Mound City Hospital,Illinois,April 22, 1864.
Elias Falls, (colored,) private, company A, 6th United States heavy artillery, or 1st Alabama artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow when the battle took place there, and it was captured by the rebels?
Answer. I was there; I was a cook, and was waiting on the captain and major.
Question. What did you see done there? What did the rebels do after they came into the fort?
Answer. They killed all the men after they surrendered, until orders were given to stop; they killed all they came to, white and black, after they had surrendered.
Question. The one the same as the other?
Answer. Yes, sir, till he gave orders to stop firing.
Question. Till who gave orders?
Answer. They told me his name was Forrest.
Question. Did you see anybody killed or shot there?
Answer. Yes, sir; I was shot after the surrender, as I was marched up the hill by the rebels.
Question. Where were you wounded?
Answer. In the knee.
Question. Was that the day of the fight?
Answer. The same day.
Question. Did you see any men shot the next day?
Answer. I did not.
Question. What did you see done after the place was taken?
Answer. After peace was made some of the secesh soldiers came around cursing the boys that were wounded. They shot one of them about the hand, aimed to shoot him in the head, as he lay on the ground, and hit him in the hand; and an officer told the secesh soldier if he did that again he would arrest him, and he went off then.
Question. Did they burn any buildings?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Was anybody burned in the buildings?
Answer. I did not see anybody burned; I saw them burn the buildings; I was not able to walk about; I staid in a building that night with some three or four white men.
Question. Do you know anything about their going into the hospital and killing those who were there sick in bed?
Answer. We had some three or four of our men there, and some of our men came in and said they had killed two women and two children.
Duncan Harding, (colored,) private, company A, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Were you in Fort Pillow at the time it was captured?
Answer. Yes, sir; I was a gunner No. 2 at the gun.
Question. What did you see there?
Answer. I did not see much until next morning. I was shot in the arm that evening; they picked me up and marched me up the hill, and while they were marching me up the hill they shot me again through the thigh.
Question. Did you see anybody else shot after they had surrendered?
Answer. The next morning I saw them shoot down one corporal in our company.
Question. What was his name?
Answer. Robert Winston.
Question. Did they kill him?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What were you doing at the time?
Answer. I was lying down.
Question. What was the corporal doing?
Answer. When the gunboats commenced firing he was started off with them, but he would not go fast enough and they shot him dead.
Question. When you were shot the last time had you any arms in your hands?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Had the corporal any arms in his hands?
Answer. No, sir; nothing.
By the chairman:
Question. What do you know about any buildings being burned?
Answer. I saw them burn the buildings; and that morning as I was going to the boat I saw one colored man who was burned in the building.
Question. When was that building burned?
Answer. The next morning.
Question. The morning after the capture?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. How did you get away?
Answer. I started off with the rebels; we were all lying in a hollow to keep from the shells; as their backs were turned to me I crawled up in some brush and logs, and they all left; when night come I came back to the river bank, and a gunboat came along.
Question. Were any officers about when you were shot last?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did you know any of them?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did they say anything against it?
Answer. No, sir; only, "Kill the God damned nigger."
Nathan Hunter, (colored,) private, company D, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Were you in Fort Pillow when it was captured?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What did you see done there?
Answer. They went down the hill, and shot all of us they saw; they shot me for dead, and I lay there until the next morning when the gunboat came along. They thought I was dead and pulled my boots off. That is all I know.
Question. Were you shot when they first took the fort?
Answer. I was not shot until we were done fighting.
Question. Had you any arms in your hands when you were shot?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. How long did you lie where you were shot?
Answer. I lay there from three o'clock until after night, and then I went up in the guard-house and staid there until the next morning when the gunboat came along.
Question. Did you see any others shot?
Answer. Yes, sir; they shot down a whole parcel along with me. Theirbodies were lying there along the river bank the next morning. They kicked some of them into the river after they were shot dead.
Question. Did you see that?
Answer. Yes, sir; I thought they were going to throw me in too; I slipped away in the night.
By the chairman:
Question. Did you see any man burned?
Answer. No, sir; I was down under the hill next the river.
Question. They thought you were dead when they pulled your boots off?
Answer. Yes, sir; they pulled my boots off, and rolled me over, and said they had killed me.
Sergeant Benjamin Robinson, (colored,) company D, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow in the fight there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What did you see there?
Answer. I saw them shoot two white men right by the side of me after they had laid their guns down. They shot a black man clear over into the river. Then they hallooed to me to come up the hill, and I came up. They said, "Give me your money, you damned nigger." I told them I did not have any. "Give me your money, or I will blow your brains out." Then they told me to lie down, and I laid down, and they stripped everything off me.
