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. After 4 o'clock; after we gave up.
Question. How came they to shoot you after you had surrendered?
Answer. I can't tell; it was about like shooting the balance of them.
Question. Do you know who shot you?
Answer. It was a white man. He shot me with a musket loaded with a
musket ball and three buck shot.
Question. Did you have any arms in your hands when you were shot?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did the one who shot you say anything to you?
Answer. I was lying down. He said, "Hand me up your money, you damned
son of a bitch." I only had four bits--two bits in silver and two in
paper. I handed it up to him. He said he had damned nigh a notion to hit
me in the head on account of staying there and fighting with the
niggers. He heard a rally about the bank and went down there. They were
shooting and throwing them in the river. A part of that night and the
next morning they were burning houses and burying the dead and stealing
goods. The next morning they commenced on the negroes again, and killed
all they came across, as far as I could see. I saw them kill eight or
ten of them the next morning.
Question. Do you know whether any wounded soldiers were burned in any of
those buildings?
Answer. I do not. I was not in any of the shanties after they were
fired.
Question. Did you see them bury any of the dead?
Answer. No, sir; I was lying outside of the fort.
Question. Did they bury the white and black together, as you understood?
Answer. Yes, sir; they were burying pretty much all night.
Question. How many whites and blacks do you suppose were killed after
they had surrendered?
Answer. I had a mighty poor chance of finding out. But I don't think
they killed less than 50 or 60, probably more; I cannot say how many. It
was an awful time, I know.
Question. How many did you see killed?
Answer. I saw them kill three white men and seven negroes the next
morning.
Question. Did you see them shoot any white men the day after the fight?
Answer. No, sir. I saw one of them shoot a black fellow in the head with
three buck shot and a musket ball. The man held up his head, and then
the fellow took his pistol and fired that at his head. The black man
still moved, and then the fellow took his sabre and stuck it in the hole
in the negro's head and jammed it way down, and said "Now, God damn you,
die!" The negro did not say anything, but he moved, and the fellow took
his carbine and beat his head soft with it. That was the next morning
after the fight.
* * * * *
Lieutenant McJ. Leming, sworn and examined.
By Mr. Gooch:
Question. Were you in the fight at Fort Pillow?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. What is your rank and position?
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