Reports of the Committee on the Conduct of the War: Fort Pillow Massacre. Returned Prisoners. — John Shaqi
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
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?
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