CoverREPORTS
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR
FORT PILLOW MASSACRE.
RETURNED PRISONERS.
FORT PILLOW MASSACRE.
SENATE.
1st Session.}
{No. 63.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congressassembled, That the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War be, and they are hereby,instructed to inquire into the truth of the rumored slaughter of the Union troops, aftertheir surrender, at the recent attack of the rebel forces upon Fort Pillow, Tennessee; as,also, whether Fort Pillow could have been sufficiently re-enforced or evacuated, and if so,why it was not done; and that they report the facts to Congress as soon as possible.
Approved April 21, 1864.
REPORT.
The Joint Committee on the Conduct and Expenditures of the War, to whom wasreferred the resolution of Congress instructing them to investigate the latemassacre at Fort Pillow, designated two members of the committee—Messrs.Wade and Gooch—to proceed forthwith to such places as they might deemnecessary, and take testimony. That sub-committee having discharged thatduty, returned to this city, and submitted to the joint committee a report, withaccompanying papers and testimony. The report was read and adopted bythe committee, whose chairman was instructed to submit the same, with thetestimony, to the Senate, and Mr. Gooch to the House, and ask that the samebe printed.
Messrs. Wade and Gooch, the sub-committee appointed by the Joint Committeeon the Conduct and Expenditures of the War, with instructions to proceedto such points as they might deem necessary for the purpose of taking testimonyin regard to the massacre at Fort Pillow, submitted the following report to thejoint committee, together with the accompanying testimony and papers:
In obedience to the instructions of this joint committee adopted on the 18thultimo, your committee left Washington on the morning of the 19th, taking withthem the stenographer of this committee, and proceeded to Cairo and MoundCity, Illinois; Columbus, Kentucky; and Fort Pillow and Memphis, Tennessee;at each of which places they proceeded to take testimony.
Although your committee were instructed to inquire only in reference to theattack, capture, and massacre of Fort Pillow, they have deemed it proper totake some testimony in reference to the operations of Forrest and his commandimmediately preceding and subsequent to that horrible transaction. It will[Pg 2]appear, from the testimony thus taken, that the atrocities