Question. This was the day of the fight?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Go on. Did they shoot you?
Answer. Yes, sir. After they stripped me and took my money away from me they dragged me up the hill a little piece, and laid me down flat on my stomach; I laid there till night, and they took me down to an old house, and said they would kill me the next morning. I got up and commenced crawling down the hill; I could not walk.
Question. When were you shot?
Answer. About 3 o'clock.
Question. Before they stripped you?
Answer. Yes, sir. They shot me before they said, "come up."
Question. After you had surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir; they shot pretty nearly all of them after they surrendered.
Question. Did you see anything of the burning of the men?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you see them bury anybody?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did they bury anybody who was not dead?
Answer. I saw one of them working his hand after he was buried; he was a black man. They had about a hundred in there, black and white. The major was buried on the bank, right side of me. They took his clothes all off but his drawers; I was lying right there looking at them. They had my captain's coat, too; they did not kill my captain; a lieutenant told him to give him his coat, and then they told him to go down and pick up those old rags and put them on.
Question. Did you see anybody shot the day after the battle?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. How did you get away?
Answer. A few men came up from Memphis, and got a piece of plank and put me on it, and took me down to the boat.
Question. Were any rebel officers around when the rebels were killing our men?
Answer. Yes, sir; lots of them.
Question. Did they try to keep their men from killing our men?
Answer. I never heard them say so. I know General Forrest rode his horse over me three or four times. I did not know him until I heard his men call his name. He said to some negro men there that he knew them; that they had been in his nigger yard in Memphis. He said he was not worth five dollars when he started, and had got rich trading in negroes.
Question. Where were you from?
Answer. I came from South Carolina.
Question. Have you been a slave?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Daniel Tyler, (colored,) private, company B, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In Mississippi.
Question. Have you been a slave?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Were you in Fort Pillow at the time it was captured by the rebels?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. When were you wounded?
Answer. I was wounded after we all surrendered; not before.
Question. At what time?
Answer. They shot me when we came up the hill from down by the river.
Question. Why did you go up the hill?
Answer. They called me up.
Question. Did you see who shot you?
Answer. Yes, sir; I did not know him.
Question. One of the rebels?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. How near was he to you?
Answer. I was right at him; I had my hand on the end of his gun.
Question. What did he say to you?
Answer. He said, "Whose gun are you holding?" I said, "Nobody's." He said, "God damn you, I will shoot you," and then he shot me. I let go, and then another one shot me.
Question. Were many shot at the same time?
Answer. Yes, sir, lots of them; lying all round like hogs.
Question. Did you see any one burned?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you see anybody buried alive?
Answer. Nobody but me.
Question. Were you buried alive?
Answer. Yes, sir; they thought they had killed me. I lay there till about sundown, when they threw us in a hollow, and commenced throwing dirt on us.
Question. Did you say anything?
Answer. No, sir; I did not want to speak to them. I knew if I said anything they would kill me. They covered me up in a hole; they covered me up, all but one side of my head. I heard them say they ought not to bury a man who was alive. I commenced working the dirt away, and one of the secesh made a young one dig me out. They dug me out, and I was carried not far off to a fire.
Question. How long did you stay there?
Answer. I staid there that night and until the next morning, and then I slipped off. I heard them say the niggers had to go away from there before the gunboat came, and that they would kill the niggers. The gunboat commenced shelling up there, and they commenced moving off. I heard them up there shooting. They wanted me to go with them, but I would not go. I turned around, and came down to the river bank and got on the gunboat.
Question. How did you lose your eye?
Answer. They knocked me down with a carbine, and then they jabbed it out.
Question. Was that before you were shot?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. After you had surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir; I was going up the hill, a man came down and met me; he had his gun in his hand, and whirled it around and knocked me down, and then took the end of his carbine and jabbed it in my eye, and shot me.
Question. Were any of their officers about there then?
Answer. I did not see any officers.
Question. Were any white men buried with you?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Were any buried alive?
Answer. I heard that one white man was buried alive; I did not see him.
Question. Who said that?
Answer. A young man; he said they ought not to have done it. He staid in there all night; I do not know as he ever got out.
John Haskins, (colored,) private, company B, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow when it was captured?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What did you see done there?
Answer. After we had surrendered they shot me in the left arm. I ran down the river and jumped into the water; the water ran over my back; six or seven more men came around there, and the secesh shot them right on the bank. At night I got in a coal-boat and cut it loose, and went down the river.
Question. Did you see anybody else killed after they had surrendered?
Answer. A great many; I could not tell how many.
Question. Did they say why they killed our men after they had surrendered?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. How many did you see killed after they surrendered?
