what did the massacre at fort pillow lead to

During the Fort Pillow Massacre, on April 12, 1864, Confederate troops killed nearly 200 Black troops fighting for the Union. The massacre became a rallying point for enslaved people fighting for their freedom, and it hardened the resolve of Black Union soldiers, who used “Remember Fort Pillow!” as their battle cry.

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What was the result of the Battle of Fort Pillow?

What was the result of the Fort Pillow Massacre? Fort Pillow Massacre, Confederate slaughter of African American Federal troops stationed at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, on April 12, 1864, during the American Civil War. The action stemmed from Southern outrage at the North’s use of Black soldiers.

Did black soldiers die at Fort Pillow?

As the signage at the Fort Pillow site makes little reference to the black soldiers killed, a wreath-laying ceremony, with color guard and 21-gun salute, was held on April 12, 2017, at the cemetery to commemorate them. [60]

Who was involved in the Fort Pillow Massacre?

Benjamin F. Wade, a leading Radical Republican, and Rep. Daniel W. Gooch—deemed what occurred at Fort Pillow a massacre without parallel. Although the committee interviewed numerous witnesses and compiled a detailed case that included much valuable testimony, the biases of Wade and Gooch led to a propagandist slant.

How many Confederate troops were at Fort Pillow?

And on this damp April day at Fort Pillow, the Confederate general had just that, an estimated 1,500 troops against approximately 600 Union troops, including 262 African-American members of the U.S. Colored Troops, inside the citadel under the command of Major Lionel Booth.

What was the outcome of Fort Pillow?

The Fort Pillow Massacre in Tennessee on April 12, 1864, in which some 300 African-American soldiers were killed, was one of the most controversial events of the American Civil War (1861-65). Though most of the Union garrison surrendered, and thus should have been taken as prisoners of war, the soldiers were killed.

When did the Fort Pillow massacre happen?

April 12, 1864On April 12, 1864, fifteen hundred Confederate soldiers led by General Nathan Bedford Forrest attacked the 567 Union troops stationed at Fort Pillow, Tennessee.

Where was the Fort Pillow Massacre?

Fort Pillow State Historic ParkLauderdale CountyBattle of Fort Pillow/Location

What events happened at Fort Pillow Tennessee in 1864?

The Confederate Army attack on the United States Army occupied Fort Pillow on April 12, 1864, remains one of the most controversial moments in the American Civil War. The Confederate army marked it as a military victory as they successfully took the fort.

Who won Fort Pillow?

After an initial bombardment, General Forrest asked for the garrison's surrender. The Union commander refused, and Forrest's 1,500 cavalry troopers easily stormed and captured the fort, suffering only moderate casualties.

What were the circumstances of the Fort Pillow Massacre quizlet?

Aka the "Fort Pillow Massacre." Nathan B. Forrest attacked Fort Pillow, a Union-occupied outpost in TN, but the Union soldiers, under Lionel Booth and William Bradford, refused to surrender, so Forrest overran the fort and massive casualties ensued (mostly Aftrican Americans).

Who is Fort Pillow named after?

General Gideon J. PillowThe fort was originally built by Confederate troops in 1861 and named after General Gideon J. Pillow of Maury County. It was abandoned in 1862 due to the Union Navy's advancement along the Mississippi River.

How many blacks died in civil war?

By the end of the Civil War, roughly 179,000 black men (10% of the Union Army) served as soldiers in the U.S. Army and another 19,000 served in the Navy. Nearly 40,000 black soldiers died over the course of the war—30,000 of infection or disease.

What event led to the massacre at Sand Creek in 1864?

The causes of the Sand Creek massacre were rooted in the long conflict for control of the Great Plains of eastern Colorado. The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 guaranteed ownership of the area north of the Arkansas River to the Nebraska border to the Cheyenne and Arapahoe.

How did the war affect the Southern economy?

The twin disadvantages of a smaller industrial economy and having so much of the war fought in the South hampered Confederate growth and development. Southern farmers (including cotton growers) were hampered in their ability to sell their goods overseas due to Union naval blockades.

What major event happened in the spring of 1864?

