After 150 years of an unsolved mystery, the question still remains whether the battle on Fort Pillow was a battle or a massacre.
April 12, marks the 150th anniversary of Fort Pillow. The African and African-American studies and the Association for Black Studies will host the "Battle or Massacre" event April 10 at 1 p.m. in the University Center River Room 300.
The event feature a documentary called "Remembering Fort Pillow," produced by Dr. Dee Garceau from Rhodes College. Scholars along with descendants of survivors of Fort Pillow will commentate after the showing of the documentary film.
"There are multiple voices and viewpoints, therefore, it is important to present a holistic and accurate depiction of events," Cynthia Sadler, an African American studies professor, said.
On April 12, 1864, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest led a battle on Fort Pillow, a Union army post located near Memphis.
The controversy regarding Fort Pillow continues because it represents a time period when the nation was engulfed in a Civil War that divided the country into Confederate and Union states.
Different sides are being argued because there are Union and Confederate interpretations of Nathan Bedford Forrest's attack at Fort Pillow.
"People still discuss this battle because most Confederate interpretations describe it as a battle, whereas most Union interpretations consider it a massacre," Sadler said.
It is considered a massacre because Forrest continued his attack although the Union soldiers had surrendered. Some people still remember the event document that Forrest issued as an order of "No quarter" or no mercy.
An investigation by the Joint Committee on the Conduct and Expenditures of War was held shortly after the attack.