Answer. Six or eight right around me, who could not get into the water as I did; I heard them shooting above, too.
Question. Did they strip and rob those they killed?
Answer. Yes, sir; they ran their hands in my pockets—they thought I was dead—they did all in the same way.
Question. What time were you shot?
Answer. After four o'clock.
Question. How long after you had surrendered?
Answer. Just about the time we ran down the hill.
Question. Did you have any arms in your hands when you were shot?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Do you know anything about their killing anybody in the hospital?
Answer. I could not tell anything about that.
Question. Do you know anything about their burning buildings?
Answer. Yes, sir; they burned the lieutenant's house, and they said they burned him in the house.
Question. He was a white man?
Answer. Yes, sir; quartermaster of the 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. Did you see them kill him?
Answer. No, sir; I did not see them kill him; I saw the house he was in on fire.
Question. Do you know anything about their burying anybody before they were dead?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Where are you from?
Answer. From Tennessee.
Question. Have you been a slave?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. How long have you been in the army?
Answer. About two months.
Thomas Adison, (colored,) private, company C, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In South Carolina. I was nineteen years old when I came to Mississippi. I was forty years old last March.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow when it was captured?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. When were you wounded—before or after you surrendered?
Answer. Before.
Question. What happened to you after you were wounded?
Answer. I went down the hill after we surrendered; then they came down and shot me again in my face, breaking my jaw-bone.
Question. How near was the man to you?
Answer. He shot me with a revolver, about ten or fifteen feet off.
Question. What happened to you then?
Answer. I laid down, and a fellow came along and turned me over and searched my pockets and took my money. He said: "God damn his old soul; he is sure dead now; he is a big, old, fat fellow."
Question. How long did you lay there?
Answer. About two hours.
Question. Then what was done with you?
Answer. They made some of our men carry me up the hill to a house that was full of white men. They made us lie out doors all night, and said that the next morning they would have the doctor fix us up. I went down to a branch for some water, and a man said to me: "Old man, if you stay here they will kill you, but if you get into the water till the boat comes along they may save you;" and I went off. They shot a great many that evening.
Question. The day of the fight?
Answer. Yes, sir. I heard them shoot little children not more than that high, [holding his hand off about four feet from the floor,] that the officers had to wait upon them.
Question. Did you see them shoot them?
Answer. I did not hold up my head.
Question. How did you know that they shot them then?
Answer. I heard them say, "Turn around so that I can shoot you good;" and then I heard them fire, and then I heard the children fall over.
Question. Do you know that those were the boys that waited upon the officers?
Answer. Yes, sir; one was named Dave, and the other was named Anderson.
Question. Did you see them after they were shot?
Answer. No, sir; they toted them up the hill before me, because they were small. I never saw folks shot down so in my life.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Do you know of anybody being buried alive?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Do you know of any one being burned?
Answer. They had a whole parcel of them in a house, and I think they burned them. The house was burned up, and I think they burned them in it.
Question. Were the men in the house colored men?
Answer. No, sir. The rebels never would have got the advantage of us if it had not been for the houses built there, and which made better breastworks for them than we had. The major would not let us burn the houses in the morning. If they had let us burn the houses in the morning, I do not believe they would ever have whipped us out of that place.
Manuel Nichols, (colored,) private, Company B, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Were you in the late fight at Fort Pillow?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Were you wounded there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. When?
Answer. I was wounded once about a half an hour before we gave up.
Question. Did they do anything to you after you surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir; they shot me in the head under my left ear, and the morning after the fight they shot me again in the right arm. When they came up and killed the wounded ones, I saw some four or five coming down the hill. I said to one of our boys, "Anderson, I expect if those fellows come here they will kill us." I was lying on my right side, leaning on my elbow. One of the black soldiers went into the house where the white soldiers were. I asked him if there was any water in there, and he said yes; I wanted some, and took a stick and tried to get to the house. I did not get to the house. Some of them came along, and saw a little boy belonging to company D. One of them had his musket on his shoulder, and shot the boy down. He said: "All you damned niggers come out of the house; I am going to shoot you." Some of the white soldiers said, "Boys, it is only death anyhow; if you don't go out they will come in and carry you out." My strength seemed to come to me as if I had never been shot, and I jumped up and ran down the hill. I met one of them coming up the hill; he said "stop!" but I kept on running. As I jumped over the hill, he shot me through the right arm.
Question. How many did you see them kill after they had surrendered?
Answer. After I surrendered I did not go down the hill. A man shot me under the ear, and I fell down and said to myself, "If he don't shoot me any more this won't hurt me." One of their officers came along and hallooed, "Forrest says, no quarter! no quarter!" and the next one hallooed, "Black flag! black flag!"
