Here is the letter President Lincoln wrote on the subject:
Hon. Secretary of War
Executive Mansion
Washington D.C. May 17, 1864
Please notify the insurgents, through the proper military channels and forms, that the government of the United States has satisfactory proof of the massacre, by the insurgent forces at Fort-Pillow, on the 12th and 13th days of April last, of fully ____ white and colored officers and soldiers of the United States, after the latter had ceased resistance, and asked quarter of the former.
That with reference to said massacre, the government of the United States has assigned and set apart by name _____ insurgent officers, theretofore, and up to that time, held by said government as prisoners of war.
That, as blood can not restore blood, and governments should not act for revenge, any assurance, as nearly as perfect as the case admits, given on or before the first day of July next, that there be shall be no more similar massacre, nor any officer or soldier of the United States, whether white or colored, now held, or hereafter captured by the insurgents, shall be treated other than according to the laws of war, will insure the replacing of said _____ insurgent officers in the simple condition of prisoner of war.
That the insurgents having refused either to exchange, or to give any account or explanation in regard to colored soldiers of the United States captured by them, a number of insurgent prisoners equal to the number of such colored soldiers supposed to have been captured by said insurgents will, from time to time, be asigned and set aside, with reference to such captured colored soldiers, and will, if the insurgents assent, be exchanged for such colored soldiers; but that if no satisfactory attention shall be given to this notice, by said insurgents, on or before the first day of July next, it will be assumed by the government of the United States, that said captured colored troops shall have been murdered, or subjected to Slavery, and that said government will, upon said assumption, take such action as may then appear expedient and just.
A. Lincoln
A lot of what CSA apologism tries to relate as federal barbarity were actions taken in response to the brutal treatment of black Union soldiers by CSA forces.
Walt
I suspect there is some truth to that. However, there were atrocities on both sides. It is difficult to know what the truth was when there are conflicting stories.
As a result of FR and some of your posts, I've looked into this time period more deeply than I otherwise would have. Thanks.