Battle of Fort Pillow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Fort Pillow |
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| Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
 Caption in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper (New York), May 7, 1864, "The war in Tennessee: Confederate massacre of black Union troops after the surrender at Fort Pillow, April 12, 1864" |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |
 Confederate States |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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| Units involved | |||||||
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Fort Pillow garrison
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1st Division, Forrest's Cavalry Corps | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 600 | 1,500–2,500 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 221 killed, 130 wounded |
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The Battle of Fort Pillow, also known as the Fort Pillow massacre, happened on April 12, 1864. It took place at Fort Pillow on the Mississippi River in Henning, Tennessee, during the American Civil War. The battle ended in a tragic event where Union soldiers, many of whom were African American, were killed after trying to surrender. This happened under the command of Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest. Many historians call it one of the saddest moments in American military history.
Contents
Why Fort Pillow Was Important
The Fort's Location and Design
Fort Pillow was built in early 1862 by Confederate Brigadier General Gideon Johnson Pillow. It was located on a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River, about 40 miles (64 km) north of Memphis. Both sides used the fort during the war. Union forces took over the fort in June 1862 and used it to protect the river approach to Memphis.
The fort had strong defenses, including three lines of trenches. These trenches were arranged in a semicircle with a thick, high wall (called a parapet) around them. This wall was 4 feet (1.2 m) thick and 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 m) high, with a ditch outside it. However, this design made it hard for defenders to shoot at enemies who got too close. A Union gunboat, the USS New Era, also helped defend the fort.
African American Soldiers and Confederate Anger
The Union Army began using United States Colored Troops, which were regiments of African American soldiers. President Abraham Lincoln also issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared many enslaved people free. These actions made the Confederates very angry. They believed it was "uncivilized" to have black soldiers fighting against them.
In response, the Confederacy passed a law in May 1863. This law stated that captured black U.S. soldiers would not be treated as regular prisoners of war. Instead, they would be sent to the state where they were captured and tried under state laws. This often meant they could be forced back into slavery.
Forrest's Plan to Attack
In March 1864, Confederate Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest led a large cavalry raid into West Tennessee and Kentucky. His goal was to capture Union soldiers and supplies, and to destroy Union posts. Forrest's forces included about 7,000 troopers.
Forrest decided to attack Fort Pillow because he needed supplies and horses. He had between 1,500 and 2,500 men for this attack.
Who Defended Fort Pillow?
The Union soldiers defending Fort Pillow numbered about 600 men. They were almost equally divided between African American and white troops. The African American soldiers were from the 6th U.S. Regiment Colored Heavy Artillery and the 2nd Colored Light Artillery. Many of these soldiers were formerly enslaved people. They knew that if they lost, they might be forced back into slavery. They had also heard that some Confederates threatened to kill black Union troops.
The white soldiers were mostly new recruits from Bradford's Battalion, a Union unit from west Tennessee. Major Lionel F. Booth was in charge of the fort, but he had only been there for two weeks.
The Battle Begins
Confederate Attack and Union Commanders
General Forrest arrived at Fort Pillow around 10:00 AM on April 12. His forces quickly surrounded the fort. Forrest himself was bruised when a bullet hit his horse. He placed sharpshooters on higher ground, giving them a clear shot into the fort.
Major Booth, the Union commander, was killed by a sharpshooter's bullet. Major William F. Bradford then took command. By 11:00 AM, the Confederates had captured some barracks (soldier housing) near the fort. The Union soldiers had failed to destroy these buildings, so the Confederates used them to fire on the fort's defenders.
Demand for Surrender
The fighting continued until 3:30 PM. Then, Forrest sent a message demanding that the Union soldiers surrender. He promised that if they surrendered, they would be treated as prisoners of war. He also warned that if they refused, he could not be responsible for what happened next.
Major Bradford replied, asking for an hour to think about it. He did not want the Confederates to know that Major Booth had been killed. Forrest, worried that Union reinforcements might arrive by river, only gave them 20 minutes. Bradford refused to surrender. Forrest then ordered his men to charge.
