The Fort Pillow massacre

On 12 April 1864, Confederate soldiers led by Nathan Bedford Forrest attacked Fort Pillow. Despite being outnumbered three to one, US forces refused to surrender until shortly after 4pm when the garrison was overwhelmed. A Joint Committee on the Conduct and Expenditures of the War investigated the Fort Pillow massacre, and their findings were reported on by the New York Times in 1864: The rebels commenced an indiscriminate slaughter, sparing neither age nor sex, white nor black soldier nor civilian.