burying the dead. While they were lying there, the rebel General Chalmers and other rebel officers came down to the landing, and some of them went on the boats. Notwithstanding the evidences of rebel atrocity and barbarity with which the ground was covered, there were some of our army officers on board the Platte Valley so lost to every feeling of decency, honor, and self-respect, as to make themselves disgracefully conspicuous in bestowing civilities and attention upon the rebel officers, even while they were boasting of the murders they had there committed. Your Committee were unable to ascertain the names of the officers who have thus inflicted so foul a stain upon the honor of our army. They are assured, however, by the military authorities that every effort will be made to ascertain their names and bring them to the punishment they so richly merit.

In relation to the reenforcement or evacuation of Fort Pillow, it would appear from the testimony that the troops there stationed were withdrawn on the twenty-fifth of January last, in order to accompany the Meridian expedition under General Sherman. General Hurlbut testifies that he never received any instructions to permanently vacate the post, and deeming it important to occupy it, so that the rebels should not interrupt the navigation of the Mississippi by planting artillery there, he sent some troops there about the middle of February, increasing their number afterward until the garrison amounted to nearly six hundred men. He also states that as soon as he learned that the place was attacked, he immediately took measures to send up reenforcements from Memphis, and they were actually embarking when he received information of the capture of the Fort.

CAIRO, ILLINOIS, April 22, 1864. Brigadier-General Mason Brayman sworn and examined by the Chairman.

Question. What is your rank and position in the service?

Answer. Brigadier-General of volunteers; have been in command of the district of Cairo since March nineteenth, 1864.

Question. What was the extent of your district when you assumed command, and what your available force?

Answer. The river, from Paducah to Island Number Ten, inclusive, about one hundred and sixty miles, and adjacent portions of Tennessee and Kentucky. My available force for duty, as appears from tri-monthly report of March twentieth, as follows:

Aggregate,..

408

231

998

51

162

479

.2329

Question. What was the character of your force and the condition of your command at that time?

Answer. Three fourths of the men were colored, a portion of them not mustered into service, and commanded by officers temporarily assigned, awaiting commission. Of the white troops about one half at the posts on the river were on duty as provost-marshals' guards and similar detached duties, leaving but a small number in condition for movement. The fortifications were in an unfinished condition; that at Cairo rendered almost useless by long neglect. Many of the guns were dismounted, or otherwise unfit for service, and the supply of ammunition deficient and defective. A body of cavalry at Paducah were not mounted, and only part of those at Union City. I had not enough mounted men within my reach for orderlies.

Your Committee cannot close this report without expressing their obligations to the officers of the army and navy, with whom they were brought in contact, for the assistance they rendered. It is true your Committee were furnished by the Secretary of War with the fullest authority to call upon any one in the army for such services as they might require, to enable them to make the investigation devolved upon them by Congress, but they found that no such authority was needed. The army and navy officers at every point they visited evinced a desire to aid the committee in every way in their power; and all expressed the highest satisfaction that Congress had so promptly taken steps to ascertain the facts connected with this fearful and bloody transaction, and the hope that the investigation would lead to prompt and decisive measures on the part of the government. Your Committee would mention more particularly the names of General Mason Brayman, Military Commandant at Cairo; Captain J. H. Odlin, his Chief of Staff; Captain Question. What is the character of the public Alexander M. Pennock, United States navy, Fleet property and interests intrusted to your care? Captain of Mississippi squadron; Captain James Answer. Paducah commands the Ohio. In W. Shirk, United States navy, commanding Sev-hostile hands, the Tennessee and Cumberland enth district Mississippi squadron; Surgeon rivers are no longer ours. Mound City, eight Horace Wardner, in charge of Mound City gene- miles above Cairo, is the great naval dépôt for eral hospital; Captain Thomas M. Farrell, United the Western fleet. Gunboats there receive their

o'clock of the morning of the twenty-fourth, I was satisfied that Union City was the point of attack. Boats were impressed, four regiments were embarked, and I left at ten; disembarked at Columbus, and arriving within six miles of Union City at four P.M., where I learned that a surrender had taken place at eleven A.M., and the garrison marched off. I turned back, and at three the next morning turned over General Veatch's men, ready to go up the Tennessee.

armaments, crews, and supplies. An average and keep well prepared." About half-past four of probably five million dollars of public property is constantly at that point; I found it guarded by, perhaps, fifty men of the veteran reserve corps, not referring to gunboats lying there. Cairo, at the confluence of the great rivers, is the narrow gateway through which all military and naval operations of the Mississippi valley must be made. I cannot compute the amount or value of shipping and property at all times at this point. The Committee must observe that the loss of Mound City and Cairo would paralyze the Western army and navy. The points below Columbus and Island Ten are fortified places; while holding them, the rebels had control of the river. It required a prodigious effort to dislodge them. To concede to them any point on the river, even for a week, would bring disasFurthermore, the rebels now control Western Kentucky; they are murdering, robbing, and driving out the loyal men; they avow their determination to permit the loyal men to take no part in the approaching elections. Unless protected in their effort to protect themselves, the Union men must give way, and the country remain under insurrectionary control.

ter.