As Union forces advanced toward Richmond in the spring of 1864, Gen. Robert E. Lee's Confederate army repulsed and outmaneuvered Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's troops at Cold Harbor in a devastating two-week action that cost more than 17,000 lives.

What happened at fort Monroe 1861?

On May 23, 1861, three slaves belonging to Colonel Charles Mallory of Hampton escaped to Fort Monroe. The next morning, Fort Monroe's commander, Major General Benjamin Butler, met with them at Quarters One and learned that they were going to be used to build Confederate fortifications.

Who is Fort Pillow named after?

General Gideon J. PillowThe fort was originally built by Confederate troops in 1861 and named after General Gideon J. Pillow of Maury County. It was abandoned in 1862 due to the Union Navy's advancement along the Mississippi River.

How many black soldiers died in the Civil War?

40,000 black soldiersBy the end of the Civil War, roughly 179,000 black men (10% of the Union Army) served as soldiers in the U.S. Army and another 19,000 served in the Navy. Nearly 40,000 black soldiers died over the course of the war—30,000 of infection or disease.

What happened to black POWS in the Civil War?

Black prisoners were not treated the same as white prisoners. They received no medical attention, harsh punishments, and would not be used in a prisoner exchange because the Confederate states only saw them as escaped slaves fighting against their masters.

What is the significance of the Fort Pillow Massacre?

During the Fort Pillow Massacre, on April 12, 1864, Confederate troops killed nearly 200 Black troops fighting for the Union. The massacre became a...

What started the Fort Pillow Massacre?

The Fort Pillow Massacre stemmed from Southern outrage at the North’s use of Black soldiers during the Civil War. After failing to secure the surre...

Where did the Fort Pillow Massacre take place?

The Fort Pillow Massacre took place at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, a Union fort at a bend in the Mississippi River roughly 40 miles north of Memphis.

How many people died in the Fort Pillow Massacre?

Between 277 and 295 Union troops were killed in the Fort Pillow Massacre, the majority of whom were African Americans. Fourteen Confederates also d...

What was the result of the Fort Pillow Massacre?

The Fort Pillow Massacre resulted in a congressional investigation that deemed the incident a massacre without parallel, leading to Northern calls...

What was the cause of the Fort Pillow massacre?

Fort Pillow Massacre, Confederate slaughter of African American Federal troops stationed at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, on April 12, 1864, during the American Civil War. The action stemmed from Southern outrage at the North’s use of Black soldiers.

Why did the Fort Pillow massacre happen?

The Fort Pillow Massacre stemmed from Southern outrage at the North’s use of Black soldiers during the Civil War. After failing to secure the surrender of Union-controlled Fort Pillow in Tennessee, Confederate Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest ordered his men to take it by force. The fighting that ensued on April 12, 1864, was characterized by chaotic close-quarters combat and a loss of command. Despite contradictory evidence, it is clear that in many instances Forrest’s men killed African American soldiers who were attempting to surrender. Between 277 and 295 Union troops died. Most of them were Black.

How many troops were at Fort Pillow?

The fort contained a garrison of between 500 and 600 troops (consisting primarily of unionist Southerners, Confederate deserters, and African Americans) when Forrest’s troops arrived. The 1,500 to 2,500 Confederate cavalrymen surrounded the fort with relative ease on the morning of April 12. For its defenders, the lay of the land around the fort combined with the poorly constructed entrenchments and fieldworks made the defense of Fort Pillow difficult. While the fort consisted of some 2 miles (3.2 km) of defenses, the Union troops had taken up position in an inner redoubt within the larger fortification. Confederate sharpshooters kept up constant fire throughout the day, wreaking havoc within the garrison. Union Maj. Lionel Booth, the fort’s commander, was killed by a sniper’s bullet. His second in command, Maj. William Bradford—who would prove to be an inept leader—assumed control. Even the Union gunboat New Era, tasked with aiding the defense of the fort from the river, proved ineffectual against the combined challenges presented by the topography and Forrest’s artillerymen. At 3:30 pm, after hours of rifle and artillery fire, Forrest demanded the fort’s surrender.

How many miles of defense did Fort Pillow have?

