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wounded after we had given undoubted evidence of a surrender, and contrary to all rules of warfare.
Sworn to before me at Cairo, Illinois, this seventeenth day of April, 1864.
John H. Munroe, Captain and A. A. General.
A true copy. C. B. Smith, Lieutenant and A. D. C.
Statement of Ann Jane Rufin.
I am the wife of Thomas Rufin, a member of the Thirteenth Tennessee cavalry; was at Fort Pillow on Tuesday, the twelfth day of April, A. D. 1864, and was removed to an island during the progress of the battle.
Returned to Fort Pillow on Wednesday morning, the thirteenth of April, and saw the remains of a man lying upon the back, its arms outstretched, with some planks under it. The man had to all appearances been nailed to the side of the house, and then the building set on fire.
I am satisfied that the body was that of Lieutenant John C. A kerstrom, Second Lieutenant company A, Thirteenth Tennessee cavalry, who was on duty as Quartermaster of the post of Fort Pillow.
I was well acquainted with Lieutenant Akerstrom when living.
After examining the body I walked around to a ditch where a large number of dead and wounded had been thrown and partially covered.
I saw several places where the wounded had dug holes and attempted to get out, but had been unable to do so.
| her | ||
| Ann JANE | X | RUFIN. |
| mark. |
Cairo, April 18, 1864.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this eighteenth day of April, 1864.
A true copy. C. B. Smith, Lieutenant and A. D. C.
Statement of Mrs. Rebecca Williams.
I am the wife of William F. Williams, a private in the Thirteenth Tennessee cavalry, company D.
I was at Fort Pillow on the Wednesday morning after the fight of Tuesday, the twelfth of April, 1864, and saw the body of a man, which had the appearance of having been burned to death.
It was pointed out to me as the body of Lieutenant John C. Akerstrom, of the Thirteenth Tennessee cavalry.
I know it was the corpse of a white man. >
| her | ||
| REBECCA | X | WILLIAMS. |
| mark. |
Cairo, April 18, 1864.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this eighteenth day of April, 1864.
I, the undersigned, do certify that I also wit nessed the same spectacle described by Mrs Williams.
| her | ||
| Nancy M. | X | HOPPER. |
| mark. |
Cairo, April 18, 1864.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this eighteenth day of April, 1864.
A true copy. C. B. Smith, Lieutenant and A. D. C.
James R. Brigham, a resident of Fredonia, Chautauque County, New-York, deposes and says:
He was and had been a clerk in a store at Fort Pillow over a year previous to the twelfth April instant.
On learning, early on the morning of the twelfth instant, that the post was to be attacked by the confederates, he went immediately to the Fort, and was engaged with a musket in defending the Fort, when General Chalmers was repulsed twice.
After this, I was detailed to carry wounded down the hill, on which the Fort was situated, to the river bank, where, beside a large log, I raised a red flag as a sign of a hospital.
The flag was made from part of a red flannel shirt.
The last attack was made by General Forrest in person, who headed the column.
Forrest was wounded in three (3) different places, and had his horse shot under him.
Major Booth, of the regular army, was in command.
He was killed about eleven o'clock by a sharp-shooter, when Major Bradford, of the Thirteenth Tennessee regiment, took command.
Major Bradford was taken prisoner, and killed near Judge Green's, some six miles from the Fort, while a prisoner.
When the confederates rushed into the Fort having taken advantage of a flag of truce to get their men close to the Fort in a ravine, and directly under the embankments, this force numbered some one thousand five hundred, with a large reserve in sight.
As soon as the confederates got into the Fort, the Federals threw down their arms in token of surrender, and many exclaimed: “We surrender.”
Immediately an indiscriminate massacre commenced on both black and white soldiers.
Up to the time of the surrender, I don't think more than from twenty to twenty-five had been killed, and not more than fifteen wounded. I was taken prisoner, and when marching with other prisoners, black and white, I saw the confederates shoot and kill and wound both white and black Federal prisoners.
Some negroes were severely beaten, but still able to go along.
We were taken a few miles into the country, when myself and a few others got relieved by General McCullough, on the ground of being private citizens.
I saw General Forrest, and knew he was wounded, as before stated.
There were from twenty-five to thirty black soldiers carried off as prisoners, and not over thirty to thirty-five white.
All the rest of that faithful and heroic garrison,