Question. Did you consider your force, as stated, adequate to the protection of your district?

Answer. Wholly inadequate, considering the interests at stake, and the hostile forces within attacking distance.

Question. When did you first hear that Forrest was advancing?

Answer. On March twenty-third, four days after I took command, Colonel Hicks, at Paducah, and Colonel Hawkins at Union City, advised me by telegraph of the presence in their neighborhood of armed bands, both fearing an attack. At night of the same day, Colonel Hawkins reported Forrest at Jackson, sixty-one miles south, with seven thousand men; and again that he expected an attack within twenty-four hours. He wanted reënforcements.

Question. Had you the means of reenforcing him?

Answer. Of my own command, I had not one hundred and fifty available men; however, some regiments and detachments of General Veatch's division had arrived and awaited the arrival of boats from St. Louis to carry them up the Tennessee. General Veatch had gone to Evansville, Indiana. Simultaneously with the reports from Hicks and Hawkins, I received from General Sherman, then at Nashville, this despatch : "Has General Veatch and command started up the Tennessee? If not, start them up at once." Down to this time it was uncertain whether Union City or Paducah was the real object of attack. Late in the evening I applied to Captain Fox, General Veatch's Assistant AdjutantGeneral, to have two thousand men in readiness to move during the night, if wanted, promising to have them back in time to embark, on arrival of their transports. I telegraphed Hawkins that he would receive aid, directing him to "fortify

Question. Why did you not pursue Forrest? Answer. For three reasons: First, his force was all cavalry; mine all infantry. Second, he was moving on Paducah, and, while I could not overtake him by land, I could head him by the rivers. Third, another despatch from General Sherman reached me as I was going out from Columbus, prohibiting me from diverting the troops bound up the Tennessee from that movement on account of the presence of Forrest. My purpose was to save Union City, bring in its garrison, and have General Veatch's men back in time for their boats. While I was willing to risk much to secure a garrison supposed to be yet engaged in gallant defence, I could do nothing to mitigate the accomplished misfortune of a surrender.

Question. Do you think the surrender premature?

Answer. The garrison was within fortifications; the enemy had no artillery. A loss of one man killed and two or three wounded does not indicate a desperate case. The rebels were three times repulsed. A flag of truce followed, and a surrender.

Question. How large was the attacking party? Answer. I judge fifteen hundred, the largest portion of Forrest's force being evidently on the way to Paducah.

Question. How large was his entire force?
Answer. Apparently six thousand five hun-

dred.

Question. When was Paducah attacked? Answer. About three P.M., the next day, March twenty-fifth.

Question. Was Paducah reenforced previous to the attack?

Answer. It was not. I had no men to send, but sent supplies.

Question. Where was General Veatch's command?

Answer. Embarking for the Tennessee. Question. Was Paducah well defended? Answer. Most gallantly, and with success. The conduct of Colonel Hicks and his entire command was noble in the highest degree.

Question. How did his colored troops behave? Answer. As well as the rest. Colonel Hicks thus refers to them in his official report: "I have been one of those men who never had much confidence in colored troops fighting, but those doubts are now all removed, for they fought as bravely as any troops in the fort." Question. Why was the city shelled and set on fire?

Answer. Pernicious beyond measure; corrupting those in the public service, and furnishing I was informed, in reply, that Fort Pillow had needed supplies to enemies. I am in possession no guns or garrison; had been evacuated; that of intercepted correspondence, showing that General Hurlbut had force for its defence, etc. while the trader who has taken the oath and does I understand that Fort Pillow had been evacbusiness at Paducah gets permits to send out uated and reoccupied, General Sherman, not besupplies, several wagons at a time, his partner is ing aware of it. On the fourteenth he again receiving them within the rebel lines under per- instructed me as follows: mits issued by Forrest. A public officer is now under arrest and held for trial for covering up

Hurlbut take care of that quarter. The Cairo at the hospital out in front of their line, and troops may reenforce temporarily at Paducah kept them there for an hour, thus silencing our and Columbus, but should be held ready to guns. Mrs. Hammond was one of the five. come up the Tennessee. One object that Forrest Reference is made to testimony furnished on the has is to induce us to make these detach-subject, and to official reports when transmitted ments, and prevent our concentrating in this to the War Department. quarter."

