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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC05620 |
| From Archive Folder | Unassociated Civil War Documents 1864 |
| Title | Abraham Lincoln to John P. Usher regarding the Battle of Fort Pillow |
| Date | 3 May 1864 |
| Author | Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | Discussing the Battle of Fort Pillow, Tennessee, President Lincoln informs Usher, Secretary of the Interior, "it is now quite certain that a large number of our colored soldiers, with their white officers, were, by the rebel force, massacred after they had surrendered ... " Requests Usher's counsel regarding the government's course of action following the Fort Pillow events. The letter was also sent to the rest of the cabinet, including Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles (see GLC07698). Signed by Lincoln. Written on Executive Mansion stationery. |
| Subjects | Battle of Fort Pillow (Fort Pillow Massacre) Fortification President Civil War Military History Union Forces Lincoln's Cabinet Battle Battle of Fort Pillow (Fort Pillow Massacre) African American Troops African American History Confederate States of America Death Atrocity Massacre Prisoner of War Surrender Government and Civics |
| People | Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) |
| Place written | Washington, D.C. |
| Theme | The American Civil War; African Americans |
| Sub-collection | Papers and Images of the American Civil War |
| Additional Information | The battle of Fort Pillow occurred on 12 April 1864. It is estimated that 560 Union troops fought 1,500-2,000 Confederate soldiers in the Battle of Fort Pillow, Tennessee. Most of the Union soldiers killed at Fort Pillow, both during and after the battle, were African American. Much historical controversy exists regarding the historical facts of the Battle of Fort Pillow. All cabinet members agreed that the Confederate government should be called on to avow or disavow the massacre. John Usher, Secretary of the Interior from 1863-1865, advised no retaliation against innocent Confederate hostages, but advised that orders be issued to commanders to execute the actual offenders if captured. |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Civil War, Reconstruction and the Modern Era: 1860-1945 |
| Related documents | Abraham Lincoln to Gideon Welles discussing the Battle of Fort Pillow |
| Transcript | Show/hide |