THE FORT PILLOW MASSACRE.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR.

MESSRS. WADE AND GOOCH, the sub-committee appointed by the Joint Committee on the Conduct and Expenditures of the War, with instructions to proceed to such points as they might deem necessary for the purpose of taking testimony in regard to the massacre at Fort Pillow, submitted the following report to the joint committee, together with the accompanying testimony and papers.

In obedience to the instructions of this joint committee, adopted on the 18th ultimo, your committee left Washington on the morning of the 19th, taking with them the stenographer of this committee, and proceeded to Cairo and Mound City, Illinois, Columbus, Kentucky, and Fort Pillow and Memphis, Tennessee, at each of which places they proceeded to take testimony.

Although your committee were instructed to inquire. only in reference to the attack, capture, and massacre of Fort Pillow, they have deemed it proper to take some testimony in reference to the operations of Forrest and his command, immediately preceding and subsequent to that horrible transaction. It will appear from the testimony thus taken, that the atrocities committed at Fort Pillow were not the result of passions excited by the heat of conflict, but were results of a policy deliberately decided upon, and unhesitatingly announced. Even if the uncertainty of the fate of those officers and men, belonging to colored regiments, who have heretofore been taken prisoners by the rebels, has failed to convince the authorities of our Government of this fact, the testi

mony herewith submitted must convince even the most sceptical that it is the intention of the rebel authorities not to recognise the officers and men of our colored regiments, as entitled to the treatment accorded by all civilized nations to prisoners of war. The declarations of Forrest and his officers, both before and after the capture of Fort Pillow, as testified to by such of our men as have escaped after being taken by him; the threats contained in the various demands for surrender made at Paducah, Columbus, and other places; the .renewal of the massacre the morning after the capture of Fort Pillow; the statements made by the rebel officers to the officers of our gunboats, who received the few survivors at Fort Pillow-all this proves most conclusively the policy they have determined to adopt.

The first operation of any importance was the attack upon Union City, Tennessee, by a portion of Forrest's command. The attack was made on the 24th of March. The post was occupied by a force of about five hundred men, under Colonel Hawkins, of the Seventh Tennessee Union Cavalry. The attacking force was superior in numbers, but was repulsed several times by our own forces. For the particulars of the attack, and the circumstances attending the surrender, your committee would refer to the testimony submitted. They would state, however, that it would appear from the testimony that the surrender was opposed by nearly if not quite all the officers of Colonel Hawkins's command. Your committee think that the circumstances connected with the surrender are such that they demand the most searching investigation by the military authorities, as, at the time of the surrender, but one man on our side had “been injured.

On the 25th of March, the enemy, under the rebel

Generals Forrest, Buford, Harris, and Thompson, estimated at over six thousand men, made an attack on Paducah, Kentucky, which post was occupied by Colonel S. G. Hicks, Fortieth Illinois Regiment, with six hundred and fifty-five men. Our forces retired into Fort Anderson, and there made their stand, assisted by some gunboats belonging to the command of 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 you 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 Colonel 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 next day, having suffered a loss estimated at three hundred killed, and from one thousand to twelve hundred wounded. The loss on our side was fourteen killed and forty-six wounded.

The operations of the enemy at Paducah were characterized by the same bad faith and treachery that seems to have become the settled policy of Forrest and his command. The flag of truce was taken advantage of there, as elsewhere, to secure desirable positions which the rebels were unable to obtain by fair and honorable means; and also to afford opportunities for plundering private stores as well as Government property. At Paducah the rebels were guilty of acts more 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 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, 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 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,