The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-08-04

|
ierred TO our columns for the information of our
readers who, we are well aware, feel deep in
teres' in every thing that attaches to the Brave
| old General"
OLD PoINT, August 8. 1876.
GenHemen-At an early hour this morning the
Court ut Enquiry was densey crowded by visi-
ters OF both sexes. eager 10 hear the justification
and defence of the old war worn veteran. Gen.
Gaines, who. rumor had it, and truly too was 10
submit To the Court plain and unvarnshed
| statement of all facts connected with the enuui
ries now being instituted by the Court convened
at this station AT the usual hour the Court was
| opened, but Gen. g., not being in readiness, the
Court INDUCED him until IL | g o'clock, at which
hour. in obedience to its summons, the General
| made his appearance, accompanied by his aid .
| Lieut. Calhoun, the son of Hon. J. G.. Calhoun
The proceeding of the last day having been read
Zen. e.. rendered an apology for the delay coca.
stoned to The Court, remarkng that /" his efTurts
had been. not to see how many pages he could
! prepare in his justification, but how few" With
| this apology he proceeded to remark. that il
had been his purpose to prepare an elaborate
statement of all the facts and issues involved
| IN this investigation, and To invoke testimony of
The most distinguished character from Louisiana
and other places in his justifica tion-bpt that he
1 L
In the steps he had taken in reference to this
while matter. he had sought and held conferences
with many OF the most prominent and distinguished
men of the Southland he avowed that in an off
cial intercourse of forty years duration. amid his
hest efforts to defend the country, promptIv and
ably sustained as they had been. he never had
met a more cordial CO operation than in the pre
sent instance. That being in the office Of the
Governor of Louisiana just few minutes after
nf (Npn TauI nt,c
( tionary promptly communicated with the Lepis
lature. who Immediately appropriated 5000 900,
and ordered 5U,U )O volunteers tn be raised That
such Governor and such Legislature, inspired
by the recollecions OF the last war, were fit and
appropriate persons 10 put the ball in notion
That being cordially aided by him and them in
MS efforts To raise and organize the Regiments
proposed by hint was his intention to prepare.
as already stated. elaborate Justification. and to
introduce the Governor and Legislature as wit
nesses-but remembering that he had with him
the vote of thanks of the Legislature communi-
Gated by The Governor, he adjudged such effi,rt
wholly unnecessary. At his instance, the Re.
corder here read the Resolutions referred to-
which resolutions (alihoueh in printed form. J
would be avowed by the Governor and LepisIa
tuTe 1t they were present, but not being present.
1t their genuineness were questioned by the Court
he had in his possession the original manuscript
would take especial pleasure in exhibiting to the
Court. Having stated his conduct was approved
by the Legislature of Louisiana, and thousands
OF the most Intelligent citizens of the South; he
remarked, that he would now, in the most concise
manner possible, revert TO the occurrences which
transpired after his leaving New Orleans. That
having received an order from the President of
the United States on the 10th of June, TO report
himself in Washington, he accordingly on the
npy d,vo nhor l.aI t;,t,a At
had duties to discharge, SC. That on his arrival
at Mobile. he was called on by Gov. Chambers,
and notified that two Regiments which had been
formed, &c, were in a state of disorder, in con
sequence OF being commanded by officers of equal
grade, neither one cOnceding the superiority of
the other, and being Informed by the Governor
that some steps must he taken to remedy the
evil-he appointed Gen. w. Smith. the Briga.
der General, tO take command of the two Repi.
ments. Gen. Smith he knew well--and knew
him TO he a talented and mertorious officer. That
he performed this duty without any DELAY. That
he had the right to perform it, not being under
arrest, his sword not having been taken away
from him. II was true that he had heen told
mat zen. Brooke was 10 take the command, but
Cen Brooke was thousand miles off He
did it, upon the principle of meeting an enemy.
who was about to attack The city, if the city were
| attacked. notwithstanding his orders to % to
washington, ne MAD put one course to DurSue,
and that was To meet the enemy and to beat him
and to save The city. Suppose he were TO aban.
don the city to its fate-and assign as the reason
that he had orders to 90 tn Washington-would
he not he running away from duty and incur there
by disgrace? Could he quit Mobile under such
circumstances. especially when it was in his power
to say To suitable officer. take the command cor
rect the disorder and proceed 10 The seat of war
where your services needed. To his aid. who
acted as Asst Adj't General, he would refer for
full corroboration Of this whole matter
He remarked. that he was pleased as ii was in
his power to sa We The court and himself the trou
bic of their hearing and his reading twenty pages
which he had written 10 show what he designed
Ia subStantaid by the witnesses from New Orleans.
as he found an extract in the printed Document
which saved them and him the necessity of going
over that ground-that Document was n letter
from Washington. dated War Department. oSfb
August, I845--in which the statement is made
- that acquisitions for troops upon the Goyerno,
of the several States is vested only in the presi
dent. and restricted alone TO him. except in TWO
or three specific cases-cases in all which the
emergency must he great, the peril imminent to
the country That his redusiliOns for troops
was IN accordance with the principle disclosed-
that Gen. Taylor and his army were in circumstan-
ces OF extreme peril, and Of imminent danger
was TACT TOO palpabe TO be contrOvered--a fact
which can be aiiested by thousands Of oDr most
intelligent citizens, both in Louisiana and Texas
and a fact-belieyed by the President himself !