While the fort consisted of some 2 miles (3.2 km) of defenses, the Union troops had taken up position in an inner redoubt within the larger fortification.

What was the purpose of the Battle of Fort Pillow?

By the third year of the war, the Confederacy was facing severe manpower shortages and a dearth of supplies—including the horses necessary to maintain active cavalry campaigning. Consequently, Forrest launched the expedition in an attempt to gain recruits, provisions, and mounts for his command . Furthermore, Union Gen. William T. Sherman was massing forces in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in anticipation of his drive on Atlanta. Forrest and his superiors hoped that his raid would disrupt Sherman’s preparations. By this stage in the conflict, Forrest had already earned a reputation as a fierce, temperamental, and violent commander who drove his men relentlessly and often issued “surrender or die” ultimatums to his Union adversaries.

What was the name of the fort that the Confederate army moved into?

Union forces moved into the vacant fort , using it as a supply depot and recruitment centre.

How many Confederates were killed in the Battle of the Mississippi?

Only 14 Confederates were killed.

How many men did Fort Pillow have?

Numerous skirmishes occurred throughout the region in late March and early April. Needing supplies, Forrest planned to move on Fort Pillow with about 1,500 to 2,500 men. (He had detached part of his command under Buford to strike Paducah again.)

What was the name of the battle that ended the Civil War?

The Battle of Fort Pillow, also known as the Fort Pillow massacre, was fought on April 12, 1864, at Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River in Henning, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. The battle ended with a massacre of Union soldiers (many of them African Americans) attempting to surrender, by soldiers under the command of Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Military historian David J. Eicher concluded: "Fort Pillow marked one of the bleakest, saddest events of American military history."

What chapter does Mark Twain mention passing by?

At the start of chapter 29 of his Life on the Mississippi (1883), Mark Twain mentions passing by "... what was once the formidable Fort Pillow, memorable because of the massacre perpetrated there during the war ... we must bunch Anglo-Saxon history together to find the fellow to the Fort Pillow tragedy.".

Why did the Confederate troops evacuate Fort Pillow?

10 to Union forces, Confederate troops evacuated Fort Pillow on June 4, in order to avoid being cut off from the rest of the Confederate army. Union forces occupied Fort Pillow on June 6 and used it to protect the river approach to Memphis.

What was the purpose of the Battle of Paducah?

Their objectives were to capture Union prisoners and supplies and to demolish posts and fortifications from Paducah, Kentucky, south to Memphis. Forrest's Cavalry Corps, which he called "the Cavalry Department of West Tennessee and North Mississippi", consisted of the divisions led by Brig. Gens. James R. Chalmers (brigades of Brig. Gen. Robert V. Richardson and Colonel Robert M. McCulloch) and General Abe Buford (brigades of Cols. Tyree H. Bell and A. P. Thompson).

How did the Confederate assault work?

The Confederate assault was furious. While the sharpshooters maintained their fire into the fort, a first wave entered the ditch and stood while the second wave used their backs as stepping stones. These men then reached down and helped the first wave scramble up a ledge on the embankment. All of this proceeded flawlessly and with very little firing, except from the sharpshooters and around the flanks. Their fire against the New Era caused the sailors to button up their gun ports and hold their fire. As the sharpshooters were signaled to hold their fire, the men on the ledge went up and over the embankment, firing now for the first time into the massed defenders. The garrison fought briefly, but then broke and ran to the landing at the foot of the bluff, where they had been told that the Union gunboat would cover their withdrawal by firing grapeshot and canister rounds. Because its gun ports remained sealed, the gunboat did not fire a single shot. The fleeing soldiers were subjected to fire both from the rear and from the flank. Many were shot down. Others reached the river only to drown, or be picked off in the water by marksmen on the bluff.

What did the Northerners read about the attack on Fort Pillow?

Northerners, however, saw only one side. They read headlines announcing "Attack on Fort Pillow—Indiscriminate Slaughter of the Prisoners—Shocking Scenes of Savagery"; dispatches from Sherman's army declaring "there is a general gritting of teeth here"; reports from the Missouri Democrat detailing the "fiendishness" of rebel behavior; and editorials like that in the Chicago Tribune condemning the "murder" and "butchery".

