Part 55 (1/2)

Answer. I owned 215 acres of the fort, bordering on the river, and the very land we fought on. I was putting in 100 acres of cotton just outside the fortifications, which was my princ.i.p.al business.

Question. You lived outside the fort?

Answer. Yes, sir--slept there. I was in the fort every day; it was only about a mile from the landing--not a mile from the fortifications.

Question. Just say when you saw Forrest's men; the day and the time of day, and what you did.

Answer. On Tuesday morning, the 12th of this month, I was awakened about five o'clock, or half past five, by a little darkey boy, who came up to my room and says: ”Oh, Mr. Benton, all of Forrest's men have come, and they are just going into the fort. What will I do?” I got out of bed and looked out of the window towards the fort, and saw about three or four hundred of Forrest's men drawn up in line, and some one was making a speech to them, which was answered by cheering. They cheered, and then the pickets fired. I put some things in my valise and started for the fort in a roundabout way, and got in, by running the pickets, about six o'clock, and went immediately to Major Booth and asked for a gun, and took my stand with the soldiers inside the breastworks, where I remained and shot at every person of Forrest's men that I could get a chance at, firing forty-eight shots in all, until the flag of truce was sent in.

Question. About what was the time of day it came in?

Answer. It came in about two o'clock, I should think--half past one or two o'clock in the afternoon.

Question. Had they made any attack then?

Answer. Oh, yes, sir.

Question. Had they tried to carry the fort by storm and been repulsed?

Answer. At one time the confederate troops had all disappeared.

Question. Were four hundred all there were there?

Answer. Those were all I saw there. This was when they first made their appearance when I first saw these four hundred. After getting into the fort we saw more than a thousand coming in at the different pa.s.ses, and the sharpshooters were stationed on every hill on every side of us except the river side.

Question. Do you recollect how many attacks they made to carry the fort before the flag of truce came?

Answer. It is not proper to call their fighting but one attack upon the fort, although they all, or nearly all, seemed to be driven outside the outside works at one time, and soon came back fighting harder and in greater force than before.

Question. Did they use artillery?

Answer. Yes, sir. They did not hurt us with that; they shot at the gunboats.

Question. When the flag of truce came in did they make any disposition of their troops around the fort there?

Answer. Yes, sir; after the flag of truce was sent in and the firing ceased they came up on all sides to within ten yards of the very embankments that screened us.

Question. While the flag of truce was waiting?

Answer. Yes, sir; more especially on the northern side, just under the bank looking towards Coal Creek.

Question. How long was that flag inside of our lines?

Answer. One hour was the time. I suppose it was all of an hour.

Question. Do you know the nature of it?

Answer. It was for an unconditional surrender.

Question. It was refused by Major Booth?