Reports of the Committee on the Conduct of the War Part 32

Question. What is your rank and position?

Answer. Acting a.s.sistant surgeon in charge of wards O, P, Q, and R, in Mound City general hospital.

Question. Have you any of the wounded soldiers from Fort Pillow in your wards?

Answer. I have.

Question. Have you prepared a statement of their cases?

Answer. Yes, sir; I have two statements here prepared at different times; I will hand you both of them, as each one contains some particulars not in the other.

_Ward Q._--John F. Ray, private, company B, 13th Tennessee, shot in popliteal s.p.a.ce, ball lodged, done after surrender; John W. Shelton, private, company E, 13th Tennessee, shot through left leg, middle third, flesh wound, done after surrender; Joseph M. Green, private, company A, 13th Tennessee, shot in right shoulder, behind, ball escaping at middle of right arm, flesh wound, done after surrender; James H.

Stout, private, company B, 13th Tennessee, shot in right leg, producing compound fracture of tibia, done after surrender; Thomas J. Thompson, private, company D, 13th Tennessee, shot between sixth and seventh ribs, ball pa.s.sing downward is lost, done after surrender; Daniel H. Rankin, private, company C, 13th Tennessee, shot through left leg, flesh wound, done after surrender; Wiley Robinson, private, company A, 13th Tennessee, shot in right arm and right index finger, flesh wounds, shot through left index finger and through inferior lobe left lung, ball lodged, shot through left thigh and through left ankle, flesh wounds, all but one shot done after surrender; Daniel Stamps, private, company E, 13th Tennessee, shot through right thigh, flesh wound, done after surrender; James P. Meador, private, company A, 13th Tennessee, shot through inferior lobe of right lung and superior lobe of left lung, one shot after surrender; William J. Mays, company B, 13th Tennessee, shot through right axilla and side, flesh wounds, done just before surrender; James N. Taylor, private, company E, 13th Tennessee, shot in right hip, ball lodged, done after surrender; Francis A. Alexander, private, company C, 13th Tennessee, shot through right leg, flesh wound, done after surrender; Nathan G. Fowlkes, private, company D, 13th Tennessee, shot in left leg, compound fracture of both bones, done after surrender.

J. A. C. McCOY, _Acting a.s.sistant Surgeon, U. S. A._

Francis A. Alexander, company C, 13th Tennessee, shot once after surrender, dangerous; Nathan G. Fowlkes, company D, 13th Tennessee, shot once after surrender, dangerous; Wiley Robinson, company A, 13th Tennessee, shot seven times, six times after surrender, dangerous; Daniel Stamps, company E, 13th Tennessee, shot once after surrender, severe; James P. Meador, company A, 13th Tennessee, shot twice, once after surrender, dangerous; James N. Taylor, company E, 13th Tennessee, shot once after surrender, dangerous; William J. Mays, company B, 13th Tennessee, shot once just before surrender, dangerous; John F. Ray, company B, 13th Tennessee, shot once after surrender, dangerous; John W.

Shelton, company E, 13th Tennessee, shot once after surrender, dangerous; Thomas J. Thompson, company D, 13th Tennessee, shot once after surrender, dangerous; Joseph M. Green, company A, 13th Tennessee, shot once after surrender, dangerous; James H. Stout, company B, 13th Tennessee, shot once after surrender, dangerous; Daniel H. Rankin, company C, 13th Tennessee, shot once after surrender, dangerous.

J. A. C. McCOY, M. D., _Acting a.s.sistant Surgeon, U. S. A._

The following is a statement prepared by Dr. M. Black of the cases under his charge:

Horton Casen, private, company A, 1st Alabama infantry, wounded at Fort Pillow after surrender, gunshot wounds in hip and thigh; Jacob Thompson, waiter, company B, 11th Illinois cavalry, wounded at Fort Pillow after surrender, pistol shots through thumb and head and several blows with blunt instrument (says with a gun) on head and neck, dividing skin in several places; Henry Parker, company D, 1st Alabama, wounded at Fort Pillow after surrender, gunshot wound in hip; Ransom Anderson, company B, 1st Alabama artillery, wounded at Fort Pillow after surrender, sabre cuts on head and hand and gunshot wounds in shoulder and chest; Mary Jane Robinson, wife of a soldier at Fort Pillow, wounded by a rebel after the surrender of the fort, at a distance of ten yards, gunshot wound through both knees.

M. BLACK, _Acting a.s.sistant Surgeon, U. S. A._

Surgeon Horace Wardner, recalled and examined.

By the chairman:

Question. Have you heard our examination of the wounded in this hospital from Fort Pillow?

Answer. I have.

Question. Did you have any conversation with them when they were first brought to the hospital?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. Did the statements they made to you then correspond with their statements to us?

