The Fort Pillow Massacre

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A chromolithographic print depicting the massacre at Fort Pillow, with General Nathan Bedford Forrest's Confederate troops using rifles, knives and bayonets to attack the surrendering Federal force along with unarmed African American men, women and children. The Confederate troops are pictured holding a Confederate flag at center, advancing on victims along the banks of the Mississippi River. The battle continues on the bluffs in the background, where Confederate troops are firing upon Union forces under a white flag. Printed along the bottom margin of the print is text reading: [April 12' 1864, UNION: (MAJ. BOOTH, COM.) COLORED T. 262 (MAJ. BRADFORD) W. T. 276 & CIV., 350 K, 60 W & 164 MIS., CONF: (GEN. FORREST) 20 K & 60 W].

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