What This Bill Does
This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of Fort Pillow Historic State Park in Henning, Tennessee. The study will evaluate whether the site has national significance and whether it should become a unit of the National Historic Park System (a group of historic sites protected and managed by the federal government).
Who It Affects
The Secretary of the Interior and the National Park Service will conduct the study. The study may potentially affect Fort Pillow Historic State Park in Henning, Tennessee and its visitors.
Key Provisions
* The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a special resource study of Fort Pillow Historic State Park in Henning, Tennessee (Sec. 3)
* The Secretary shall evaluate the site's national significance (Sec. 3)
* The Secretary shall determine the suitability and feasibility of designating Fort Pillow as a unit of the National Historic Park System (Sec. 3)
What Changes
If this bill becomes law, the federal government will officially study Fort Pillow Historic State Park. The study will assess whether Fort Pillow should become a federally protected National Historic Park rather than remaining only a state park.
Important Definitions
* United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.): African American soldiers who fought for the Union during the American Civil War
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1232
To conduct a special resource study of Fort Pillow Historic State Park
in Henning, Tennessee, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 28, 2023
Mr. COHEN (for himself, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms.
KELLY of Illinois, Ms. NORTON, and Mr. RASKIN) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To conduct a special resource study of Fort Pillow Historic
State Park in Henning, Tennessee, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as ‘‘Fort Pillow National Bat-
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tlefield Park Study Act’’.
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
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Congress finds as follows:
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(1) Fort Pillow was originally built by Confed-
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erate troops in 1861 and named after General Gid-
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eon J. Pillow of Maury County, Tennessee.
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•HR 1232 IH
(2) The battle of Fort Pillow was fought on
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April 12, 1864, at Fort Pillow in Henning, Ten-
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nessee, during the American Civil War.
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(3) At Fort Pillow, Tennessee, Confederate
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forces never defeated the Union Navy. Instead, they
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perpetrated a heinous massacre after violating a flag
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of truce by advantageously repositioning rebel troops
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and by looting government buildings and private
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storefronts surrounding the fort.
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(4) According to the 1864 Report ‘‘Fort Pillow
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Massacre’’ from the United States Congress Joint
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Committee on the Conduct of the War, ‘‘The officers
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and men seem to vie with each other in the devilish
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work; men, women and even children, wherever
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found, were deliberately shot down, beaten and
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hacked with sabers. . . .’’.
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(5) The Union garrison consisted of 19 officers
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and 538 troops of whom 262 were United States
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Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.).
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(6) Per the report, ‘‘Of the men, from three
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hundred to four hundred are known to have been
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killed at Fort Pillow, of whom at least three hundred
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were murdered in cold blood after the fort was in
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possession of the rebels and our men had thrown
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down their arms and ceased to offer resistance.’’.
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•HR 1232 IH
(7) The massacre at Fort Pillow demonstrated
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to all U.S.C.T. that surrender was not an option.
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The massacre at Fort Pillow became a rallying cry
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and motivation for the 209,147 U.S.C.T.
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(8) The 209,147 U.S.C.T. fundamentally con-
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tributed to the Union’s defeat of the Confederacy.
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(9) In 1971, Fort Pillow became a State park.
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(10) In 1973, Fort Pillow was added to the Na-
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tional Register of Historic Places.
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(11) The following year, in 1974, Fort Pillow
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was designated as a National Historic Landmark.
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(12) Fort Pillow Historic State Park consists of
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1,642 acres.
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(13) The Park contains several attraction areas
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such as a Civil War museum, hiking trail, camping
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ground, and picnic area.
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(14) This site deserves to become a National
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Battlefield Park due to its profound effect on
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U.S.C.T. and all Union forces in their fight to pre-
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serve the United States of America.
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SEC. 3. FORT PILLOW SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY.
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The Secretary of the Interior shall conduct a special
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resource study of Fort Pillow Historic State Park in
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Henning, Tennessee. Fort Pillow is a State park that fea-
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•HR 1232 IH
tures the American Civil War history and the Massacre
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at Fort Pillow. The Secretary shall—
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(1) evaluate the site’s national significance; and
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(2) determine the suitability and feasibility of
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designating it as a unit of the National Historic
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Park System.
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Æ
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