Question. What did they do then?
Answer. They kept on shouting. I could hear them down the hill.
Question. Did you see them bury anybody?
Answer. Yes, sir; they carried me around right to the corner of the fort, and I saw them pitch men in there.
Question. Was there any alive?
Answer. I did not see them bury anybody alive.
Question. How near to you was the man who shot you under the ear?
Answer. Right close to my head. When I was shot in the side, a man turned me over, and took my pocket-knife and pocket-book. I had some of these brass things that looked like cents. They said, "Here's some money; here's some money." I said to myself, "You got fooled that time."
Arthur Edwards, (colored,) private, company C, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In Mississippi.
Question. Were you in Fort Pillow when it was taken?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Tell what you saw there.
Answer. I was shot after I surrendered.
Question. When?
Answer. About half past four o'clock.
Question. Where were you when you were shot?
Answer. I was lying down behind a log.
Question. Where were you shot?
Answer. In the head first, then in the shoulder, then in my right wrist; and then in the head again, about half an hour after that.
Question. How many men shot at you?
Answer. One shot at me three times, and then a lieutenant shot at me.
Question. Did they say anything when they shot you?
Answer. No, sir, only I asked them not to shoot me, and they said, "God damn you, you are fighting against your master."
Question. How near was the man to you when he shot you?
Answer. He squatted down, and held his pistol close to my head.
Question. How near was the officer to you when he shot you?
Answer. About five or ten feet off; he was sitting on his horse.
Question. Who said you were fighting against your master?
Answer. The man that shot me.
Question. What did the officer say?
Answer. Nothing, but "you God damned nigger." A captain told him not to do it, but he did not mind him; he shot me, and run off on his horse.
Question. Did you see the captain?
Answer. Yes, sir; he and the captain were side by side.
Question. Did you know the captain?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. How long did you stay there?
Answer. Until next morning about 9 o'clock.
Question. How did you get away?
Answer. When the gunboat commenced shelling I went down the hill, and staid there until they carried down a flag of truce. Then the gunboat came to the bank, and a secesh lieutenant made us go down to such a place, and told us to go no further, or we would get shot again. Then the gunboat men came along to bury the dead, and told us to go on the boat.
Question. Did you see anybody shot after they had surrendered, besides yourself?
Answer. Yes, sir; they shot one right by me, and lots of the 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. After they had surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Do you know whether any were buried alive?
Answer. Not that I saw.
Question. Did you see anybody buried?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you see anybody shot the day after the fight?
Answer. No, sir.
Charles Key, (colored,) private, company D, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In South Carolina.
Question. Have you been a slave?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Where did you enlist?
Answer. In Tennessee.
Question. Were you in the fight at Fort Pillow?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What did you see done there after the fight was over?
Answer. I saw nothing, only the boys run down the hill, and they came down and shot them.
Question. Were you wounded before or after you surrendered?
Answer. After the surrender, about 5 o'clock.
Question. Did you have your gun in your hands when you were wounded?
Answer. No, sir; I threw my gun into the river.
Question. How did they come to shoot you?
Answer. I was in the water, and a man came down and shot me with a revolver.
Question. Did you see anybody else shot?
Answer. Yes, sir; right smart of them, in an old coal boat. I saw one man start up the bank after he was shot in the arm, and then a fellow knocked him back into the river with his carbine, and then shot him. I did not go up the hill after I was shot. I laid in the water like I was dead until night, and then I made up a fire and dried myself, and staid there till the gunboat came along.
Question. Did they shoot you more than once?
Answer. No, sir.
Henry Christian, (colored,) private, company B, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In East Tennessee.
Question. Have you been a slave?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Where did you enlist?
Answer. At Corinth, Mississippi.
Question. Were you in the fight at Fort Pillow?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. When were you wounded?
Answer. A little before we surrendered.
Question. What happened to you afterwards?
Answer. Nothing; I got but one shot, and dug right out over the hill to the river, and never was bothered any more.
Question. Did you see any men shot after the place was taken?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Where?
Answer. Down to the river.
Question. How many?
Answer. A good many; I don't know how many.
Question. By whom were they shot?
Answer. By secesh soldiers; secesh officers shot some up on the hill.
Question. Did you see those on the hill shot by the officers?
Answer. I saw two of them shot.
Question. What officers were they?
Answer. I don't know whether he was a lieutenant or captain.
Question. Did the men who were shot after they had surrendered have arms in their hands?
Answer. No, sir; they threw down their arms.
Question. Did you see any shot the next morning?
