Southern account of the fort Pillow affair.
The Mobile
Advertiser has a description of the capture of
Fort Pillow, furnished by one of
Forrest's men who was in it. Our troops had driven a negro regiment from the rifle pits in advance back into their batteries.
At this moment, when everything was ready for an assault,
Gen. Forrest arrived on the spot.
The writer says:
‘
Gen. Forrest, through a desire to save human life, sent in a flag of truce demanding the commander to surrender.
The terms offered I have not had an opportunity of ascertaining, but the answer was certainly of a hostile character, as a rapid roar of musketry, accompanied by the thundering of artillery from gunboats and batteries, followed the return of the flag.
Steadily, and in a crouching attitude, with arms at a present, silently and in line, moved the troops up the hill, crowned by a frowning fort, protected by an exasperated garrison, to the ditch at the base; a moment's pause in this place, a temporary cessation of fire-arms, and we climb the ramparts, pouring, as we ascend, a deadly volley into the interior.
A feeble resistance is offered by those within; then the lines give way in confusion, and gunners.
Yankees, and negroes, rush madly from the fort, down an almost perpendicular bank towards the river under a rapid and destructive fire from our rifles.
The polluted "Star Spangled Banner" was torn from its fastenings and trampled in dust, and high above the ramparts of the conquered fort, proudly floated our own loved ensign, flapping defiance at the ominous looking gunboats anchored above.
Twas but the work of an instant to turn the guns so lately used for our destruction upon the boat.--Two shots were fired, and she headed off up stream.
At the same instant a proud, exultant shout of victory rang across its waters, arousing the reverberations of triumph throughout the majestic old
forest--not our honored General by all means — he calmly surveyed his success, regarding it as a natural result of an encounter with the vandals — but the grand, pensive forest of nature.
’
For ten minutes death reigned in the fortification, and along the river bank.
Our troops, maddened by excitement, shot down the retreating
Yankees, and not until they had attained the water's edge and turned to beg for mercy, old any prisoners fall into our hands.
Thus the whites received quarter, but the negroes were shown no mercy.
The plundering of the encampment afforded no small feature of interest; the sacking of the stores no little excitement, and the brave band of soldiers after becoming undisputed masters of the fort, with prisoners property secured, devoted their energies and attention to the well filled stores, the
Commissary and Quartermaster's Department and the encampment, which abounded with crackers, cheese,
lager beer and wines, to the hearty delight of our troops, who had ridden all night and fought all day without eating.--After securing all desirable articles, we ignited stores, tents and stables, and as in the affair at
Paducah, withdrew by its
light. The fort remained to our possession nearly six hours; at least, during the succeeding day, when I am told four gunboats came up from
Memphis, under truce, and made proper provision for the wounded.
We have arrived at
Okolona with 200 prisoners, embracing 160 whites and 40 negroes including women and children.
A large number of horses, 6 excellent pieces of artillery, two 24 pounders, four 12-pounder Parrot guns and four large field pieces, were brought safely off. One hundred thousand dollars worth of property was captured and destroyed.
Our loss is trifling, not exceeding twelve killed, while the enemy's killed amounted to 400; most of them negroes.
Col. Bell's brigade entered the fort upon the right,
Col. McCullough's upon the left.
We return to
West Tennessee immediately.