Question. What information have you as to the intention of the enemy to perpetrate such acts as the massacre at Fort Pillow?

Answer. I furnish the correspondence growing out of demands to surrender at Union City, Paducah, and Columbus, showing premeditation on the part of officers in command of the rebel army.

began?

Question. Did you have any conversation with General Shepley in relation to the condition of the garrison at Fort Pillow when he passed by that point? If so, state what he said. What force did General Shepley have with him? Did he assign any reason for not rendering assistance to that garrison? If so, what was it? Answer. General Shepley called on me. He [Take in from reports of Lieutenant Gray, stated that as he approached Fort Pillow, fight- Colonel Hicks, and Colonel Lawrence, with which ing was going on; he saw the flag come down the Committee is furnished. See Appendix.] "by the run," but could not tell whether it was Question. Has there been cooperation and lowered by the garrison, or by having the hal-harmony among commanders since these troubles liards shot away; that soon after another flag went up in another place. He could not distinguish its character, but feared that it was a surrender, though firing continued. I think he gave the force on the boat as two batteries and two or three hundred infantry. When he came away, the firing was kept up, but not as heavily as at first. He was not certain how the fight was terminating. In answer to a question of mine, he said the batteries on board could not have been used, as the bluff was too steep for ascent, or to admit of firing from the water's edge, and the enemy above might have captured them. This was about the substance of our conversation.

Question. What information have you relative to the battle and massacre at Fort Pillow, particularly what transpired after the surrender?

Answer. That place not being in my district, official reports did not come to me. However, under instructions from General Sherman, I detailed officers, and collected reports and sworn proofs for transmission to him, also to the Secretary of War. Having furnished the Secretary of War with a duplicate copy for the use of your Committee if he so desired, I refer to that for the information I have on the subject.

Answer. Entire and in every respect, so far as I know. Officers of the army in charge of troops temporarily here gave all the aid possible. They were under orders which prevented their going out in pursuit of Forrest, but they gave me detachments to guard our river posts when threatened.

Question. What have been the relations existing generally between you and Captain Pennock, of the navy, Fleet Captain of the Mississippi squadron ?

The

Answer. Captain Pennock is commandant of the naval station at Cairo and Mound City, and I understand represents Admiral Porter in his absence. Our relations have been cordial, and we have cooperated in all movements. aid given by his gunboats has been prompt, ample, and very efficient. His admirable judgment and ready resources have always been available.

Question. During the operations consequent upon the movements of Forrest, did you or did you not receive cordial cooperation and support from Lieutenant Commander Shirk, commanding the Seventh_division Mississippi squadron ?

Answer. I can only repeat my answer to the last question. Lieutenant Shirk is an admir

Question. Do you consider the testimony thus able officer, vigilant, brave, and of exceedingly furnished entirely reliable?

Answer. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." Here are scores of them, living and dying. There are doubtless errors as to time and place, and scenes witnessed from different points of observation, but in the main I regard the witnesses honest and their accounts true.

Question. What did you learn concerning violations of the flag of truce?

Answer. I learn from official sources that at Paducah, Columbus, Union City, and Fort Pillow, the rebels moved troops, placed batteries, formed new lines, advanced, robbed stores and private houses, stole horses and other property, while protected by flags of truce. J. W. McCord and Mrs. Hannah Hammond state, in writing, that at Paducah they forced five women nurses

safe judgment.

MOUND CITY, Illinois, April 22, 1864. Surgeon Horace Wardner sworn and exam

ined.

By the Chairman :

Question. Have you been in charge of this hospital, Mound City Hospital?

Answer. I have been in charge of this hospital continually since the twenty-fifth of April, 1863.

Question. Will you state, if you please, what you know about the persons who escaped from Fort Pillow? And how many have been under your charge?

Answer. I have received thirty-four whites, twenty-seven colored men, and one colored woman; and seven corpses of those who died on their way here.

Question. Those you have received were most-burned? lp combatants, or had been?

Answer. Yes, sir; soldiers, white or colored. Question. Were any of the wounded here in the hospital in the Fort, and wounded while in the hospital?

Answer. I so understand them. Question. How many in that condition did you understand?

Answer. I learned from those who came here that nearly all who were in the hospital were killed. I received a young negro boy, probably sixteen years old, who was in the hospital there sick with fever, and unable to get away. The rebels entered the hospital, and with a sabre hacked his head, no doubt with the intention of splitting it open. The boy put up his hand to