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At daybreak, the 2nd Missouri Cavalry, of McCulloch's brigade, was sent forward to drive in the pickets, rushing them so quickly that the entire outer defense line was soon abandoned. Part of the Thirteenth Tennessee then moved out to contest the Confederate advance, backed by fire from the fort's artillery and from a nearby gunboat, the ''New Era''. However, taking advantage of the thick underbrush that lay between the outer and middle lines, the Rebel soldiers were by mid-morning able to gain the second line of defense, bringing them within 300 yards of the main fortification, within which all the Union troops now withdrew. In the course of this early fighting, Major Booth, the post commander, was shot and killed; Major Bradford, described by a senior officer as "a good officer, though not of much experience," now took command.
At daybreak, the 2nd Missouri Cavalry, of McCulloch's brigade, was sent forward to drive in the pickets, rushing them so quickly that the entire outer defense line was soon abandoned. Part of the Thirteenth Tennessee then moved out to contest the Confederate advance, backed by fire from the fort's artillery and from a nearby gunboat, the ''New Era''. However, taking advantage of the thick underbrush that lay between the outer and middle lines, the Rebel soldiers were by mid-morning able to gain the second line of defense, bringing them within 300 yards of the main fortification, within which all the Union troops now withdrew. In the course of this early fighting, Major Booth, the post commander, was shot and killed; Major Bradford, described by a senior officer as "a good officer, though not of much experience," now took command.
At about 11:00 a.m., Forrest himself arrived on the field and took over direction of the operations. He promptly ordered McCulloch's brigade to press forward again and seize several barracks and other outbuildings that lay between the middle line and the fort's thick earthen parapet, which it succeeded in doing despite heavy fire from the fort. At this point, the Confederates were at such close range that the fort's artillery could not be sufficiently depressed in elevation to be of further effect against them; the remaining fighting would be done chiefly via small arms.
At about 11:00 a.m., Forrest himself arrived on the field and took over direction of the operations. He promptly ordered McCulloch's brigade to press forward again and seize several barracks and other outbuildings that lay between the middle line and the fort's thick earthen parapet, which it succeeded in doing despite heavy fire from the fort. At this point, the Confederates were at such close range that the fort's artillery could not be sufficiently depressed in elevation to be of further effect against them; the remaining fighting would be done chiefly via small arms.
'''Demand for Surrender'''
At midday, with the Confederates now covering most of the landward approaches to Fort Pillow, a temporary lull ensued, broken only by periodic long-range fire. More ammunition was brought up for the attackers from the rear, while Forrest undertook a more thorough reconnaissance of the field (being slightly injured in the process when his horse was shot from under him). Finally, at about 1:00 p.m., Forrest directed Colonel Bell to advance the balance of his brigade towards the fort, via the deep ravine formed by Coal Creek on its northern side. Though a lengthy maneuver, this movement, covered by a large body of sharpshooters to suppress concentrated fire from the fort, was ultimately successful, and by 3:00 p.m. or so, Bell's men, like McCulloch's, were close enough and at a low enough angle that the Union defenders could not easily fire on them.
Despite the fort's inner defenses being still intact to this point, and despite the presence of the ''New Era'' that continued to periodically fire on the Confederates, Forrest now felt confident that he could seize Fort Pillow without much difficulty. Towards 3:30 p.m. he called a cease-fire and sent forward under a flag of truce a demand for the garrison's surrender. As was typical in his messages under such conditions, he promised that if the Union troops surrendered at once, they would be given proper treatment as prisoners of war, but if the Confederates were forced to take the fort by mass assault, "I cannot be responsible for the fate of your command." He addressed this to "Major Booth," not knowing that officer had been killed in the morning's fighting.
As the demand for surrender was delivered, lookouts on both sides spotted a steamer coming downriver with Federal troops on board, followed by two more coming upriver from Memphis. Major Bradford (responding to the message in Booth's name) requested from Forrest one hour in which to consult with his officers and the officers of the gunboat and make a decision. Suspecting this was a ploy to gain time in which to be reinforced from the approaching steamers, Forrest replied, allowing no more than twenty minutes; "if at the expiration of that time the fort is not surrendered, I shall assault it."
Based on later testimony, Bradford and the other officers believed that even if the main fortification was overrun--which they deemed unlikely, given the stoutness of the parapet--and the garrison forced to abandon the fort, the gunboat ''New Era'' could easily cover their retreat with volleys of canister (short-range artillery) and break up the Rebel pursuit. After a short consultation, Bradford responded to Forrest's demand with the simple message, "I will not surrender." On receiving this refusal, shortly before 4:00 p.m., Forrest gave orders to begin the attack.
{{Campaignbox Forrest's Expedition 1864}}
{{Campaignbox Forrest's Expedition 1864}}