these murderers. One white soldier who was wounded in one leg so as to be unable to walk, was made to stand up while his tormentors shot him; others who were wounded and unable to stand were held up and again shot. One negro who had been ordered by a rebel officer to hold his horse, was killed by him when he remounted; another, a mere child, whom an officer had taken up behind him on his horse, was seen by Chalmers, who at once ordered the officer to put him down and shoot him, which was done. The huts and tents in which many of the wounded had sought shelter were set on fire, both that night and the next morning, while the wounded were still in them-those only escaping who were able to get themselves out, or who could prevail on others less injured than themselves to help them out; and even some of those thus seeking to escape the flames were met by those ruffians and brutally shot down, or had their brains beaten out. One man was deliberately fastened down to the floor of a tent, face upward, by means of nails driven through his clothing and into the boards under him, so that he could not possibly escape, and then the tent set on fire; another was nailed to the side of a building outside of the fort, and then the building set on fire and burned. The Then followed a scene of cruelty and murder charred remains of five or six bodies were afterwithout a parallel in civilized warfare, which ward found, all but one so much disfigured and needed but the tomahawk and scalping-knife to consumed by the flames that they could not be exceed the worst atrocities ever committed by identified, and the identification of that one is savages. The rebels commenced an indiscrimi- not absolutely certain, although there can hardly nate slaughter, sparing neither age nor sex, white be a doubt that it was the body of Lieutenant nor black, soldier or civilian. The officers and Akerstrom, Quartermaster of the Thirteenth men seemed to vie with each other in the devilish | Tennessee cavalry, and a native Tennesseean;

During the time these flags of truce were ing, the rebels were moving down the ravine and taking positions from which the more readily to charge upon the Fort. Parties of them were also engaged in plundering the government buildings of commissary and quartermaster's stores, in full view of the gunboat. Captain Marshall states that he refrained from firing upon the rebels, al-¦ though there were thus violating the flag of truce, for fear that, should they finally succeed in capturing the Fort, they would justify any atrocities they might commit by saying that they were in retaliation for his firing while the flag of truce was flying. He says, however, that when he saw the rebels coming down the ravine above the Fort, and taking positions there, he got under way and stood for the Fort, determined to use what little ammunition he had left in shelling them out of the ravine; but he did not get up within effective range before the final assault was made.

Immediately after the second flag of truce retired, the rebels made a rush from the positions they had so treacherously gained and obtained possession of the Fort, raising the cry of "No quarter!" But little opportunity was allowed for resistance. Our troops, black and white, threw down their arms, and sought to escape by running down the steep bluff near the Fort, and secreting themselves behind trees and logs, in the bushes, and under the brush-some even jumping into the river, leaving only their heads above the water, as they crouched down under the bank.

several witnesses who saw the remains, and who were personally acquainted with him while living, have testified that it is their firm belief that it was his body that was thus treated.

the malignity and barbarity of Forrest and his followers cannot yet be definitely ascertained. Two officers belonging to the garrison were absent at the time of the capture and massacre. Of the remaining officers but two are known to be living, and they are wounded and now in the hospital at Mound City. One of them, Captain Potter, may even now be dead, as the surgeons, when your committee were there, expressed no hope of his recovery. Of the men, from three hundred to four hundred are known to have been killed at Fort Pillow, of whom, at least, three hundred were murdered in cold blood after the post was in possession of the rebels, and our men had thrown down their arms and ceased to offer resistance. Of the survivors, except the wounded in the hospital at Mound City, and the few who succeeded in making their escape unhurt, nothing definite is known; and it is to be feared that many have been murdered after being taken away from the Fort.

