Harper's Weekly Text
May 7, 1864,
p. 302 (1-2)
Synopsis
A
freed slave who joined the Union
army describes the skirmish at Fort Pillow. After a brave fight,
the Union troops were overrun at the fort and the Confederate
soldiers began killing everyone in sight. Many ran down to the
river to hide, but most were found and killed or severely
wounded. Though a few escaped, the freed slave was not one of the
luckiest few. Instead, he was wounded and tossed, still alive,
into a mass grave. Eventually, the freed slave managed to
disentangle himself from the corpses and climb to the open air,
where he lost consciousness. When he awoke, he was in a hospital
where one of his comrades had just died. Concluding his account,
the freed slave says that he hopes to be well soon so that he can
return to battle with renewed vigor.
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Historical Background:
"The Massacre at Fort Pillow"
April 30, 1864,
p. 283 (4)
Military Background:
"General N.B. Forrest"
February 18, 1865,
p. 109 (3-4)
Illustrations:
Portrait of Nathan Bedford Forrest
February 18,
1865, p. 109
Commentary:
"Retaliation"
April 30, 1864, p. 274
Illustrations:
"The Massacre at Fort Pillow"
April 30, 1864,
p. 284 (1-4)
"Rebel
Atrocities"
May 21, 1864,
pp. 328 (1) – 329 (4)
"This
is a White Man’s Government"
September 5, 1868,
p. 568 (1-4)
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