What did the Confederates say about Fort Pillow?

As History tells it, the Confederates claimed that there wasn't actually any surrender. The fort's defenders kept on fighting and resisting, so what else could they do but try to defend themselves? There was none of this "slaughter" or "massacre" nonsense, just self-defense. It could've also been explained as just the heat of conflict and battle, as mentioned by the Report of the Committee on the Conduct of War (even if that same report basically shot down that defense).

What was the purpose of the Fort Pillow Massacre?

It was a deliberate policy , slaughtering troops and denying Black soldiers in particular any of the rights of being prisoners of war.

What did Fort Pillow mean?

Far from it. Despite its unassuming beginning, Fort Pillow would end up meaning a lot, becoming the site of some of the most savage bloodshed in the entirety of the Civil War. After all, the word "massacre" doesn't get tossed around lightly. The description was well-earned in all the worst and most tragic ways: The three-year anniversary ...

How many Union troops were in the Fort Pillow Massacre?

It's infamous (and controversial) for a lot more than that — namely, what happened to the Black troops. There were about 600 Union troops defending Fort Pillow. Almost half of their number were African American (via History ).

What happened at Fort Pillow?

They had pretty good reasons for it, though. According to History, the Union point ed out that their men had already surrendered.

How old were the children when they were shot?

Children, sometimes less than ten years old, were forced to stand and look their killers in the eyes as they were shot. One child might have seemed nearly safe, picked up by a soldier and placed behind them on a horse, only for another soldier to order that the child be set down and shot on the spot.

Why did the Ku Klux Klan come together?

As History explains, the group came together as a means of protesting Reconstruction and the Republican Party's intentions of bringing some level of equality to Black Americans. White Supremacists had a vehicle through which they could try to re-establish the old ways.

How many men did Fort Pillow have?

Numerous skirmishes occurred throughout the region in late March and early April. Needing supplies, Forrest planned to move on Fort Pillow with about 1,500 to 2,500 men. (He had detached part of his command under Buford to strike Paducah again.) He wrote on April 4, “There is a Federal force of 500 or 600 at Fort Pillow, which I shall attend to in a day or two, as they have horses and supplies which we need.”

What is River Run Red?

Ward, Andrew. River Run Red: The Fort Pillow Massacre in the American Civil War. New York: Viking Adult, 2005.

What was the name of the battle that ended the Civil War?

The Battle of Fort Pillow, also known as the Fort Pillow Massacre, was fought on April 12, 1864, at Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River in Henning, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. The battle ended with a massacre of Federal black troops, some while attempting to surrender, by soldiers under the command of Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Military historian David J. Eicher concluded, “Fort Pillow marked one of the bleakest, saddest events of American military history.”

What was the garrison at Fort Pillow?

The Union garrison at Fort Pillow consisted of about 600 men, divided almost evenly between black and white troops. The black soldiers belonged to the 6th U.S. Regiment Colored Heavy Artillery and a section of the 2nd U.S. Colored Light Artillery (previously known as the Memphis Battery Light Artillery (African Descent), under the overall command of Major Lionel F. Booth. Many were former slaves and understood the personal consequences of a loss to the Confederates—at best an immediate return to slavery rather than being treated as a prisoner of war. Some Confederates had threatened to kill any Union black troops they encountered. The white soldiers were predominantly new recruits from the 13th Tennessee Cavalry, a Federal regiment from western Tennessee, commanded by Maj. William F. Bradford. (Major Bradford’s regiment was known as Bradford’s Tennessee Cavalry Battalion and was organized as the 13th West Tennessee Cavalry (US). Officially it was the 14th Tennessee Cavalry Regiment (US).)

How did the Confederate assault work?