These deeds of murder and cruelty ceased when night came on, only to be renewed the next morning, when the demons carefully sought among the dead lying about in all directions for any of the wounded yet alive, and those they found were deliberately shot. Scores of the dead and wounded were found there the day after the massacre by the men from some of our gunboats who were permitted to go on shore and collect the wounded and bury the dead. The rebels themselves had made a pretence of burying a great many of their victims, but they had merely thrown them, without the least regard to care or decency, into the trenches and ditches about the Fort, or the little hollows and ravines on the hill-side, covering them but partially with earth. Portions of heads and faces, hands and feet, were found protruding through the earth in In reference to the fate of Major Bradford, who every direction. The testimony also establishes was in command of the Fort when it was captured, the fact that the rebels buried some of the living and who had up to that time received no injury, with the dead, a few of whom succeeded after- there seems to be no doubt. The general underward in digging themselves out, or were dug outstanding everywhere seemed to be that he had by others, one of whom your committee found in been brutally murdered the day after he was Mound City hospital, and there examined. And taken prisoner. even when your Committee visited the spot, two weeks afterward, although parties of men had been sent on shore from time to time to bury the bodies unburied and rebury the others, and were even then engaged in the same work, we found the evidences of this murder and cruelty still most When your committee arrived at Memphis, painfully apparent; we saw bodies still unburied Tennessee, they found and examined a man (Mr. (at some distance from the Fort) of some sick men McLagan) who had been conscripted by some of who had been met fleeing from the hospital and Forrest's forces, but who, with other conscripts, beaten down and brutally murdered, and their had succeeded in making his escape. He testifies bodies left where they had fallen. We could that while two companies of rebel troops, with still see the faces, hands, and feet of men, white Major Bradford and many other prisoners, were and black, protruding out of the ground, whose on their march from Brownsville to Jackson, Tengraves had not been reached by those engaged in nessee, Major Bradford was taken by five rebels reinterring the victims of the massacre; and -one an officer-led about fifty yards from the although a great deal of rain had fallen within | line of march, and deliberately murdered in view the preceding two weeks, the ground, more es- of all there assembled. He fell killed instantly pecially on the side and at the foot of the bluff by three musket-balls, even while asking that his where the most of the murders had been commit-life might be spared, as he had fought them manted was still discolored by the blood of our brave but unfortunate men, and the logs and trees showed but too plainly the evidences of the atrocities perpetrated there.

Many other instances of equally atrocious cruelty might be enumerated, but your Committee feel compelled to refrain from giving here more of the heart-sickening details, and refer to the statements contained in the voluminous testimony herewith submitted. Those statements were obtained by them from eye-witnesses and sufferers; many of them, as they were examined by your Committee, were lying upon beds of pain and suffering, some so feeble that their lips could with difficulty frame the words by which they endeavored to convey some idea of the cruelties which had been inflicted on them, and which they had seen inflicted on others.

How many of our troops thus fell victims to

There is some discrepancy in the testimony, but your committee do not see how the one who professed to have been an eye-witness of his death could have been mistaken. There may be some uncertainty in regard to his fate.

The

fully, and was deserving of a better fate.
motive for the murder of Major Bradford seems
to have been the simple fact that, although a na-
tive of the South, he remained loyal to his gov-
ernment. The testimony herewith submitted
contains many statements made by the rebels
that they did not intend to treat "home-made
Yankees," as they termed loyal Southerners, any
better than negro troops.

There is one circumstance connected with the events herein narrated which your committee cannot permit to pass unnoticed. The testimony herewith submitted discloses this most astounding and shameful fact: On the morning of the day succeeding the capture of Fort Pillow, the gunboat Silver Cloud, (No. 28,) the transport Platte Valley, and the gunboat New Era, (No. 7,) landed at Fort Pillow under flag of truce, for the purpose of receiving the few wounded there and

burying the dead. While they were lying there, the rebel General Chalmers and other rebel officers came down to the landing, and some of them went on the boats. Notwithstanding the evidences of rebel atrocity and barbarity with which the ground was covered, there were some of our army officers on board the Platte Valley so lost to every feeling of decency, honor, and self-respect, as to make themselves disgracefully conspicuous in bestowing civilitics and attention upon the rebel officers, even while they were boasting of the murders they had there committed. Your Committee were unable to ascertain the names of the officers who have thus inflicted so foul a stain upon the honor of our army. They are assured, however, by the military authorities that every effort will be made to ascertain their names and bring them to the punishment they so richly merit.

