Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-06-17

GENERAL PiLLow.-Thc officers Of the q
rcgimcnt OF Tennessee volunteers have pup
lishcd an address TO the public, which We
II give below, relative TO tho conduct OF MHJo
General Pillow. st the battle of Cerro Gordo
The facts detailed IN this publication were
familiar to the community oi tbis cry, Iol
some time past. as they have been The SUB
Ject OF remark by almost every one return
ing from the seat Of war, aud have been con-
stantly alluded TO, IN numerous letters iron
Gen. Scou's army, IN much stronger terms
Than are employed in the present address,
| Tho statement now given by these officers,
IS drawn no with great moderation OF Ian
guagc, and confines itself pretty much TO
statement OF facts, from which correct infer.
ences can be drawn. as to whom the respon'
sibill,y attaches, for the repuse OF this gal
ant regiment, and The severe loss that II sns
tanned, in the wanton sacrifice OF So many
valuable lives. II appears: ]. That Gen.
eral Pillow deceived General Scott, by re-
porting that he had carefully reconnoitered
the route, when il appears he was entirely
"ignorant OF the ground" and equally so OF
the strength Of the enemy, as he declared
that from "his o,pn reconnoisdnces, there
were " no guns, if any, not more Than one or
No, g" whereas the three batteries were all
armed with cannon, and defended by 5000
men.
I'd. That so far from leading the assault,
his officers now state, that he did not even
foiio,c il, and as for as they are advised, nev-
er was "nearer the encmys line, than the
point where the assault commenced This
does not exactly tally with the of repeated
narration, by Gen. Pillow, whilst in this city,
Of the fearful effect, among his staff, from
the first fire OF the enemy's battery.
3d. That his whole proceedings, orders,
and the disposition he made of the troops un-
der his command showed the most lamenta-
BILE ignorance Of the very first principles of
military science, even by the gross error Of
(" clubbing" one Of the assaulted regime nts,
at the very moment Of making his arrange.
ments for IN immediate attack
4th. That he ordered the assault at time
and under circumstances which rendered sue
cess hopeless. and where, after sustaining a
dreadful slaughter, there was no alternative
but To retire, which they. however, did not do,
until every field officer Except the colorel)
four captains. md many lieutcnants had fallen,
5th. Tint Instead Of assauliing batteries
Nos. ! and 2, simultaneously, agrcrably to
the plan. he ordered the assault Of No, z on
ly, aud, the order in which he moved The
4" regiments To action prevcn'ed the support
ing regiment from acting. And Col. Wyn'
koop's regiment which was TO have assaulted
No. ], was halted until il SHOULD receive or =
ders to advance, which orders he neglected 10
giue, leaving Col. iiaskell's regiment ex-
posed TO the fire of all three OF the works,
from thirteen pieces Of cannon in front and
flank, and fifteen hundred muskets at the
same time, playing upon the devoted and
gallant corps, while the other three regi
ments, all eager for the fray, were condemned
10 inactivity.
1t is really painful TO dwell on such cir.
cumstances, and we do not wonder at the
anxiety Of the regiment 10 make full state.
ment Of the affair, where, in battle so glo-
riousy successful in it's general results, this
corps was the only one, that experienced
any serious repulse.
We have for the present confined our re.
marks to the facts as given by the present
publications on the part of this regiment, but
we have various communications ourselves,
from first rate sources in the army, that we
received some time since, on the same point,
TO which we may have occasion to refer.
The proceedings of Gen Pillow has led to
very injurious reflections on the Pennsylva
mia regiment under Col. Wynkoop, not only
in camp, but also through the public press
One oflhcse publications is now before ", in
which il is said "tho Pennsylvania reg imeni
could not be brought up to the scratch."-
Nothing can be more unjust. ungenerous or
false than This charge, and the honor and
character Of tha, regiment, will in due time,
be fully and triumphan,ly vindcatcd. Meth
er the regiment itself or its gallant Colonel
will quietly rest under such rumor.
A COur. Martial must be the consequence
pf this publication. Indeed, we presume
Gen. Pillow, will, Us n matter Of course, i'm
medla,c'y demand one, as It would be use
less for him to ever remain in tho army,
much less to return to Mexico, with such
gross charges against him, uninves,igated.
" o. BulLetin