While the sharpshooters maintained their fire into the fort, a first wave entered the ditch and stood while the second wave used their backs as stepping stones. These men then reached down and helped the first wave scramble up a ledge on the embankment. All of this proceeded flawlessly and with very little firing, except from the sharpshooters and around the flanks. Their fire against the New Era caused the sailors to button up their gun ports and hold their fire. As the sharpshooters were signaled to hold their fire, the men on the ledge went up and over the embankment, firing now for the first time into the massed defenders, who fought briefly, but then broke and ran to the landing at the foot of the bluff, where they had been told that the Union gunboat would cover their withdrawal by firing grapeshot and canister rounds. The gunboat did not fire a single shot because its gun ports were sealed, and there probably would have been more Union casualties than Confederate if they had fired. The fleeing soldiers were subjected to fire both from the rear and from the flank, from the soldiers who had been firing at the gunboat. Many were shot down. Others reached the river only to drown, or be picked off in the water by marksmen on the bluff.

What did Grant order in Fort Pillow?

Butler, who was negotiating prisoner exchanges with the Confederacy, to demand that in the exchange and treatment of prisoners, black prisoners had to be treated identically to whites. A failure to do so would “be regarded as a refusal on their part to agree to the further exchange of prisoners, and [would] be so treated by us.” This demand was refused and Confederate Secretary of War Seddon in June 1864 stated the confederate position:

When was Battles for Atlanta published?

Bailey, Ronald H., and the Editors of Time-Life Books. Battles for Atlanta: Sherman Moves East. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1985.

What happened to the Fort Pillow Massacre?

Union survivors reported that a slaughter had occurred, and that African-American soldiers were shot, burned and drowned as they attempted to surrender. Northern newspapers printed stories of atrocities from what they called the “Fort Pillow Massacre.”.

How many Union soldiers died at Fort Pillow?

Hundreds of Union troops, many of them African Americans, died at Fort Pillow 150 years ago. How it happened is still hotly debated.

What was the rallying cry for Fort Pillow?

In the wake of the battle, the Union refused to participate in further prisoner exchanges, and African-American units charged into battle with the rallying cry “Remember Fort Pillow!” After the Civil War, Forrest reportedly became the first grand wizard of a newly formed secret white-supremacist organization fighting Reconstruction, the Ku Klux Klan, although he denied association with the group before Congress.

Was Fort Pillow a massacre?

Although Clark recounted that “Gen. Forrest ordered them shot down like dogs,” defenders of the Confederate general argue that no evidence exists that he ordered a massacre. An historical marker in Tennessee says Forrest “lost control over his troops,” while Foote wrote in his account of the Civil War that Forrest did “all he could, first to prevent and then to end the unnecessary bloodshed.”

Who captured Fort Pillow?

The garrison high on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River 40 miles north of Memphis had been built by the Confederacy at the onset of the Civil War but captured by the Union in 1862.

Who was the leader of the cavalry at Fort Donelson?

At Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Chickamauga and other battles, the man nicknamed the “Wizard of the Saddle” had proven to be a brilliant cavalry leader and keen tactician. Union General William Tecumseh Sherman called Forrest “the very Devil,” while noted Civil War historian Shelby Foote wrote that Forrest and President Abraham Lincoln were the “two authentic geniuses” of the Civil War.

Who was the first woman to lead a major U.S. political party?

Hillary Clinton accepts Democratic nomination, becoming first woman to lead a major U.S. political party. The Union pointed to the death count to press their claim. While the Confederates lost just over a dozen men, upwards of 300 Union troops were killed.

What was Fort Pillow named after?

Named for Confederate General Gideon Pillow, the work had been constructed to protect Memphis.

How many people died in Fort Pillow?

When the firing finally came to an end, Forrest sustained casualties of 14 killed and 86 wounded. The Federals lost about half of their total strength with the black units losing 64% killed outright, more than 30% more than the white units. Today, 155 years later, historians still debate the details of Fort Pillow. It is clear there was a stage of orthodox fighting by both sides followed by a second phase of brutality. While Forrest did not give an order to wipe out the entire garrison, he lost control of his men and certainly could have done more to save the lives of the Union soldiers. At the same time, the garrison had outrightly refused an appeal to surrender. Still, had the black troops formally laid down their arms, there could not have been an expectation that they would all have been treated as prisoners of war.

What was the significance of the Fort Pillow massacre?

Remembered as a “massacre”, Fort Pillow became a rallying cry in the North and a dark chapter of the American Civil War.