Answer. They did.

Question. Do the nature and character of their injuries sustain their statements in regard to their injuries?

Answer. The character of the injuries of these men corroborates their statements in regard to the treatment they received from the rebels.

MOUND CITY, ILLINOIS, _April 23, 1864_.

Captain Alexander M. Pennock, United States navy, sworn and examined.

By Mr. Gooch:

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

Answer. I am a captain in the United States navy; fleet captain of the Mississippi squadron, and commandant of the station of Cairo and Mound City.

Question. How long have you been in the naval service?

Answer. Since the first of April, 1828.

Question. Will you please state what services have been rendered by the naval forces here in checking and preventing the recent movements of the rebel Forrest and his command in this vicinity?

Answer. Two gunboats were at Paducah at the time the attack was made upon that place; they rendered efficient service there. On receiving information that Paducah had been attacked, or that there was a probability of its being attacked, I immediately went to Cairo from Mound City, with Captain Shirk, of the navy, and conferred with General Brayman and General Veatch. A regiment was sent by General Veatch up to Paducah. An armed despatch boat was also sent up, with Captain Shirk on board, and Captain Odlin, a.s.sistant adjutant general on General Brayman's staff, to ascertain the facts, and render such a.s.sistance as might be needed. I was informed by both Captain Shirk and Captain Odlin that the gunboats there, and the fort, had expended a great deal of ammunition and were getting short of it. Ammunition both for the army and navy was immediately sent up; a division of gunboats from the c.u.mberland river, Captain Fitch commanding, came down after the fight and re-enforced Captain Shirk at Paducah.

Information having reached me that the rebels were crossing over into Illinois in small squads, four gunboats were stationed by the two above-named naval officers between Paducah and Mound City, to prevent their crossing, and orders were given them to destroy all ferries and skiffs, in fact all means of communication across the Ohio river.

A gunboat had been stationed at Columbus, Kentucky. Hearing that the surrender of that place had been demanded, I despatched Captain Fitch with two of the c.u.mberland river boats, and another gunboat which was here for repairs, to Columbus, with orders if all was quiet there to go down the river a far as Hickman. I instructed him that the Mississippi river must be kept clear at all hazards. After having given this order, which was in writing, the captain of a steamboat came to me and informed me that Fort Pillow had been attacked, and that the captain of the gunboat stationed there sent word that he had expended nearly all his ammunition. I directed Captain Fitch, if he could be spared from Columbus, to go down to Fort Pillow with his three boats, and I immediately had placed on board a despatch boat the ammunition required for the gunboat then at Fort Pillow. And boats have since been cruising up and down the Ohio river, and the Mississippi river as far as Fort Pillow, for the purpose of giving convoy and keeping the river open. On the arrival of Captain Fitch near Fort Pillow, he found the enemy in force on this side of the fort, behind wood piles on the bank of the river; they were burning wood and barges there. They were sh.e.l.led and driven off. Captain Fitch also prevented a detachment of rebels from crossing over to an island, where a number of transports and other boats had been detained, which the rebels desired to capture or destroy. He convoyed that fleet as far as Fort Pillow, clear of danger. Afterwards three boats were sent down to Hickman, for the purpose of giving protection to such Union men as desired to leave and bring away their goods, and if possible to capture any rebels that might be in the place.

A detachment of marines accompanied this expedition. The town was surrounded twice, once by day and once by night; the guerillas had been in there and escaped. The people of Hickman were warned that if even a musket shot was again fired at a transport or other boat the place would be at once destroyed. These boats have been moving constantly day and night, and despatch boats have been furnished by the navy to convey despatches for General Sherman and General Brayman, up the Tennessee river, or wherever they might require. I would add that when Captain Fitch returned from Fort Pillow he brought away with him refugees, women and children, who had been left there, and ten wounded soldiers who had been there for two days.

Question. What, in your opinion, would be the competent military and naval force to protect the public property at Cairo and Mound City?

Answer. Two gunboats and 2,000 men.

Question. State briefly your reason for believing so large a force is required for that purpose.

Answer. For the reason that we have public property extending along the river for seven miles, and we should be ready for any emergency.

Question. What amount of property would be destroyed here, should the enemy get possession long enough to destroy it?

Answer. It is difficult to estimate its value accurately. We have here a a large number of guns, and all the ammunition and other supplies for the Mississippi fleet, consisting of at least 100 vessels.

Question. What effect would the destruction or capture of this property have upon operations here in the west?

Answer. It would paralyze the fleet.

Question. For how long a time?

Answer. For the entire season, besides giving the enemy means to act more on the offensive--means enough to last them for a campaign.

Question. Is it also true that all the army supplies for the western department pa.s.s through here?