Sworn before me at Cairo, Illinois, this 18th day of April, 1864.
JNO. H. MUNROE,
_Assistant Adjutant General_.
A true copy.
J. H. ODLIN,
_Assistant Adjutant General_.
* * * * *
CAIRO, ILLINOIS, _April 23, 1864_.
Elvis Bevel, being duly sworn, deposeth and says:
I am a citizen of Osceola, Arkansas. I was driven from my home by
guerillas. I arrived at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, on the night of the 11th
of April, 1864. I was at Fort Pillow during the engagement between the
rebel forces under Forrest and Chalmers, and the United States garrison
at that place, on the 12th of April instant, 1864. About sun-up, the
alarm of rebels being in the fort was received at Major Booth's
headquarters. I took a position where I could see all that was done by
the rebel and United States forces. Deponent further saith: I saw the
contraband camps in flames at different points. Could see the
skirmishers of the rebels. Signals were given by Captain Bradford to
Captain Marshal, of the navy, commanding gunboat No. 7, to shell them
from post No. 1, which is in sight of the fort, which was done by
Captain Marshall. About one hour after sunrise, brisk skirmishing began.
The bullets from rebel infantry caused me to move from where I was, and
take position behind a large stump near the fort. About nine o'clock I
moved to the rear of the fort, where I could better see the rebels who
swarmed the bluff.
The rebels were here so near the gunboat that the crew under Captain
Marshall had to close their ports and use their small-arms. At one
o'clock p. m. the firing on both sides ceased. A flag of truce was sent
from the rebel lines to demand an unconditional surrender. While the
flag of truce was approaching the fort, I saw a battery of artillery
moved to a better position by the rebels, and saw their sharpshooters
approaching the fort from another quarter. At two o'clock the fight
began again; about fifteen or twenty minutes after I saw a charge made
by about two thousand on the breastworks and near it on the bluff. Sharp
fighting took place inside the fort of about five minutes' duration. I
saw their bayonets and swords. I saw the Union soldiers, black and
white, slaughtered while asking for quarter; heard their screams for
quarter, to which the rebels paid no attention. About one hundred left
the fort and ran down the bank of the bluff to the river, pursued by the
rebels, who surrounded them; in about twenty minutes, every one of them,
as far as I could see, were shot down by the rebels without mercy.
I left at this time, getting on the gunboat. On Thursday, the 14th of
April, I met Captain Farris, of Forrest's command, about six miles from
Fort Pillow, at Plum point: his soldiers said they were hunting for
negroes. I asked him if they took any prisoners at Fort Pillow. He said
they took some of the 13th Tennessee, who surrendered, but no others.