Fort Pillow._

"John Nelson, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith:

"'At the time of the attack on and capture of Fort Pillow,
April 12, 1864, I kept a hotel within the lines at Fort
Pillow, and a short distance from the works. Soon after the
alarm was given that an attack on the fort was imminent, I
entered the works and tendered my services to Major Booth,
commanding. The attack began in the morning at about 5-1/2
o'clock, and about 1 o'clock P.M. a flag of truce
approached. During the parley which ensued, and while the
firing ceased on both sides, the rebels kept crowding up to
the works on the side near Cold Creek, and also approached
nearer on the south side, thereby gaining advantages pending
the conference under the flag of truce. As soon as the flag
of truce was withdrawn the attack began, and about five
minutes after it began the rebels entered the fort. Our
troops were soon overpowered, and broke and fled. A large
number of the soldiers, black and white, and also a few
citizens, myself among the number, rushed down the bluff
toward the river. I concealed myself as well as I could in a
position where I could distinctly see all that passed below
the bluff, for a considerable distance up and down the
river.

"'A large number, at least one hundred, were hemmed in near
the river bank by bodies of the rebels coming from both
north and south. Most all of those thus hemmed in were
without arms. I saw many soldiers, both white and black,
throw up their arms in token of surrender, and call out that
they had surrendered. The rebels would reply, 'G--d d--n
you, why didn't you surrender before?' and shot them down
like dogs.

"'The rebels commenced an indiscriminate slaughter. Many
colored soldiers sprang into the river and tried to escape
by swimming, but these were invariably shot dead.

"'A short distance from me, and within view, a number of our
wounded had been placed, and near where Major Booth's body
lay; and a small red flag indicated that at that place our
wounded were placed. The rebels however, as they passed
these wounded men, fired right into them and struck them
with the butts of their muskets. The cries for mercy and
groans which arose from the poor fellows were heart-rending.

"'Thinking t