The Cecil Whig

The Massacre at Fort Pillow.

On Tuesday morning, the 13th of April, Forrest, with some six thousand men, attacked Fort Pillow. Soon after the attack Forrest sent a flag of truce demanding the surrender of the fort and garrison, in the meanwhile disposing his force so as to gain an advantage. Maj. Booth, of the Thirteenth Tennessee (U. S.) Heavy Artillery, formerly the First Alabama Cavalry (colored) refused to receive the flag of truce, and fighting was resumed. Afterwards a second flag came in, which was also refused. Both flags gave the rebels the advantage of gaining new positions.

The battle was kept up till 3 o'clock P. M. when Major Booth was killed and Major Bradford took command. The rebels had come in swarms over to our troops, compelling them to surrender—Immediately upon the surrender the rebels commenced an indiscriminate butchery of the whites and blacks, including those of both colors who had been previously wounded. The dead and wounded prisoners were piled in heaps and burned, and several citizens who joined our forces for protection were killed or wounded.

The black soldiers, becoming demoralized, rushed to the rear, their white officers having thrown down their arms.—Both black and white were bayoneted, shot or sabred, and even dead bodies were horribly mutilated. Children of seven or eight years of age, and several negro women, were killed. Soldiers unable to speak, from their wounds, were shot dead, and their bodies rolled down the banks into the river.

The Star says, according to General Sherman's report, our loss was fifty white troops killed and 100 wounded, and 300 black troops murdered in cold blood after the surrender,

The steamer Platte Valley came up about 3 o'clock. She was hailed by the rebels under a flag of truce, and her men sent ashore to bury the dead and take aboard such of the wounded as the rebels had allowed to live. Fifty-seven were taken aboard, including seven or eight colored men.

Six guns were captured by the rebels, and carried off, including two 10-pound Parrotts and two 12-pound howitzers.—A large amount of stores were destroyed and carried away. The intention of the rebels seemed to be to evacuate the place and move on towards Memphis.

Whether a blackguard is tarred and feathered or tossed into the river, he gets the right pitch.