Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-06-18
MAJOR GEN. PILLOW.

Having published The statement Of COL Las
kcll and other Tennessee officers, OF "a Resi'
ment, il is but Just that We should lei our readers
see "lhe other side" We bavenot military educa.
ton sufficient to form an opinion as 10 The details
OF The controversy-bul Gen. Pillow seems 10 US
10 make oul strong defence. We are impressed
with the truth and force OF the following rehcc.
lions oil the N. o. Della, neutral paper OF high
standing and distinguished talent:
In hurried notice OF Gen. Pillows able and
satisfactory defence OF his conduct al Cerro Cor
do in our paper OF yesterday, our real opinion IS
not as clearly expressed as we desired. we IN
tended to say, that The controversy was an iinpro-
per and unmlilary one. For This, however, we
did nol intend 10 attach any blame or RESPONSE.
biiity TO Gen. Pillow, for il was evident that The
controversy was forced upon him, and that in his
publication he only exercised the natural right Of
sell defence We have no doubt that the gentle
men of The 2i Tennessee regiment, who sanction
ed and Published The address contained in The
Picayune sometime back, were influenced by cor
rec! motives and expressed their honest belief
Bul in our opinion they were not required, nor
expected 10 make this publication. No charges
had been made against them, no complaints or
inuendoes have ever crcp into lie papers, attach
inc any thing hut credit and honor 10 this gallant
regiment They were, themselves, The first 10 an
nuunce 10 the public the serious nature OF dis
comli,ure which, all over The country, was cons-
dered as an unavoidable Iepulsc, Attributable 10
the impresnable deiences behind which the enc
my was securely sheltered, and lie shadow Of
which was entirely lost in The blaze Of glory with
which The battle closed. Not whisper had been
raised against the yalor of ills regiment. HE
failure Of the attack did not bate an iata o
the public applause bestowed upon their gal
liant cndeavor. The poet has beautifully said
"'Tis not in morias 10 command success;
Wen do more, pronus-we'il deserve ~
Snch was The unanimous sentiment Of The peo-
plc respecting The failure Of Gen. Pillows opera
lions al Cerro Gordo, until the address was pub
lished in The Picayune. The ohec! of this pub
LEGATION was 10 throw all the blame OF this dis
comti,ure on Gen. Pillow. In Other words, 10
show thai wha, The people believed 10 be result
from causes which no valor OF skill could sur
mount, was in truth, The effect of the laundering
OF an American general. Where is the proprie-
~, The taste, the expediency, OF thus attempting
to convert the simple disappointment, scarcely
felt BY The people, for The failure Of that attack,
into deep modification and chaerin by abored
and c1pcrie attack upon general 10 whose eal-
liant and soldier-lke bearing the General-in-Chiel
bears such high testimony. Is il al all in ac-
cordancc with military propIiety tina. subordinate
officers should, al the termination 0! campaign,
far OF from the scene oil action, meet together
and concoct a crtique OF their superior officers
conduct, in order 10 place upon his Shoulders the
whole burden Of The responsibility Tor any defeats
or failures; and 10 make such crique public in
the style and form in which candidates Tor Con-
eress address their constituents The military
law has provided fair and equitable mode Of
settling questions Of This Sort through tribunal
whose decisions would bear the impress OF inn
partial justice and truth. A far more prorer and
military course would il have been for these gen.
tlemen 10 have provoked court OF inquiry,
whose judgments would have had much greater
weight with the public than any newspaper pub
lcalion OF the character OF that referred 10, even
when backed by editorial sarcasm and prcjudiccd
denuncialion.
These are our opinions upon the propriely OF
this publication. In the matters of controversy,
We leave the parties TO speak Tor themselves.
General Pillows publication, 50 far as il relates
10 the defence Of his own conduct, seems 10 US 10
be marked with cogent reasons. We have no
prejrdices or partialilies between The parties in
this dispute They are both equally strangers 10
us. To bcth We have been happy 10 accord the
need Of our praise iur their gailaniry and good
conduct in baltic. We say this because some 81
the party press who are unable 10 appreciate our
position aud motives, took occasion, sometime
ago, TO charge lis with mingling in parry con-
tests, because, in justice 10 an American officer.
falsely accused We published certificates reiulih9
the charges made. We shall 10 The same on
every occasion which offers Without engaging
in any party or personal disputes, we Shall &c
fend any of our officers who may be unlusily
attacked.