Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 8.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[17] that they did it to make us stop firing until their reenforcements could come up. They said that they never could have got in if they had not done that; that we had whipped them; that they had never seen such a fight.

Question. Did you see the flag of truce?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. What did they do when the flag of truce was in?

Answer. They kept coming up nearer and nearer, so that they could charge quick. A heap of them came up after we stopped firing.

Question. When did you surrender?

Answer. I did not surrender until they all run.

Question. Were you wounded then?

Answer. Yes, sir; after the surrender.

Question. At what time of day was that?

Answer. They told me it was about half after one o'clock. I was wounded. Immediately we retreated.

Question. Did you have any arms in your hands when they shot you?

Answer. No, sir; I was an artillery man, and had no arms.

Question. Did you see the man who shot you?

Answer. No, sir.

Question. Did you hear him say any thing?

Answer. No, sir; I heard nothing. He shot me, and it was bleeding pretty free, and I thought to myself: “I will make out it was a dead shot, and may be I will not get another.”

Question. Did you see any others shot?

Answer. No, sir.

Question was there any thing said about giving quarter?

Answer. Major Bradford brought in a black flag, which meant no quarter. I heard some of the rebel officers say: “You damned rascals, if you had not fought us so hard, but had stopped when we sent in a flag of truce, we would not have done any thing to you.” I heard one of the officers say, “Kill all the niggers;” another one said: “No; Forrest says take them and carry them with him to wait upon him and cook for him, and put them in jail and send them to their masters.” Still they kept on shooting. They shot at me after that, but did not hit me; a rebel officer shot at me. He took aim at my side; at the crack of his pistol I fell. He went on and said: “There's another dead nigger.”

Question. Was there any one shot in the hospital that day?

Answer. Not that I know of. I think they all came away and made a raft and floated across the mouth of the creek, and got into a flat bottom.

Question. Did you see any buildings burned?

A. I staid in the woods all day Wednesday. I was there Thursday and looked at the buildings. I saw a great deal left that they did not have a chance to burn up. I saw a white man burned up who was nailed up against the house.

Question. A private or an officer?

Answer. An officer; I think it was a lieutenant in the Tennessee cavalry.

Question. How was he nailed?

They Answer. Through his hands and feet right against the house.

Question. Was his body burned?

Answer. Yes, sir; burned all over — I looked at him good.

Question. When did you see that?

Answer. On the Thursday after the battle.

Question. Where was the man?

Answer. Right in front of the Fort.

Question. Did any one else that you know see the body nailed up there?

Answer. There was a black man there who all came upon the same boat I was on.

Question. Was he with you then?

Answer. Yes, sir; and there were some five or six white people there, too, from out in the country, who were walking over the place.

Alexander Nayron, (colored,) private, company C, Sixth United States heavy artillery, sworn and examined: by Mr. Gooch:

Question. Where were you raised?

Answer. In Mississippi.

Question. Have you been a slave?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. Where did you enlist?

Answer. At Lagrange, last August.

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

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. When were you wounded?

Answer. After the fight.

Question. About what time?

Answer. About three o'clock, I reckon.

Question. Where were you when you were wounded?

Answer. Down at the river, lying down by the side of a log. They came there and told me to get up, and as I got up, they shot me.

Question. Who shot you, an officer or private?

Answer. A private.

Question. How many times were you shot?

Answer. But once; they shot me in my head, and thought they had killed me.

Question. Did you see any others shot there?

Answer. Yes, sir; several other black men with me.

Question. Did you see any small boys shot?

Answer. No, sir.

Question. Did you go back from the river after you were shot?

Answer, No, sir.

Question. You remained there until you were brought away by the gunboat?

Answer. Yes, sir. I saw several of our boys shot while they were fighting. They said, when they shot me, that they were allowed to kill every damned nigger in the Fort — not spare one.

Question. You saw nobody buried or burned?

Answer. No, sir; I saw them throw several in the water.

Question. Were they all dead that were thrown in?

Answer. Yes, sir; about dead.