Fort Pillow is a fort in Henning, Tennessee on the Mississippi River that was used by both sides in the American Civil War. It was built by General Gideon Johnson Pillow in early 1862. Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ... Henning is a town located in Lauderdale County, Tennessee. ... Length 6,270 km Elevation of the source 450 m Average discharge Saint Louis¹: 5,500 m³/s Vicksburg²: 16,800 m³/s Baton Rouge³: 12,800 m³/s Area watershed 2,980,000 km² Origin  Lake Itasca Mouth  Gulf of Mexico Basin countries United States (98. ... The American Civil War (1861–1865) was fought in North America within the United States of America, between twenty-three mostly northern states of the Union and the Confederate States of America, a coalition of eleven southern states that declared their independence and claimed the right of secession from the... Gideon Johnson Pillow (June 8, 1806-October 8, 1878) was an American general. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Confederate troops evacuated Fort Pillow on June 4, 1862, in order not to be cut off from the rest of the Confederate Army. Motto: Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God our Vindicator) Anthem: God Save the South (unofficial) Dixie (popular) Capital Montgomery, Alabama February 4, 1861–May 29, 1861 Richmond, Virginia May 29, 1861–April 9, 1865 Danville, Virginia April 3–April 10, 1865 Largest city New Orleans February 4, 1861 until captured May... June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

The Battle of Fort Pillow

On April 12, 1864, men under the command of General Nathan Forrest recaptured Fort Pillow. The battle's details remain disputed and controversial to this day. What is known is that Forrest's men stormed the lightly guarded fort, inflicting heavy casualties on its defenders who quickly fell into disarray as the Union command - already short by several officers - collapsed. Conflicting reports of what happened next are the source of controversy The fort was occupied by 262 African American and 295 white soldiers. Union sources claimed that despite the fact that these men surrendered, Bedford's men massacred the Union soldiers in cold blood, burning and burying some alive. President Abraham Lincoln condemned the incident. Confederates and Forrest denied this claim. April 12 is the 102nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (103rd in leap years). ... 1864 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821 - October 29, 1877), perhaps the American Civil Wars most highly regarded cavalry officer, and one of the wars most innovative and successful generals, developed tactics that soldiers still study even today. ... African Americans, also known as Afro-Americans or black Americans, are an ethnic group in the United States of America whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Sub-Saharan and West Africa. ... An atrocity (from the Latin atrox, atrocious, from Latin ater = matte black (as distinct from niger = shiny black)) is a term used to describe crimes ranging from an act committed against a single person to one committed against a population or ethnic group. ... Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president from the Republican Party. ...

In the aftermath of this incident, Lincoln demanded that Confederates treat captured black Union soldiers as Prisoners of War. This demand was refused, and as a result, the exchanges of prisoners that had gone on during the war was ended. Geneva Convention definition A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict. ...

After the war, Forrest was allowed to return to private life.