Part 37 (1/2)

Answer. We came in at Waverly landing.

By the chairman:

Question. Have you heard since that re-enforcements under General Brayman were approaching to your relief?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. Did you hear how near they had got to you?

Answer. Within six miles of the place at four o'clock that morning.

By Mr. Gooch:

Question. Had you any conversation with the rebel officers while you were with them?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. Did you hear them say anything about negro troops, &c.?

Answer. Not much. I was talking with them about our regiment. They said when they first started to come there that they were going to get us, and seemed to be surprised to think we had fought them as well as we did, for they said they expected to get us without any trouble.

Question. Did they say why they expected to get you without any trouble?

Answer. No, sir. They said they would parole Hawkins again, and let him get some more horses, and knives, and things, and then they would come when they wanted him again.

Question. How did they treat our men?

Answer. They gave them nothing to eat until the second night, when they gave them about an ounce of fat bacon each. Some got a little bread, but a few of them, however. On Sunday morning they marched the men up in front of the court-house, pa.s.sed them in one at a time and searched them, taking boots, hats, coats, blankets, and money from them.

Question. Did they leave you without boots, coats, or blankets?

Answer. There were a great many of our men who had new boots, and the rebels would take the new boots and give them their old ones, and so they exchanged hats and blankets.

Question. How many days were you in reaching our lines after you escaped from the rebels?

Answer. I reached Waverly landing on Thursday, the 7th of April, and Cairo in two weeks from the time that I got away from them.

Captain P. K. Parsons, sworn and examined.

By Mr. Gooch:

Question. Were you at Union City when that place was surrendered?

Answer. Yes, sir.

Question. State briefly the circ.u.mstances attending the attack there and the surrender.

Answer. I think it was a few minutes after 4 o'clock in the morning that our pickets were driven in by the enemy. I was then sent out to look after them, and commenced skirmis.h.i.+ng with them just at daylight. Before sun-up they had surrounded the fort. They then made three or four charges, two on horseback, I believe, but they were repulsed very easily. They then did not do anything but use their sharpshooters until about ten minutes before 11 o'clock, when they sent in a flag of truce demanding an unconditional surrender. The colonel went out and received the demand and brought it in. He then called the officers together and asked what we thought of the matter. He turned to Captain Harris, as the oldest officer, and asked him what we should do. The captain said he was for fighting, and I believe other officers there said ”fight.” The colonel then asked me to ride out with him, and I did so. On our way out I told the colonel that I thought we had the rebels whipped unless they had re-enforcements, which I did not think they had. They gave us fifteen minutes more to consider. Then some officers said they thought they saw artillery out there. Captain Beattie said if they had artillery they could whip us, but not without. The colonel then went out and made an unconditional surrender of the fort, about sixteen officers and about 500 men. I guess there were 300 men and officers out of the 500 who wanted to fight.