Reports of the Committee on the Conduct of the War: Fort Pillow Massacre. Returned Prisoners.United States. Congress. Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War
History
Reports of the Committee on the Conduct of the War: Fort Pillow Massacre. Returned Prisoners.
United States. Congress. Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War
Fort Pillow, Battle of, Tenn., 1864; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
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?
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