Answer. I saw two shot; one was shot by an officer—he was standing, holding the officer's horse, and when the officer came and got his horse he shot him dead. The officer was setting fire to the houses.
Question. Do you say the man was holding the officer's horse, and when the officer came and took his horse he shot the man down?
Answer. Yes, sir; I saw that with my own eyes; and then I made away into the river, right off.
Question. Did you see any buried?
Answer. Yes, sir; a great many, black and white.
Question. Did you see any buried alive?
Answer. I did not see any buried alive.
Aaron Fentis, (colored,) company D, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. Where were you from?
Answer. Tennessee.
Question. Have you been a slave?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Where did you enlist?
Answer. At Corinth.
Question. Who was your captain?
Answer. Captain Carron.
Question. Were you in the fight at Fort Pillow?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What did you see done there?
Answer. I saw them shoot two white men, and two black men, after they had surrendered.
Question. Are you sure they were shot after they had surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir. Some were in the river swimming out a piece, when they were shot; and they took another man by the arm, and held him up, and shot him in the breast.
Question. Did you see any others shot?
Answer. Yes, sir; I saw two wounded men shot the next morning; they were lying down when the secesh shot them.
Question. Did the rebels say anything when they were shooting our men?
Answer. They said they were going to kill them all; and they would have shot us all if the gunboat had not come along.
Question. Were you shot?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. When?
Answer. After the battle, the same evening.
Question. Where were you shot?
Answer. Right through both legs.
Question. How many times were you shot?
Answer. Only once, with a carbine. The man stood right close by me.
Question. Where were you?
Answer. On the river bank.
Question. Had you arms in your hands?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. What did the man say who shot you?
Answer. He said they were going to kill us all.
Question. Did you see any men buried?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you see anybody burned?
Answer. No, sir; I did not see that. Where I was was a good piece off from where they had the battle.
Question. Do you know how many of your company got away?
Answer. I do not think any of my company got away.
Question. How many were killed before they surrendered?
Answer. I don't know how many; a good many, I think.
Question. Would you have surrendered, if you had known what they were going to do to you?
Answer. No, sir.
George Shaw, (colored,) private, company B, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In Tennessee.
Question. Where did you enlist?
Answer. At Fort Pillow.
Question. Were you there at the fight?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. When were you shot?
Answer. About four o'clock in the evening.
Question. After you had surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Where were you at the time?
Answer. About ten feet from the river bank.
Question. Who shot you?
Answer. A rebel soldier.
Question. How near did he come to you?
Answer. About ten feet.
Question. What did he say to you?
Answer. He said, "Damn you, what are you doing here?" I said, "Please don't shoot me." He said, "Damn you, you are fighting against your master." He raised his gun and fired, and the bullet went into my mouth and out the back part of my head. They threw me into the river, and I swam around and hung on there in the water until night.
Question. Did you see anybody else shot?
Answer. Yes, sir; three young boys, lying in the water, with their heads out; they could not swim. They begged them as long as they could, but they shot them right in the forehead.
Question. How near to them were they?
Answer. As close as that stone, (about eight or ten feet.)
Question. How old were the boys?
Answer. Not more than fifteen or sixteen years old. They were not soldiers, but contraband boys, helping us on the breastworks.
Question. Did you see any white men shot?
Answer. No, sir. I saw them shoot three men the next day.
Question. How far from the fort?
Answer. About a mile and a half; after they had taken them back as prisoners.
Question. Who shot them?
Answer. Private soldiers. One officer said, "Boys, I will have you arrested, if you don't quit killing them boys." Another officer said, "Damn it, let them go on; it isn't our law to take any niggers prisoners; kill every one of them." Then a white man took me to wait on him a little, and sent me back to a house about two hundred yards, and told me to stay all night. I went back and staid until about a half an hour by sun. Another man came along and said, "If you will go home with me I will take good care of you, if you will stay and never leave." I did not know what to do, I was so outdone; so I said, "If you will take care of me, I will go." He carried me out about three miles, to a place called Bob Greene's. The one who took me there left me, and two others came up, and said, "Damn you, we will kill you, and not be fooling about any longer." I said, "Don't shoot me." One of them said, "Go out and hold my horse." I made a step or two, and he said, "Turn around; I will hold my horse, and shoot you, too." I no sooner turned around than he shot me in the face. I fell down as if I was dead. He shot me again, and hit my arm, not my head. I laid there until I could hear him no more, and then I started back. I got back into Fort Pillow about sun up, and wandered about there until a gunboat came along, and I came up on that with about ten others.
Major Williams, (colored,) private, company B, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In Tennessee and North Mississippi.
Question. Where did you enlist?
Answer. In Memphis.
Question. Who was your captain?
