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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC07698 |
| From Archive Folder | Unassociated Civil War Documents 1864 |
| Title | Abraham Lincoln to Gideon Welles discussing 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 Welles, Secretary of the Navy, "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 Welles 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 Interior John P. Usher (see GLC05620). Signed by Lincoln. Written on Executive Mansion stationery. |
| Subjects | Fortification President Lincoln's Cabinet Civil War Union Forces African American History African American Troops Battle of Fort Pillow (Fort Pillow Massacre) Battle Massacre Atrocity Confederate States of America Prisoner of War Surrender Death Government and Civics |
| People | Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865) Welles, Gideon (1802-1878) |
| Place written | Washington, D.C. |
| Theme | African Americans; The American Civil War |
| 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. |
| Module | Civil War, Reconstruction and the Modern Era: 1860-1945 |
| Related documents | Abraham Lincoln to John P. Usher regarding the Battle of Fort Pillow |