In relation to the reënforcement or evacuation of Fort Pillow, it would appear from the testimony that the troops there stationed were withdrawn on the twenty-fifth of January last, in order to accompany the Meridian expedition under General Sherman. General Hurlbut testifies that he never received any instructions to permanently vacate the post, and deeming it important to occupy it, so that the rebels should not interrupt the navigation of the Mississippi by planting artillery there, he sent some troops there about the middle of February, increasing their number afterward until the garrison amounted to nearly six hundred men. He also states that as soon as he learned that the place was attacked, he immediately took measures to send up reënforcements from Memphis, and they were actually embarking when he received information of the capture of the Fort.

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CAIRO, ILLINOIS, April 22, 1864. Brigadier-General Mason Brayman sworn and examined by the Chairman.

Question. What is your rank and position in the service?

Answer. Brigadier-General of volunteers; have been in command of the district of Cairo since March nineteenth, 1864.

Question. What was the extent of your district when you assumed command, and what your available force?

Answer. The river, from Paducah to Island Number Ten, inclusive, about one hundred and sixty miles, and adjacent portions of Tennessee and Kentucky. My available force for duty, as appears from tri-monthly report of March twen tieth, as follows:

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408

231

998

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162

479

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Question. What was the character of your force and the condition of your command at that time?

Answer. Three fourths of the men were colored, a portion of them not mustered into service, and commanded by officers temporarily assigned, awaiting commission. Of the white troops about one half at the posts on the river were on duty as provost-marshals' guards and similar detached duties, leaving but a small number in condition for movement. The fortifications were in an unfinished condition; that at Cairo rendered almost useless by long neglect. Many of the guns were dismounted, or otherwise unfit for service, and the supply of ammunition deficient and defective. A body of cavalry at Paducah were not mounted, and only part of those at Union City. I had not enough mounted men within my reach for orderlies.

Your Committee cannot close this report without expressing their obligations to the officers of the army and navy, with whom they were brought in contact, for the assistance they rendered. It is true your Committee were furnished by the Secretary of War with the fullest authority to call upon any one in the army for such services as they might require, to enable them to make the investigation devolved upon them by Congress, but they found that no such authority was needed. The army and navy officers at every point they visited evinced a desire to aid the committee in every way in their power; and all expressed the highest satisfaction that Congress had so promptly taken steps to ascertain the facts connected with this fearful and bloody transaction, and the hope that the investigation would lead to prompt and decisive measures on the part of the government. Your Committee would mention more particularly the names of General Mason Brayman, Military Commandant at Cairo; Captain J. H. Odlin, his Chief of Staff; Captain Question. What is the character of the public Alexander M. Pennock, United States navy, Fleet property and interests intrusted to your care? Captain of Mississippi squadron; Captain James Answer. Paducah commands the Ohio. W. Shirk, United States navy, commanding Sev-hostile hands, the Tennessee and Cumberland enth district Mississippi squadron; Surgeon rivers are no longer ours. Mound City, eight Horace Wardner, in charge of Mound City gene- miles above Cairo, is the great naval dépôt for eral hospital; Captain Thomas M. Farrell, United the Western fleet. Gunboats there receive their

In

armaments, crews, and supplies. An average and keep well prepared." About half-past four

of probably five million dollars of public property is constantly at that point; I found it guarded by, perhaps, fifty men of the veteran reserve corps, not referring to gunboats lying there. Cairo, at the confluence of the great rivers, is the narrow gateway through which all military and naval operations of the Mississippi valley must be made. I cannot compute the amount or value of shipping and property at all times at this point. The Committee must observe that the loss of Mound City and Cairo would paralyze the Western army and navy. The points below Columbus and Island Ten are fortified places; while holding them, the rebels had control of the river. It required a prodigious effort to dislodge them. To concede to them any point on the river, even for a week, would bring disaster. Furthermore, the rebels now control Western Kentucky; they are murdering, robbing, and driving out the loyal men; they avow their determination to permit the loyal men to take no part in the approaching elections. Unless protected in their effort to protect themselves, the Union men must give way, and the country remain under insurrectionary control.