What day did Chalmers drive in Booth's pickets?

Around sunrise on April 12, three years to the day of the opening of hostilities at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, the lead elements of Chalmers’ division approached Fort Pillow. Chalmers quickly drove in Booth’s pickets and deployed for battle.

How many men were in the Unionist 13th West Tennessee Cavalry?

Colored Heavy Artillery and the Unionist 13th West Tennessee Cavalry. The three units combined numbered almost 600 men.

Who led the Confederate cavalry in 1864?

Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest prepared to launch an expedition from northern Mississippi in early March 1864. The Confederate cavalryman had two divisions under his command led by Brig. Gens. James Chalmers and Abraham Buford.

Who was designated to meet the Confederates?

Lt. Leaming was designated to meet the Confederates. He rendezvoused with the flag party 150 yards from the earthworks and requested one hour to consult with the other officers. Leaming had barely reached the fort when a second message was communicated and he went out to receive it. Impatient, Forrest himself had ridden forward. Confronting Leaming, Forrest demanded the garrison’s surrender in the next twenty minutes. Leaming carried this new ultimatum to other officers who voted unanimously not to capitulate. When Leaming delivered this decision in writing, Forrest read the dispatch, quietly saluted and walked away.

What happened to the black prisoners in the Civil War?

While awaiting this fate, they were often placed at hard labor on Confederate fortifications.”15However, an even worse fate awaited soldiers who attempted to surrender after an Confederates led by General Nathan Bedford Forrest on Fort Pillow in Tennessee on April 12, 1864. Major Lionel F. Booth commanded the black Union soldiers at Fort Pillow. The garrison’s 570 soldiers were half white and half black. Noah Andre Trudeau wrote in Like Men of War: Black Troops in the Civil War that when the Confederate attacked, “Panic spread among the Union troops, with blacks and whites each later blaming the other for breaking first. What is clear is that while a few Federals stood their ground, most threw down their guns, some to run for the presumed safety of the bluff, others to raise their hands in surrender. No one had lowered the U.S. flag.”16Although Union soldiers attempted to surrender, many were instead killed. According to Trudeau, “What came next was a massacre, pure and simple. Corporal William A. Dickey, 13th Tennessee Cavalry, ran from the wall when Forest’s men breasted it. ‘The rebels followed closely,’ he recalled, ‘shooting down all who came in the way, white and black….One rebel came to me and took my percussion caps, saying he had been killing negroes so fast that his own had been exhausted; he added that he was going to shot some more.'”17

What laws did the Confederate Congress pass?

The Confederate Congress passed legislation which said: “All negroes and mulattoes who shall be engaged in war, or be taken in arms against the Confederate States, or shall give aid or comfort to the enemies of the Confederate States, shall, where captured in the Confederate States, be delivered to authorities of the State or States in which they shall be captured, to be dealt with according to such present or future laws of such State or States.” The law also said that white Union officers “Who shall voluntarily use negroes or mulattoes in any military enterprise, attack or conflict, in such service, shall be deemed as inciting servile insurrection, and shall, if captured, be put to death, or to be otherwise punished at the discretion of the court.” 3

What happens if the enemy sells or enslaves someone because of their color?

The government of the United States will give the same protection to all its soldiers, and if the enemy shall sell or enslave anyone because of his color, the offense shall be punished by retaliation upon the enemy’s prisoners in our possession.

What did Governor Andrew write to Lincoln?

The next day, Governor Andrew wrote President Lincoln: “I inclose to you a memorial concerning Federal protection for colored troops, – and also a letter addressed by me to the President in support of it. May I ask you to present them to the President and to urge the subject upon his attention? I am sure that your interest in the prayer of the memorialists, – and aside from their own very high character, – will cause you to press the matter until some authoritative proclamation of the President’s purpose to protect our troops is gained.” 13 Nearly six weeks later, the mother a black soldier in the 54 th Massachusetts Regiment admonished President Lincoln to take proper care of soldiers like her son:

What is the order for every soldier of the United States killed in violation of the laws of war?

