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Question. What force do you deem should be placed there to hold it?
Answer. I think five hundred steady troops, properly supplied with artillery, and properly covered with works, could hold the place until reenforced — hold it, all that is necessary.
Question. Did you ever have any instructions or orders to evacuate
Fort Pillow; or did you, at any time, ever propose to evacuate it?
Answer. I never had any orders to evacuate it. My orders from
General Sherman were to hold certain fortified points on the river.
I never had any instructions with regard to
Fort Pillow one way or the other that I recollect.
I considered it necessary to hold it, and never intended to abandon it.
Question. Had it been held by us for some considerable time?
Answer. It had been held since we first occupied the river.
Question. Do not the same reasons exist for holding it now that had existed during all that period?
Answer. The same.
The reasons are geographical, and do not change.
By
Mr. Gooch:
Question. Then I understand you to state that your instructions, in spirit, required you to hold it, and that it was necessary that it should be held?
Answer. My opinion is distinct that it should be held always, and there is nothing in my instructions that requires it to be abandoned.
Some discretion, I suppose, belongs to an officer in charge of as much range as I have had to hold; and I certainly should not abandon that place, if I had troops to hold it.
By the
Chairman:
Question. Will you tell us what you know about the attack on
Union City?
Answer.
Colonel Hawkins, of the Seventh Tennessee regiment, was at
Union City as an advanced post.
He had in round numbers about six hundred men. He was threatened by about one thousand five hundred, I should think.
They attacked him, and were repulsed.
General Brayman moved from here with two thousand troops, and got down as far as the bridge, six miles from
Union City, before
Hawkins surrendered.
They commenced the flag of truce operation on him, when they found they could do nothing else, threatening to open upon him with artillery, and to give no quarter.
Contrary to the entreaties, prayers, and advice of all his officers, and all his men, he did surrender his post, with a relieving force within six miles of him; and surrendered it, as I have no doubt, from pure cowardice.
Question. Was he aware of the reenforcements approaching?
Answer. I think so, but I will not be positive.
General Brayman can tell more about that than I can. I was at
Columbus when
General Brayman returned.
Question. Where is
Colonel Hawkins now?
Answer. He is a prisoner.
This is the second time he has surrendered to
Forrest.
Question. What is your rank and position in the army?
Answer. For the last four months I have been holding the place of captain in the Seventh Tennessee cavalry, but I have not been mustered in yet.
Question. Had you been in service before?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. For how long?
Answer. I enlisted in
Illinois on the twenty-fourth of July, and was mustered into the
United States service August first, 1861.
Question. Were you at
Union City when the late attack was made there?
Answer. I was.
Question. Will you give us an account of what occurred there?
Answer. On the twenty-third of March last it was generally understood by the troops there that the rebels were advancing upon us; we supposed under
General Forrest.
That night two companies, I think, were ordered to keep their horses saddled.
The first orders I received were about half-past 4, the morning of the twenty-fourth.
The adjutant of our regiment came to me, and told me to have my horses saddled.
In perhaps half an hour after that we were ordered into line, and I held my company in line for some time waiting for orders.
As
Colonel Hawkins came by I asked him if he wanted me to take my position at the breastworks, and he said he did. I then took my position at a place where I thought I was most needed, at some breast-works that my company had thrown up on the east side.
At this time the rebels were firing on our pickets.
I think there was no general charge until about half-past 5 or six o'clock. That charge was made by cavalry, on the south side.
They did not charge a great way, and were easily repulsed.
The same men then reassembled, dismounted, and charged on the
Fort.
This time they came very close to the breast-works, but were again repulsed.
After that our troops were very exultant, and ready to meet the rebels anywhere.
The next charge was made on the north-west; that was easily repulsed.
The last charge was made on the north-east, fronting my position; that was repulsed tolerably easy, but with more loss to the rebels than previously.
Then there was sharp-shooting for about an hour and a half, and we were all in good spirits.
At the expiration of that hour and a half a flag of truce came in in my front.
I sent word to
Colonel Hawkins that there was a flag of truce coming.
I went in person to meet the flag, and halted it about two hundred yards from the breastworks, and asked them what they desired.
They said they wished to see the
Commander of the forces there.
I told them I had