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
Question. How did they bury them--white and black together?
Answer. I don't know about the burying; I did not see any buried.
Question. How many negroes do you suppose were killed after the
surrender?
Answer. There were hardly any killed before the surrender. I reckon as
many as 200 were killed after the surrender, out of about 300 that were
there.
Question. Did you see any rebel officers about while this shooting was
going on?
Answer. I do not know as I saw any officers about when they were
shooting the negroes. A captain came to me a few minutes after I was
shot; he was close by me when I was shot.
Question. Did he try to stop the shooting?
Answer. I did not hear a word of their trying to stop it. After they
were shot down, he told them not to shoot them any more. I begged him
not to let them shoot me again, and he said they would not. One man,
after he was shot down, was shot again. After I was shot down, the man I
surrendered to went around the tree I was against and shot a man, and
then came around to me again and wanted my pocket-book. I handed it up
to him, and he saw my watch-chain and made a grasp at it, and got the
watch and about half the chain. He took an old Barlow knife I had in my
pocket. It was not worth five cents; was of no account at all, only to
cut tobacco with.
* * * * *
William L. McMichael, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. To what company and regiment did you belong?
Answer. To Company D, 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. Were you in the fight at Fort Pillow?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Were you shot after you had surrendered?
Answer. Yes, sir. They shot the most after they had surrendered. They
sent in a flag of truce for a surrender, and the major would not
surrender. They made a charge and took the fort, and then we threw down
our arms; but they just shot us down.
Question. Were you shot after you surrendered, or before?
Answer. Afterwards.
Question. How many times were you shot?
Answer. I was shot four times.
Question. Did you see any others shot?
Answer. I saw some shot; some negroes.
* * * * *
Isaac J. Leadbetter, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. To what company and regiment do you belong?
Answer. To company E, 13th Tennessee cavalry.
Question. How long have you been in the army?
Answer. Only about two mouths.
Question. Were you at Fort Pillow at the time of the fight there?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Will you state what took place after the fort was taken?
Answer. They shot me after I surrendered. I saw them shoot down lots
after they surrendered. They would hold up their hands and cry to them
not to shoot, but they shot them just the same.
Question. How many do you suppose you saw shot after they had
surrendered?
Answer. More than twenty, I reckon.
Question. Did you hear of the rebels doing anything else to them beyond
shooting them?
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