Reports of the Committee on the Conduct of the War Part 74

Upon our arrival there a gunboat lay on the opposite bank, but we could not hail her. We laid on the bank. They took the young man back to a house, three-fourths of a mile, but I would not go back. I laid there until a gunboat, the Silver Cloud, took me off, about 2 o'clock a. m., Sat.u.r.day. They treated me with the utmost kindness on board the boat.

WILBUR H. g.a.y.l.o.r.d, _1st Sergeant, Co. B, 6th U.S. Heavy Artillery, 1st Battalion, (colored.)_

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 30th day of April, 1864, at Fort Pickering, Memphis, Tennessee.

MALCOM F. SMITH, _1st Lieutenant and Adjutant 6th U.S. Heavy Artillery, (colored.)_

A true copy.

J. H. ODLIN, _Captain and A. A. G._

_Statement of James Lewis, private, company C, 6th United States heavy artillery, (colored.)_

I, James Lewis, private, company C, 6th United States heavy artillery, (colored,) would, on oath, state the following: I was in the battle fought at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, on the 12th day of April, A. D. 1864.

The engagement commenced early in the morning and lasted until three o'clock p. m. same day, at which time the enemy carried the fort. The United States troops took refuge under the bank of the river. The officers all being killed or wounded, the men raised the white flag and surrendered, but the rebels kept on firing until most all the men were shot down. I was wounded and knocked down with the but of a musket and left for dead, after being robbed, and they cut the b.u.t.tons off my jacket. I saw two women shot by the river bank and their bodies thrown into the river after the place was taken. I saw Frank Meek, company B, 6th United States heavy artillery, (colored,) shot after he had surrendered.

his JAMES + LEWIS.

mark.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 30th day of April, 1864, at Fort Pickering, Memphis, Tennessee.

MALCOM F. SMITH, _1st Lieutenant and Adjutant 6th U. S. Heavy Artillery, (colored.)_

A true copy.

J. H. ODLIN, _Captain and A. A. G._

[This evidence was received after the regular edition was printed.]

P. S. Since the report of the committee was prepared for the press, the following letter from the surgeon in charge of the returned prisoners was received by the chairman of the committee:

WEST'S BUILDINGS HOSPITAL, _Baltimore, Md., May 24, 1864_.

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to enclose the photograph of John Breinig, with the desired information written upon it. I am very sorry your committee could not have seen these cases when first received. No one, from these pictures, can form a true estimate of their condition then.

Not one in ten was able to stand alone; some of them so covered and eaten by vermin that they nearly resembled cases of small-pox, and so emaciated that they were _really_ living skeletons, and hardly _that_, as the result shows, forty out of one hundred and four having died up to this date.

If there has been anything so horrible, so fiendish, as this wholesale starvation, in the history of this satanic rebellion, I have failed to note it. Better the ma.s.sacres at Lawrence, Fort Pillow, and Plymouth than to be thus starved to death by inches, through long and weary months. I wish I had possessed the power to compel all the northern sympathizers with this rebellion to come in and look upon the work of the _chivalrous_ sons of the _hospitable_ and sunny south when these skeletons were first received here. A rebel colonel, a prisoner here, who stood with sad face looking on as they were received, finally shook his head and walked away, apparently ashamed that he held any relations to men who could be guilty of such deeds.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. CHAPEL.

Hon. B. F. WADE, _Chairman of Committee on the Conduct of the War, Senate U. S._

[Ill.u.s.tration: U. S. GENERAL HOSPITAL, DIV. No. 1, ANNAPOLIS, MD.

=Private FRANCIS W. BEEDLE=, COMPANY M, 8TH MICHIGAN CAVALRY,

Was admitted per Steamer New York, from Richmond, Va., May 2, 1864. Died May 3, 1864, from effects of treatment while in the hands of the enemy.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: WEST'S BUILDING HOSPITAL, BALTIMORE, MD.

=Private JOHN BREINIG=, COMPANY G, 4TH KENTUCKY CAVALRY,

Admitted April 18, 1864. Improved a little for two weeks, then gradually failed and died on the 12th instant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: U.S. GENERAL HOSPITAL, DIV. No. 1, ANNAPOLIS, MD.

=Private JOHN Q. ROSE=, COMPANY C, 8TH KENTUCKY VOLUNTEERS,

Admitted per Steamer New York, from Richmond, Va., May 2, 1864. Died May 4, 1864, from effects of treatment while in the hands of the enemy.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: U. S. GENERAL HOSPITAL, DIV. No. 1, ANNAPOLIS, MD.

=Private L. H. PARHAM=, COMPANY B, 3D WEST TENNESSEE CAVALRY,

Admitted per Steamer New York, from Richmond, Va., May 2, 1864. Died May 10, 1864, from effects of treatment while in the hands of the enemy.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: WEST'S BUILDING HOSPITAL, BALTIMORE, MD.

=Private GEORGE H. WIBLE=, COMPANY F, 9TH MARYLAND VOLUNTEERS,

Was admitted from Flag-of-truce boat April 18, 1864. Is slowly improving.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: WEST'S BUILDING HOSPITAL, BALTIMORE, MD.

=Private EDWARD CUNNINGHAM=, COMPANY F, 7TH OHIO CAVALRY,

Was admitted from Flag-of-truce boat April 18, 1864. Very little change in his condition since received.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: WEST'S BUILDING HOSPITAL, BALTIMORE, MD.

=Private LEWIS KLEIN=, COMPANY A, 14TH NEW YORK CAVALRY,

Admitted from Steamer New York, from Richmond, Va. April 18, 1864. Is improving nicely.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: WEST'S BUILDING HOSPITAL, BALTIMORE, MD.

=Private CHARLES R. WOODWORTH=, COMPANY G, 8TH MICHIGAN CAVALRY,

Was admitted from Flag-of-truce boat April 18, 1864. Has improved very much since received.]