Elias Falls

Elias Falls was a Negro soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He survived the Battle of Fort Pillow, and was able to give testimony from his hospital bed to Senator Benjamin Wade and Congressman Daniel Gooch. Falls truthfully described seeing at least one Confederate officer attempt to stop the killing of a wounded Negro soldier, and that Nathan Bedford Forrest had ordered that there be no more killing of wounded or surrendering soldiers.

After Falls finished, Wade told the other soldiers in the ward that their purpose was to show the U.S. people that the C.S. and Forrest were monsters, and that they were not interested in testimony that suggested mercy.