Question. Did you consider your force, as stated, adequate to the protection of your district?

Answer. Wholly inadequate, considering the interests at stake, and the hostile forces within attacking distance.

Question. When did you first hear that Forrest was advancing?

Answer. On March twenty-third, four days after I took command, Colonel Hicks, at Paducah, and Colonel Hawkins at Union City, advised me by telegraph of the presence in their neighborhood of armed bands, both fearing an attack. At night of the same day, Colonel Hawkins reported Forrest at Jackson, sixty-one miles south, with seven thousand men; and again that he expected an attack within twenty-four hours. He wanted reënforcements.

Question. Had you the means of reënforcing him?

Answer. Of my own command, I had not one hundred and fifty available men; however, some regiments and detachments of General Veatch's division had arrived and awaited the arrival of boats from St. Louis to carry them up the Tennessee. General Veatch had gone to Evansville, Indiana. Simultaneously with the reports from Hicks and Hawkins, I received from General Sherman, then at Nashville, this despatch: "Has General Veatch and command started up the Tennessee? If not, start them up at once. Down to this time it was uncertain whether Union City or Paducah was the real object of attack. Late in the evening I applied to Captain Fox, General Veatch's Assistant AdjutantGeneral, to have two thousand men in readiness to move during the night, if wanted, promising to have them back in time to embark, on arrival of their transports. I telegraphed Hawkins that he would receive aid, directing him to "fortify

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o'clock of the morning of the twenty-fourth, I was satisfied that Union City was the point of attack. Boats were impressed, four regiments were embarked, and I left at ten; disembarked at Columbus, and arriving within six miles of Union City at four P.M., where I learned that a surrender had taken place at eleven A. M., and the garrison marched off. I turned back, and at three the next morning turned over General Veatch's men, ready to go up the Tennessee.

Question. Why did you not pursue Forrest? Answer. For three reasons: First, his force was all cavalry; mine all infantry. Second, he was moving on Paducah, and, while I could not overtake him by land, I could head him by the rivers. Third, another despatch from General Sherman reached me as I was going out from Columbus, prohibiting me from diverting the troops bound up the Tennessee from that movement on account of the presence of Forrest. My purpose was to save Union City, bring in its gar rison, and have General Veatch's men back in time for their boats. While I was willing to risk much to secure a garrison supposed to be yet engaged in gallant defence, I could do nothing to mitigate the accomplished misfortune of a surrender.

Question. Do you think the surrender premature?

Answer. The garrison was within fortifications; the enemy had no artillery. A loss of one man killed and two or three wounded does not indicate a desperate case. The rebels were three times repulsed. A flag of truce followed, and a surrender.

Question. How large was the attacking party? Answer. I judge fifteen hundred, the largest portion of Forrest's force being evidently on the way to Paducah.

Question. How large was his entire force? Answer. Apparently six thousand five hundred.

Question. When was Paducah attacked? Answer. About three P.M., the next day, March twenty-fifth.

Question. Was Paducah reënforced previous to the attack?

Answer. It was not. I had no men to send, but sent supplies.

Question. Where was General Veatch's command?

Answer. Embarking for the Tennessee. Question. Was Paducah well defended? Answer. Most gallantly, and with success. The conduct of Colonel Hicks and his entire command was noble in the highest degree.

Question. How did his colored troops behave? Answer. As well as the rest. Colonel Hicks thus refers to them in his official report: “I have been one of those men who never had much confidence in colored troops fighting, but those doubts are now all removed, for they fought as bravely as any troops in the fort." Question. Why was the city shelled and set on fire?

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