Answer. Captain Lamburg.
Question. Were you in the fight at Fort Pillow?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Was your captain with you?
Answer. No, sir; I think he was in Memphis.
Question. Who commanded your company?
Answer. Lieutenant Hunter and Sergeant Fox were all the officers we had.
Question. What did you see done there?
Answer. We fought them right hard during the battle, and killed some of them. After a time they sent in a flag of truce. They said afterwards that they did it to make us stop firing until their re-enforcements could come up. They said that they never could have got in if they had not done that; that we had whipped them; that they had never seen such a fight.
Question. Did you see the flag of truce?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What did they do when the flag of truce was in?
Answer. They kept coming up nearer and nearer, so that they could charge quick. A heap of them came up after we stopped firing.
Question. When did you surrender?
Answer. I did not surrender until they all run.
Question. Were you wounded then?
Answer. Yes, sir; after the surrender.
Question. At what time of day was that?
Answer. They told me it was about half after one o'clock. I was wounded immediately we retreated.
Question. Did you have any arms in your hands when they shot you?
Answer. No, sir; I was an artillery man, and had no arms.
Question. Did you see the man who shot you?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you hear him say anything?
Answer. No, sir; I heard nothing. He shot me, and it was bleeding pretty free, and I thought to myself, "I will make out it was a dead shot, and may be I will not get another."
Question. Did you see any others shot?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Was there anything said about giving quarter?
Answer. Major Bradford brought in a black flag, which meant no quarter. I heard some of the rebel officers say: "You damned rascals, if you had not fought us so hard, but had stopped when we sent in a flag of truce, we would not have done anything to you." I heard one of the officers say: "Kill all the niggers;" another one said: "No; Forrest says take them and carry them with him to wait upon him and cook for him, and put them in jail and send them to their masters." Still they kept on shooting. They shot at me after that, but did not hit me; a rebel officer shot at me. He took aim at my side; at the crack of his pistol I fell. He went on and said: "There's another dead nigger."
Question. Was there any one shot in the hospital that day?
Answer. Not that I know of. I think they all came away and made a raft and floated across the mouth of the creek, and got into a flat bottom.
Question. Did you see any buildings burned?
Answer. I staid in the woods all day Wednesday. I was there Thursday and looked at the buildings. I saw a great deal left that they did not have a chance to burn up. I saw a white man burned up who was nailed up against the house.
Question. A private or an officer?
Answer. An officer; I think it was a lieutenant in the Tennessee cavalry.
Question. How was he nailed?
Answer. Through his hands and feet right against the house.
Question. Was his body burned?
Answer. Yes, sir; burned all over—I looked at him good.
Question. When did you see that?
Answer. On the Thursday after the battle.
Question. Where was the man?
Answer. Right in front of the fort.
Question. Did any one else that you know see the body nailed up there?
Answer. There was a black man there who came up on the same boat I was on.
Question. Was he with you then?
Answer. Yes, sir; and there were some five or six white people there, too, from out in the country, who were walking over the place.
Alexander Nayron, (colored,) private, company C, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In Mississippi.
Question. Have you been a slave?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Where did you enlist?
Answer. At Lagrange, last August.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow at the time of the attack?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. When were you wounded?
Answer. After the fight.
Question. About what time?
Answer. About three o'clock, I reckon.
Question. Where were you when you were wounded?
Answer. Down at the river, lying down by the side of a log. They came there and told me to get up, and as I got up they shot me.
Question. Who shot you, an officer or private?
Answer. A private.
Question. How many times were you shot?
Answer. But once; they shot me in my head, and thought they had killed me.
Question. Did you see any others shot there?
Answer. Yes, sir; several other black men with me.
Question. Did you see any small boys shot?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you go back from the river after you were shot?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. You remained there until you were brought away by the gunboat?
Answer. Yes, sir. I saw several of our boys shot while they were fighting. They said, when they shot me, that they were allowed to kill every damned nigger in the fort—not spare one.
Question. You saw nobody buried or burned?
Answer. No, sir; I saw them throw several in the water.
Question. Were they all dead that were thrown in?
Answer. Yes, sir; about dead.
Eli Carlton, (colored,) private, company B, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In East Tennessee.
Question. Have you been a slave?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Who was your master?
Answer. Major Fleming. I was sold once; I have had two masters.
Question. Where did you join the army?
Answer. At Corinth, Mississippi, about a year ago.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow at the time it was taken?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. State what happened there.
Answer. I saw 23 men shot after they surrendered; I made 24; 17 of them laid right around me dead, and 6 below me.
Question. Who shot them?
Answer. The rebels; some white men were killed.
Question. How many white men were killed?
Answer. Three or four.
