Fort Pillow was a Union outpost on the Mississippi River, garrisoned by approximately 570 troops, of whom slightly less than half were black. On April 12, 1864, General Nathan Bedford Forrest led a rebel attack on the fort and captured it. An undetermined number of Union soldiers, mostly Negroes, were murdered in cold blood after they had surrendered. A Congressional committee charged that “at least 300” of the Union troops were killed after surrendering.
The following is a survivor’s account of the Massacre:
“QUESTION. Were you at Fort Pillow at the time it was taken?
ANSWER. Yes, sir.
QUESTION. State what happened there.
ANSWER. I saw 23 men shot after they surrendered; I made 24. 17 of them laid right around me dead, and 6 below me,
QUESTION. Who shot them?
ANSWER. The rebels; some white men were killed.
QUESTION. How many white men were killed?
ANSWER. Three or four.
QUESTION. Killed by the privates?
ANSWER. Yes, sir; I did not see any officers kill any….
QUESTION. Where you shot with a musket or a pistol?
ANSWER. With a musket. I was hit once on the battle-field before we surrendered. They took me down to a little hospital under the hill. I was in the hospital when they shot me a second time. Some of our privates commenced talking. They said, “Do you fight with these God damned n-ggers?” they said, “Yes.” Then they said, “God damn you, then, we will shoot you,” and they shot one of them right down. They said, “I would not kill you, but, God damn you, you fight with these damned n-ggers, and we will kill you;” and they blew his brains out of his head….”
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That’s one pillow fort no one wants to defend
Explain
Fort Pillow was a Union outpost on the Mississippi River, garrisoned by approximately 570 troops, of whom slightly less than half were black. On April 12, 1864, General Nathan Bedford Forrest led a rebel attack on the fort and captured it. An undetermined number of Union soldiers, mostly Negroes, were murdered in cold blood after they had surrendered. A Congressional committee charged that “at least 300” of the Union troops were killed after surrendering.
The following is a survivor’s account of the Massacre:
“QUESTION. Were you at Fort Pillow at the time it was taken?
ANSWER. Yes, sir.
QUESTION. State what happened there.
ANSWER. I saw 23 men shot after they surrendered; I made 24. 17 of them laid right around me dead, and 6 below me,
QUESTION. Who shot them?
ANSWER. The rebels; some white men were killed.
QUESTION. How many white men were killed?
ANSWER. Three or four.
QUESTION. Killed by the privates?
ANSWER. Yes, sir; I did not see any officers kill any….
QUESTION. Where you shot with a musket or a pistol?
ANSWER. With a musket. I was hit once on the battle-field before we surrendered. They took me down to a little hospital under the hill. I was in the hospital when they shot me a second time. Some of our privates commenced talking. They said, “Do you fight with these God damned n-ggers?” they said, “Yes.” Then they said, “God damn you, then, we will shoot you,” and they shot one of them right down. They said, “I would not kill you, but, God damn you, you fight with these damned n-ggers, and we will kill you;” and they blew his brains out of his head….”