the attack was made, the officers of the fort and of the gunboats advised the women and children to go to the river, for the purpose of being taken across out of danger. As they were leaving the town for that purpose the rebel sharpshooters mingled with them, aud, 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 13th 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 negro troops." To this Colonel Lawrence, in command of the fort, 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 take some horses of Union 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 head-quarters, amounted to nineteen officers and five

hundred and thirty-eight enlisted men, of whom two hundred and sixty-two men were colored troops, comprising one battalion of the Sixth United States Heavy Artillery (formerly the First Alabama Artillery) of colored troops, under command of Major W. J. 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 fort.

On Monday, the 12th of April, the anniversary of the attack on Fort Sumter, in April, 1861, the pickets of the garrison were driven in just before sunrise, that being the first intimation our forces then had of any intention on the part of the enemy to attack that place. Fighting soon became general, and, about nine o'clock, Major Booth was killed. Major Bradford succeeded to the command, and withdrew all the forces within the fort. They had previously occupied some intrenchments at some distance from the fort, and further from the river.

This fort was situated on a high bluff, which descended precipitately to the river's edge, the ridge 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 stores. The ravine above the fort was known as Cold Creek Ravine, the ridge 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 twelve-pounder howitzers, and two ten-pounder Parrots.

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. 7, New Era, Captain Marshall, took part in the conflict, shelling the enemy as opportunity offered. Signals had been agreed upon, by which the officers in the fort could indicate where the guns of the fort 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 clean and cool the guns, having fired two hundred and eighty-two rounds of shell, shrap. nel, and cannister, which nearly exhausted the supply of ammunition.

The rebels, having thus far failed in their attack, now resorted to their customary 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.

During the time these flags of truce were flying, the rebels were moving down the ravines and taking positions from which the more readily to charge upon the fort. Parties of them were also engaged in plundering the government buildings, and commissary and quartermaster's stores, in full view of the gunboat. Captain Marshall states that he refrained from firing upon the rebels, although they 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 weigh and stood for the fort-"I determined to use what little ammunition we 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.

Then followed a scene of cruelty and murder without parallel in civilized warfare, which needed but the toma

hawk and scalping-knife to exceed the worst atrocities ever committed by savages. The rebels commenced an indiscriminate slaughter, sparing neither age nor sex, - white or black, soldier or civilian. The officers and men seemed to vie with each other in the devilish work. Men and 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 wounded were butchered without mercy, the rebels even entering the hospital-building 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 upon 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 approached, 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 quarter! kill the d-d 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