It is therefore ordered that for every soldier of the United States killed in violation of the laws of war, a rebel soldier shall be executed; and for every one enslaved by the enemy or sold into slavery, a rebel soldier shall be placed at hard labor on the public works and continued at such labor until the other shall be released and received the treatment due a prisoner of war. 6

What is the duty of every government?

It is the duty of every government to give protection to its citizens, of whatever class, color, or condition, and especially to those who are duly organized as soldiers in the public service. The law of nations and the usages and customs of war as carried on by civilized powers, permit no distinction as to color in the treatment of prisoners of war as public enemies. To sell or enslave any captured person, on account of his color, and for no offence against the laws of war, is a relapse into barbarism and a crime against the civilization of the age.

When was equality pledged to the colored soldiers?

All soldiers enlisted and mustered into the service of the Nation should, in my judgment, be placed, in all respects, upon the same footing, without regard to complexion; and this equality, so far as protection is concerned was pledged to the colored soldiers by the Presidents Order of July 30, 1863.

What were the operations of the enemy at Paducah?

The operations of the enemy at Paducah were characterized by the same bad faith and treachery that seem to have become the settled policy of FORREST and his command. The flag of truce was taken advantage of there as elsewhere to secure desirable positions which the rebels were unable to obtain by fair and honorable means; and also to afford opportunities for plundering private stores as well as Government property. At Paducah the rebels were guilty of acts more cowardly, if possible, than any they have practiced elsewhere. When the attack was made, the officers of the fort and gunboats advised the women and children to go down to the river for the purpose of being taken across out of danger. As they were leaving the town for that purpose, the rebel sharpshooters mingled with them, and, shielded by their presence, advanced and fired upon the gunboats, wounding some of our officers and men. Our forces could not return the fire without endangering the lives of the women and children. The rebels also placed women in front of their lines as they moved on the fort, or were proceeding to take positions, while the flag of truce was at the fort, in order to compel our men to withhold their fire, out of regard for the lives of the women, who were made use of in this most cowardly manner. For more full details of the attack, and treacherous and cowardly practices of the rebels there, your committee refer to the testimony herewith submitted.

How many rounds did the gunboat fire?

About one o'clock the fire on both sides slackened somewhat, and the gunboat moved out in the river to cool and clean the guns, having fired 282 rounds of shell, shrapnel and canister, which nearly exhausted the supply of ammunition.

What was the declaration of Fort Pillow?

The declaration of FORREST and his officers, both before and after the capture of Fort Pillow, as testified to by such of our men as have escaped after being taken by him, the threats contained in the various demands for surrender made at Paducah, Columbus, and other places, the renewal of the massacre the morning after the capture of Fort Pillow, the statements made by the rebel officers to the officers of our gun-boats who received the few survivors at Fort Pillow, all this proves most conclusively the policy they have determined to adopt.

Why did the rebels go down to the river?

At Paducah the rebels were guilty of acts more cowardly, if possible, than any they have practiced elsewhere. When the attack was made, the officers of the fort and gunboats advised the women and children to go down to the river for the purpose of being taken across out of danger.

What committee investigated the Fort Pillow massacre?

The Joint Committee on the Conduct and Expenditures of the War, to whom was referred the resolution of Congress instructing them to investigate the late massacre at Fort Pillow, designated two members of the committee, Messrs. "WADES and GOOGH, to proceed to such places as they might, deem necessary and take testimony. That sub-committee having discharged that duty, returned to this city, and submitted to the committee a report, with the accompanying papers and testimony. The report was read and adopted by the committee, whose chairman was instructed to submit the same, with the testimony, to the Senate, and ask the same to be printed.

How many people were killed at Fort Pillow?

Of the men, from three hundred to four hundred are known to have been killed at Fort Pillow, of whom at least three hundred were murdered in cold blood after the fort was in possession of the rebels and our men had thrown down their arms and ceased to offer resistance.

What was the first operation of any importance?

The first operation of any importance was the attack upon Union City, Tennessee, by a portion of FORREST's command. The attack was made on the 24th of March. The post was occupied by a force of about 500 men, under Col. HAWKINS, of the Eleventh Tennessee Union Cavalry.

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