Question. Killed by the privates?
Answer. Yes, sir; I did not see any officers kill any.
Question. Were the white men officers or privates?
Answer. Privates.
Question. Were the men who shot you near to you?
Answer. Yes, sir; ten or fifteen steps off.
Question. Were you shot with a musket or a pistol?
Answer. With a musket. I was shot once on the battle-field before we surrendered. They took me down to a little hospital under the hill. I was in the hospital when they shot me a second time. Some of our privates commenced talking. They said, "Do you fight with these God damned niggers?" they said, "Yes." Then they said, "God damn you, then, we will shoot you," and they shot one of them right down. They said, "I would not kill you, but, God damn you, you fight with these damned niggers, and we will kill you;" and they blew his brains out of his head. They then went around and counted them up; I laid there and made 18 who were there, and there were 6 more below me. I saw them stick a bayonet in the small part of the belly of one of our boys, and break it right off—he had one shot then.
Question. Did you see any of our men shot the next day?
Answer. No, sir; but I heard them shooting. I hid myself in the bushes before the next morning. I left a fellow lying there, and they came down and killed him during the night. I went down there the next morning and he was dead.
Question. Did you see any of our folks buried by the rebels?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you see any buildings burned up?
Answer. Yes, sir; most all were burned up.
Question. Were any persons in them when they were burned?
Answer. I heard so. I went to the quarters and staid about a house there. One of the rebels told me that he should take me out the next morning and kill me. He went out and I slipped out into the bushes, and laid there until the gunboat came. I saw them take the quartermaster; they said, "Here is one of our men; let us take him up and fix him." A white man told me the next day that they burned him.
Question. Was he wounded?
Answer. No, sir; he walked right straight. He had three stripes on his arm. I knew him well; I worked with him. He was a small fellow, weak and puny.
Sandy Cole, (colored,) private, company D, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Where were you born?
Answer. In Tennessee.
Question. Have you been a slave?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow at the late fight there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. When were you wounded?
Answer. After I started down the hill, after the surrender. They shot me through the thigh and through the arm.
Question. Who shot you?
Answer. A secesh private.
Question. How near was he to you?
Answer. About ten feet.
Question. Did he say anything to you?
Answer. No, sir. I went to the river and kept my body in the water, and my head under some brush.
Question. Did you see anybody else shot?
Answer. Yes, sir; I saw some of them shot right through the head.
Question. How many did you see shot?
Answer. Some seven or eight.
Jacob Thompson, (colored,) sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Were you a soldier at Fort Pillow?
Answer. No, sir, I was not a soldier; but I went up in the fort and fought with the rest. I was shot in the hand and the head.
Question. When were you shot?
Answer. After I surrendered.
Question. How many times were you shot?
Answer. I was shot but once; but I threw my hand up, and the shot went through my hand and my head.
Question. Who shot you?
Answer. A private.
Question. What did he say?
Answer. He said, "God damn you, I will shoot you, old friend."
Question. Did you see anybody else shot?
Answer. Yes, sir; they just called them out like dogs, and shot them down. I reckon they shot about fifty, white and black, right there. They nailed some black sergeants to the logs, and set the logs on fire.
Question. When did you see that?
Answer. When I went there in the morning I saw them; they were burning all together.
Question. Did they kill them before they burned them?
Answer. No, sir, they nailed them to the logs; drove the nails right through their hands.
Question. How many did you see in that condition?
Answer. Some four or five; I saw two white men burned.
Question. Was there any one else there who saw that?
Answer. I reckon there was; I could not tell who.
Question. When was it that you saw them?
Answer. I saw them in the morning after the fight; some of them were burned almost in two. I could tell they were white men, because they were whiter than the colored men.
Question. Did you notice how they were nailed?
Answer. I saw one nailed to the side of a house; he looked like he was nailed right through his wrist. I was trying then to get to the boat when I saw it.
Question. Did you see them kill any white men?
Answer. They killed some eight or nine there. I reckon they killed more than twenty after it was all over; called them out from under the hill, and shot them down. They would call out a white man and shoot him down, and call out a colored man and shoot him down; do it just as fast as they could make their guns go off.
Question. Did you see any rebel officers about there when this was going on?
Answer. Yes, sir; old Forrest was one.
Question. Did you know Forrest?
Answer. Yes, sir; he was a little bit of a man. I had seen him before at Jackson.
Question. Are you sure he was there when this was going on?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did you see any other officers that you knew?
Answer. I did not know any other but him. There were some two or three more officers came up there.
Question. Did you see any buried there?
Answer. Yes, sir; they buried right smart of them. They buried a great many secesh, and a great many of our folks. I think they buried more secesh than our folks.
