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. 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.
* * * * *
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