Reports of the Committee on the Conduct of the War Part 25

Question. What did they say when they shot you?

Answer. They swore at us, and then shot us.

Question. Did you see any of the rebel officers there?

Answer. Yes, sir; I saw some, who came round and told them to kill us all.

Question. Did you see them shoot anybody else besides yourself?

Answer. Yes, sir; I saw them shoot one white man close beside me.

Question. Did they shoot you after you were down?

Answer. Yes, sir; through the leg with a musket.

Question. Did you see any negroes shot?

Answer. No, sir; I did not see any. I fell after they shot me, and did not see much.

Question. Were you there the next day after the fight?

Answer. Yes, sir; they took me on board the boat the next day about ten o'clock.

Question. Do you know whether they killed any persons in the hospital?

Answer. I know they killed one of our company in the hospital. They said they fired into the hospital.

Question. Do you know anything about their burying anybody alive?

Answer. No, sir.

Daniel Stamps, sworn and examined.

By the chairman:

Question. To what company and regiment do you belong?

Answer. Company E, 13th Tennessee cavalry.

Question. What was your position?

Answer. I was the company commissary sergeant.

Question. Where do you reside?

Answer. In Lauderdale county, Tennessee.

Question. What was your occupation?

Answer. I was a farmer.

Question. Were you at Fort Pillow when the fight was there?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. State what happened there.

Answer. The first thing, I went out sharpshooting, and was out about two hours, and then was ordered in the fort. I staid there, I reckon, about an hour. Then I was called out by Lieutenant Akerstrom to go down alongside the bluff sharpshooting again, because the rebels were coming down Cold creek. We staid there all the time until they charged into the fort. Then they all ran down under the hill, and we went down under the hill too. I reckon we staid there close on to an hour. They were shooting continually. I saw them shooting the white men there who were on their knees, holding up their hands to them. I saw them make another man get down on his knees and beg of them, and they did not shoot him. I started out to go up the hill, and just as I started I was shot in the thigh. Pretty well towards the last of it, before I got shot, while I was down under the hill, a rebel officer came down right on top of the bluff, and hallooed out to them to shoot and kill the last d.a.m.ned one of us.

Question. Do you know the rank of that officer?

Answer. I do not. I can't tell them as I can our officers. Their uniform is different. I went round on the hill then. I heard several of them say it was General Forrest's orders to them to shoot us and give us no quarter at all. I don't know whether they were officers who said so or not. I don't recollect anything else particularly that I saw that night.

The next morning they came round there again, shooting the negroes that were wounded. I saw them shoot some 20 or 25 negroes the next morning who had been wounded, and had been able to get up on the hill during the night. They did not attempt to hurt us white men the next morning.

Question. Were any of their officers with the men who were round shooting the negroes the next morning?

Answer. One pa.s.sed along on horseback, the only one I saw. He rode along while they were shooting the negroes, and said nothing to them. I said, "Captain, what are you going to do with us wounded fellows?" He said they were going to put us on the gunboats, or leave us with the gunboats. He had a feather in his cap, and looked like he might have been a captain. I don't know what he was. He was the only man I saw pa.s.s that looked like an officer while they were shooting the negroes.

Question. Where were you when the flags of truce were sent in?

Answer. I was down under the bluff sharpshooting.

Question. Is there anything else that you think of important to state?

Answer. I don't know that there is.

James P. Meador, sworn and examined.

By Mr. Gooch:

Question. To what company and regiment do you belong?

Answer. Company A, 13th Tennessee cavalry.

Question. Do you live in Tennessee?

Answer. Yes, sir; I am a native of the State.

Question. Were you in Fort Pillow at the time of the attack there?

Answer. Yes, sir.