Question. How did they bury them?
Answer. They buried the secesh over back of the fort, all except those on Fort hill; them they buried up on top of the hill where the gunboats shelled them.
Question. Did they bury any alive?
Answer. I heard the gunboat men say they dug two out who were alive.
Question. You did not see them?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. What company did you fight with?
Answer. I went right into the fort and fought there.
Question. Were you a slave or a free man?
Answer. I was a slave.
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In old Virginia.
Question. Who was your master?
Answer. Colonel Hardgrove.
Question. Where did you live?
Answer. I lived three miles the other side of Brown's mills.
Question. How long since you lived with him?
Answer. I went home once and staid with him a while, but he got to cutting up and I came away again.
Question. What did you do before you went into the fight?
Answer. I was cooking for Co. K, of Illinois cavalry; I cooked for that company nearly two years.
Question. What white officers did you know in our army?
Answer. I knew Captain Meltop and Colonel Ransom; and I cooked at the hotel at Fort Pillow, and Mr. Nelson kept it. I and Johnny were cooking together. After they shot me through the hand and head, they beat up all this part of my head (the side of his head) with the breech of their guns.
Ransom Anderson, (colored,) Co. B, 6th United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Where were you raised?
Answer. In Mississippi.
Question. Were you a slave?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Where did you enlist?
Answer. At Corinth.
Question. Were you in the fight at Fort Pillow?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Describe what you saw done there.
Answer. Most all the men that were killed on our side were killed after the fight was over. They called them out and shot them down. Then they put some in the houses and shut them up, and then burned the houses.
Question. Did you see them burn?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Were any of them alive?
Answer. Yes, sir; they were wounded, and could not walk. They put them in the houses, and then burned the houses down.
Question. Do you know they were in there?
Answer. Yes, sir; I went and looked in there.
Question. Do you know they were in there when the house was burned?
Answer. Yes, sir; I heard them hallooing there when the houses were burning.
Question. Are you sure they were wounded men, and not dead, when they were put in there?
Answer. Yes, sir; they told them they were going to have the doctor see them, and then put them in there and shut them up, and burned them.
Question. Who set the house on fire?
Answer. I saw a rebel soldier take some grass and lay it by the door, and set it on fire. The door was pine plank, and it caught easy.
Question. Was the door fastened up?
Answer. Yes, sir; it was barred with one of those wide bolts.
Sergeant W. P. Walker, (white,) sworn and examined:
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. In what capacity did you serve in the army?
Answer. I was a sergeant in the 13th Tennessee cavalry, company D.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow at the time of the fight there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Will you state what took place there?
Answer. In the morning the pickets ran in. We were sent out a piece as skirmishers. They kept us out about a couple of hours, and then we retreated into the fort. The firing kept up pretty regular until about two o'clock, when a flag of truce came in. While the flag of truce was in, the enemy was moving up and taking their positions; they were also pilfering and searching our quarters.
Question. They finally took the fort?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What happened then?
Answer. They just shot us down without showing us any quarter at all. They shot me, for one, after I surrendered; they shot me in the arm, and the shoulder, and the neck, and in the eye.
Question. How many times did they shoot you?
Answer. They shot me in the arm and eye after I surrendered; I do not know when they shot me in the other places.
Question. Who shot you?
Answer. A private shot me with a pistol; there were a great many of us shot.
Question. What reason did he give for shooting you after you had surrendered?
Answer. A man came down the hill and said that General—some one; I could not understand the name—said that they should shoot every one of us, and take no prisoners, and then they shot us down.
Question. How did you escape?
Answer. They thought they had killed me. They searched my pockets half a dozen times, or more, and took my pocket-book from me.
Question. Did you see anybody else shot after they had surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir; I saw several shot right around me.
Question. Did they shoot all, colored and white?
Answer. They shot all where I was. When they turned in and went to shooting the white men, they scattered and ran, and then they shot them down.
Question. Did you see them do anything besides shooting them?
Answer. I saw some knock them over the heads with muskets, and some stick sabres into them.
Question. Did you see anything of any burning or burying alive?
Answer. No, sir; I did not see that.
Question. Were any of the rebel officers about while this was going on?
Answer. Not where I was; I was down under the hill then. The niggers first ran out of the fort, and then, when they commenced shooting us, we ran down under the hill, and they followed us up and shot us. They came back the next day and shot several wounded negroes.
Question. Did you see that?
Answer. I was lying in a house, but I heard the negroes begging, and heard the guns fired; but I did not see it.
Jason Loudon, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. To what company and regiment did you belong?
Answer. To company B, 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. Were you in the fight at Fort Pillow?