Colonel Wm. H. Lawrence, sworn and examined.
By the chairman:
Question. What is your rank and position in the army?
Answer. I am colonel of the 34th New Jersey volunteers.
Question. Where are you stationed now, and how long have you been there stationed?
Answer. I am stationed at Columbus, and have been there since the end of January last.
Question. What do you know with regard to the attack and capture of Fort Pillow?
Answer. All I know about that is, that General Shipley arrived here on the 13th of April. He took me one side, and told me that as he passed Fort Pillow he was hailed from a gunboat, and told that there had been severe fighting there; that he saw a flag of truce at Fort Pillow, and that, after passing the fort a little distance, he saw the American flag hauled down, or the halliards shot away, he did not know which; and he afterward saw a flag, which was not raised higher than a regimental flag, and that he believed Fort Pillow had surrendered. He then offered me two batteries of light artillery, which he said were fully manned and equipped. He repeated this same conversation to General Brayman, as I understand, after arriving at Cairo.
Question. Did he give any reason why he did not undertake to assist the garrison at Fort Pillow?
Answer. No, sir.