Reports of the Committee on the Conduct of the War Part 37

Answer. We came in at Waverly landing.

By the chairman:

Question. Have you heard since that re-enforcements under General Brayman were approaching to your relief?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. Did you hear how near they had got to you?

Answer. Within six miles of the place at four o'clock that morning.

By Mr. Gooch:

Question. Had you any conversation with the rebel officers while you were with them?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. Did you hear them say anything about negro troops, &c.?

Answer. Not much. I was talking with them about our regiment. They said when they first started to come there that they were going to get us, and seemed to be surprised to think we had fought them as well as we did, for they said they expected to get us without any trouble.

Question. Did they say why they expected to get you without any trouble?

Answer. No, sir. They said they would parole Hawkins again, and let him get some more horses, and knives, and things, and then they would come when they wanted him again.

Question. How did they treat our men?

Answer. They gave them nothing to eat until the second night, when they gave them about an ounce of fat bacon each. Some got a little bread, but a few of them, however. On Sunday morning they marched the men up in front of the court-house, pa.s.sed them in one at a time and searched them, taking boots, hats, coats, blankets, and money from them.

Question. Did they leave you without boots, coats, or blankets?

Answer. There were a great many of our men who had new boots, and the rebels would take the new boots and give them their old ones, and so they exchanged hats and blankets.

Question. How many days were you in reaching our lines after you escaped from the rebels?

Answer. I reached Waverly landing on Thursday, the 7th of April, and Cairo in two weeks from the time that I got away from them.

Captain P. K. Parsons, sworn and examined.

By Mr. Gooch:

Question. Were you at Union City when that place was surrendered?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. State briefly the circ.u.mstances attending the attack there and the surrender.

Answer. I think it was a few minutes after 4 o'clock in the morning that our pickets were driven in by the enemy. I was then sent out to look after them, and commenced skirmishing with them just at daylight. Before sun-up they had surrounded the fort. They then made three or four charges, two on horseback, I believe, but they were repulsed very easily. They then did not do anything but use their sharpshooters until about ten minutes before 11 o'clock, when they sent in a flag of truce demanding an unconditional surrender. The colonel went out and received the demand and brought it in. He then called the officers together and asked what we thought of the matter. He turned to Captain Harris, as the oldest officer, and asked him what we should do. The captain said he was for fighting, and I believe other officers there said "fight." The colonel then asked me to ride out with him, and I did so. On our way out I told the colonel that I thought we had the rebels whipped unless they had re-enforcements, which I did not think they had. They gave us fifteen minutes more to consider. Then some officers said they thought they saw artillery out there. Captain Beattie said if they had artillery they could whip us, but not without. The colonel then went out and made an unconditional surrender of the fort, about sixteen officers and about 500 men. I guess there were 300 men and officers out of the 500 who wanted to fight.

Question. Did you see any artillery?

Answer. No, sir.

Question. They had none there?

Answer. No, sir; I rode out as far as I dared go to see, and I did not see anything with the gla.s.s I had but an ambulance; there was no artillery there at all.

Question. To what do you attribute the surrender by Colonel Hawkins?

Answer. It is hard for me to make up my mind about that. Colonel Hawkins was a first lieutenant of a company in the Mexican war and I fought under him there, and I have fought under him in this war, and I never saw any cowardice about him before. I think this was one of the most cowardly surrenders there ever was. Still, I cannot think Colonel Hawkins is a coward; at least I never saw any show of cowardice in him before. I could see no reason for surrendering when we had but one man killed or hurt in the fort.

Question. You escaped from the enemy?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. How did you effect your escape?

Answer. I escaped with Captain Beattie.

Question. How long were you with the enemy?

Answer. Four days and a half.

Question. Who did you understand was in command of the rebels?

Answer. Colonel Duckworth.

Question. How many men did he have?

Answer. From the best information I could get there were about 1,500 of them. Several of their officers said they had 1,250 men, regular troops, and four independent companies. That was their statement to me.

Question. Had you a good position at Union City?

Answer. It was a very good position against small arms; it was not strong against artillery.

Question. Did you know anything about re-enforcements coming to you?

Answer. We were looking for re-enforcements. We had a despatch to hold the place, that re-enforcements would be sent.

Question. From whom was that despatch?

Answer. From General Brayman.

Question. Did Colonel Hawkins receive that despatch before he surrendered?