Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-07-03
GENERAL GAINES.

GENERAL GAINES. -,
The President laid before the SENATE SS on
24lh ullimo) the following leIel ioN' - ,u,s
Gaines to The Department oil "a''
read and ordered 10 be printed
HEAD QUARTERS WESTERN DlvisIoS'
New Orleans, June I'm, 1910 vour
Sir: have 10 acknowledge inc nono' -
letter oil the 18th May-lasl monlh. n.,,nen,
II was with surprise learned lhe .ao,s.r
of War regarded with disapprobation t,e lequI.
m.ds by mo mon The Governors OF Kentucky
and other States for assistance al lhe ,,".I
was made nhe 4lh OF May asl Genera ~ tn ~,
was in the most critical situation lie hda ~"
left with neither adequate means nor li'.. " r,v
tain The national honor-opposed 10 sn am
near four times as strong as his own, anu cus VA
from his military stores. The conn'iJ va" ..s d.
tain whether he could escape aes. uI''on ,,,a 90
his own galantry, and the lndoili'ao.a: ,o.oa ~
of his officers AMI men, ana inc J;f;o,l,y
God, he exricated himself from .ne m con-, n
Al this crisis he requested troops " " a rdsr
him with all possible dispatch. As commanuei
oil this division OF the United States army iu
mediatel5 sought the means OF meeting DIS WISH,
es And | would have deemed myseli 1ee'ean'
TO my trust, ard meriling dismissal iiou' sne f,r
vice, if had postponed action on 'nc SUIT;
two weeks, until orders could have oeeh iece''e1
from Washington -, .,,,,tcr
The War Department may deem 'he n"".o .:
Of troops asked BY ne as greater man u,I -
gcncy required. This, must confess mu au nd
Ionish me- as The War Department a ~ ooo Hnu
procured bill authorizing me lepy w % 900,
lunleers, and appropratns Slu'ooooool 6" UNI
lions 10 meet The same exiSenc}'
The War Denarlment seems 10 be oil opinion
that there is no Discretionary power lodged in me
10 act without positive order. !, therefore, Wouiu
ask. for information, il a servie insurreclioh
should occur; if an Eruption should be made by
Ia rge tribes OF Indians; If a swarm oil steamers,
with Paixhan guns, were seen hoVeiihS aoou'
this sea coast or il a General, at The head OF
orea, part Of The army of the United States upon
the frontier Of a neiehboring State near me,
should ask assistance, would il be my duty 10 re-
fuse all aid until should have received oiue's
from Washington humbly conceive tnat lhe
latter case has existed within The last monlni anu
| / have erred in deeming General Iaylol
and his army in situation SO hazardous
Is 10 demand immediate succour, il Is erro,
,nder which the country, the Congress, and
he War Department, have equally labored.-
Had assistance been delayed by me, and haa
General Taylor and his army been cut OIL
| would have regarded il as an indebe SIG
ma upon my name. am aware that Inc e1-
e.cise ofsuch discretion must ever be al Inc
n,ril Of The officer eXercisingl That peril can
nger hesitate 10 incur whenever The welfare oil
| the country demands it, ii exercise il unwlse-
IL. am willing that my commission shall be Tor
teitd: or il exercise il vainly, or for dlshonor-
able PURPOSES | am willing 10 be Shot. am
NOR. than willing 10 abide the consequences OF
my conduct in this matter, confident as am, that
haze moi transcribed my duty, or acted with
greler zeal than the emergency required. II shc
baths OF the Slh and 9Th Of May, SO we'll contest
ed al they were fol a time on both sides, had re-
sue( in The loss OF Taylor's army, il would have
plunged the whole Union into deep mourning, and
into that most poignant OF all human greis, an abb
ding s,nse of se-reproach for The settled and cold
indifference with which his want Of competent
force ant supplies had been for months witnessed
The talented and gallant General De Buys,
who for; long time commanded the finest d.
vision OF volunteers | have ever seen since the
war of 1914 and Is, and who, | am sure, has no
superior for the command Of this description Of
force. whL.. Texada, Esq, one OF The most pro-
missing Young members OF the Legislature, and
the talented Judge Bryce, were not, as YOU seem
to suppose, private citizens. They were Louisi
ana volunteers, and gentlemen OF high respecta-
bli,y, and were appointed BY me TO act as Off
Gers Of the general staff, upon the same principle
iha. the distinguished Edward Livingston, A. L.
Duncan, and John r. Grymes, all lirst.rate law
yers, were appointed by Jackson 10 act as staff
officers.
Jackson's object was as my object has ever
been npon such occasions, 10 maintain The great
principle upon which The defence and the indie
pendence OF our beloved Union must forever de-
pend; that 10 be a private volunteer is 10 hold
station Of high honor whence an acting general
staff may, with strict propriety, be taken and put
on duty in The absence OF The regular staff OF The
army.
These appointments, AMI all the measures Ia
ken By me, 10 which YOU object, were deemed by
me as essential duties and discharged BY me up
on principles sanctioned by The greatest and best
of men ever known 10 me, some Of whom took
their degrees IN military and political science IN
The school Of oar beloved Washington, Greene
and Knox; and in the more civic school OF JEFF
terson, and Dearborn and Gallalin; and, though
last, not least, in The school vi Madison, Eusis,
Dallas, and Armstrong, Monroe and Calhoun,
the master spirits OF The war OF 1912 to 1914 and
rs.
BE assured, sir, that will obey with much
pleasure The orders of the President oi the United
States, according 10 nv oath OF office. As 10 The
reprimanLs with which you have konorei me in
the last year and in the last and present month,
although they strike me as novelties, not being
warranted By The sentence Of general cour;-mar-
lldl, yet cdItlcSSly Suull " t!tii!, d. tcl StcIi
10 be source OF pleasure 10 the War Depart,
meni, and certainly inhict no injury on me.
can conceive but one motive for their frequent
occurrence, and that is, that my name shall be SO
banded before the country, that the public
may be prepared 10 see with indifference
my name passed by in silence, il more dis
tinsushed officers arc created IN the army
If This is so, the labor is useless, rs may very
soon be unable TO discharge the active duties OF
my profession, Though long in the enjoyment OF
excellent health, for am already old, OF con-
tented disposition, and have received sufficient
distinctions during my humble life. Not the least
OF these distinctions do regard the late prompt
uar measures OF Congress and the President, and
The noble hearted Lonisianians, and other whole
souled Western and Southern men, in not only
indirectly, but expressly, generously, and unani-
mously approving my conduct, ~ having Tor
many months urged the adoption oil the principal
measures which have recently been carried as by
accamaon
DO no, wish 10 have The place of any General
or other officer known 10 me. !, sir, was born at
time and reared among men who had mol learn
ed the art of marching 10 distinction by tramp
ling under foot the claims of their dearest friends
or brother soldiers.
Very respectfully, yours,
EDMUND PENDLETON GAINES,
Major General United States Army,
Commanding The Western Division.
Hon. WIN. L. Nancy,
Secretary of War, Washington.