The Final Assault
The Confederate attack was very strong. Sharpshooters kept firing into the fort. A first wave of soldiers jumped into the fort's ditch, and a second wave used their backs as steps to climb up the wall. They then helped the first wave climb up. This all happened very quickly.
The Union gunboat, USS New Era, did not fire during the assault because its gun ports were closed. The Union soldiers fought briefly but then ran towards the river, hoping the gunboat would protect them. However, the gunboat did not fire. Many fleeing soldiers were shot from behind or drowned in the river.
The Fort Pillow Massacre
What Happened After the Battle
What happened next at Fort Pillow is a very sad and debated part of American history. Union survivors said that even though many of their troops surrendered, Forrest's men continued to shoot or stab them. They reported hearing the Confederates shout, "No quarter! No quarter!" This meant they would not take prisoners.
Confederate sources, however, claimed their men kept firing in self-defense because the Union soldiers, even while fleeing, still had their weapons and sometimes shot back. The Union flag was also still flying over the fort, which could mean the fort had not formally surrendered.
Investigations and Reports
The United States Congress Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War immediately investigated the event. Union newspapers widely reported the incident, calling it a "massacre" and "indiscriminate slaughter." They said that most of the Union soldiers, especially the African American ones, were killed after they had surrendered.
Historians today generally agree that a large number of Union soldiers were killed after they had stopped fighting or were unable to resist. However, whether it was planned or officially ordered by Confederate commanders is still debated.
Lieutenant Daniel Van Horn, a Union officer, stated that the fort never officially surrendered. But other Union officers said that unarmed soldiers were indeed killed after trying to surrender.
Casualties and Impact
The number of casualties varies in different reports. Confederate casualties were low, with about 14 killed and 86 wounded. Union casualties were much higher, with around 277 to 297 reported dead out of 585 to 605 men.
Historians note that the number of casualties was very different for black and white soldiers. Only about 58 (20%) of the black soldiers were taken prisoner, while about 168 (60%) of the white soldiers were captured. Major Bradford, a white officer, was also reportedly shot after surrendering.
The Confederates left Fort Pillow that same evening. They gained little from the battle except causing a temporary problem for Union operations. The Union forces used the "Fort Pillow massacre" as a rallying cry, which strengthened their determination to win the war.
Aftermath and Legacy
Prisoner Exchange Policy
After Fort Pillow, General Ulysses S. Grant ordered General Benjamin F. Butler to demand that black soldiers be treated the same as white soldiers in prisoner exchanges. If the Confederates refused, Grant said the Union would stop exchanging prisoners.
The Confederacy refused this demand. Confederate Secretary of War James Seddon said they doubted if exchanging "negroes" for their soldiers would be allowed.
Before the massacre, President Abraham Lincoln had already issued an "Order of Retaliation" in July 1863. This order stated that for every U.S. soldier killed against the rules of war, a Confederate soldier would be executed. For every U.S. soldier enslaved, a Confederate soldier would be put to hard labor. This policy was a threat, but it helped lead the Confederate army to quietly treat Union black soldiers as real soldiers for the rest of the war.
Fort Pillow Today
Fort Pillow is now preserved as the Fort Pillow State Historic Park. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1974.
The remains of the soldiers killed at Fort Pillow were moved to Memphis National Cemetery in 1867. Many of the graves have been identified. A special ceremony is held each year to remember the soldiers, especially the African American ones, who died there.
Historians have noted that in the minds of some Southerners at the time, enslaved people could not be soldiers. This belief may have led to the harsh treatment of African American soldiers at Fort Pillow and other places.
Fort Pillow in Popular Culture
The story of Fort Pillow has appeared in many books and films.
- Mark Twain mentioned Fort Pillow in his book Life on the Mississippi (1883), calling it a "massacre."
- The novel The Falling Hills (1967) by Perry Lentz focuses on the Fort Pillow Massacre.
- The film Last Stand at Saber River (1997) features a Confederate soldier character who was at the Fort Pillow massacre and describes it as murder.
- A documentary called The Forgotten Battle of Fort Pillow was made in 1999.
- Harry Turtledove wrote a historical novel about the battle called Fort Pillow (2006).
- In the 2016 TV miniseries Roots, a character named Chicken George fights at the Battle of Fort Pillow and escapes.
