Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-06-10
sketches in The Camp.
BY Az Ex-REPoRTER OF THE STATE sENTINE
~


conduct of Gen. Lane, and also the Court OF Inquiry
to examine Col. Bowles's conduct, have adjourned
The causes that led to ordering those Courts oil lii
vestigation are probably familiar TO you and your
readers The battle of Buena Vista was fought and
WON'T was a Yslunleer batlle-the Sd Regiment
led actIoneby-its brave Colonel. and con-
Quoted itself asdo be above suspicion, and not word
of repr0ach could be uttered against the gallant Lane
and the men under his command Although the ID
Regiment much more exposed, suffered greater
loss and brought the action yet II had retreated
while under heavy fire, which retreat placed the
Regiment in unfavorable attitude before military
discipnarians, and act that alone chafgeable
TO an officer was charged to whole Regiment, and
made pretext 10 assal the Volunteer system. Not
outstanding the strict enforcement of nlilarssaay
the old saying in Holy Writ, that there is nothing
iIilen that shall noe lac reyealed,' was strlklnglg
happened to whisper loud enough TO be heard by 9th
ers and it at last reached the ears Of Gen. Lane that
Col. Bowles ordered the I'd Regiment to retreat on
the 23d of February. Gen. Lane always has nerve
suited to any occaslon--t matters not how many Oh
sacles he has to encounter, he never will relax his
exerons until the ends Of justice are accomplished
He preferred charges against Colonel Bowes, which
charges wee forwarded by Gen. Wool to Gen. Tay-
Tor, but Gen Taylor refused order Court Martial
Tor reasons a) that seemed to be conclns We IN ms
OloH mind, asseverating has belief of the COlpnels
innocence, and stating that the charges should have
been preerrsd sooner Gen. Taylors reasons for not
ordering Court Martial were communicated to Col
Bowes, aud il was supposed from the movements OF
Cob Bowles that he did not intend TO ask for Court
of Inquiry. After delay, Gen. Lane asked tor
Court Of Inquiry to investigate bs conduct IN the
lbattle on the 22l and 23d of February. The Court
vas ordered, and the result of the investigation
showed that Gen. Lane conducted himself as brave
and gallant officer (b) Colonel Bowles called for a
Court OF Inquiry* to investigate his conduct and
when the Court was convened it was clearly estab-
shed that COL Bowles gave the order, ''ceGse firing
Edad retreat" (c) and the Court Of the opinion
mat he not only gave this order but that from the
testimony, he was ignorant of the duties of Colonel.
Thus VIII be that all the charges made against
the I'd Regiment in relation TO the retreat, unjust,
lnasIaRch as that Regiment retreated in obedience to
an order OF their Colonel, and should be borne in
mind that the I'd Regiment did not flee from the field
as las been asserted, but that it rallied again,
not by COL Bowles, but by Gen. Lane 1t. Col. Had
don, and other otcerstha Col. B. went to the Mis-
SisSippans and reported himself TO Colonel Davis,
and did not return to his Regiment during the
battle. A word Of explanation may be necessary 70
do Justice TO Colonel Davis When the action COM
menced the 23d, COL Davis and his regiment were
not on the blttle field. Col Davis and Col May bad
accompanied Gen. Taylor to Saltillo the evening
of the 22d. and when the action commented on the
morning of the Odd, Gen. Taylor, Col. Davis, Col.
Mays and the men under their omrnand were on sol
way to the battle-iess ssaskrwlen COL Bowies giye
the order TO retreat Col Davis not near tue posi-
ton occupied by the ID Regiment. Thus it will be
seen that any remarks that Colonel Davis may have
made in relation to. Col. B0wles's conduct only
refer TO his conduct after he left his Regiment
Ii COL Bowles acted gallauty after he abandoned his
own Regiment and went over TO the MSsisslppans II
not surprising that Col Davis should state this fac
} and give him all the credit he deserved and | an
D willing that the renegade Colonel should have the
benefit of all the compliments he can collect, and i
he can again rise ph9nIxke from the ashes, let hin
do 50. Upon mature reflection, am not surprised
that he left his regiment after giving order tC
retreat, aud should not have been disappointed if lac
had never returned to his Regiment. He came Sc
near taking final leave of his Regiment that he ten
dered his resignation after the battle, but Gen
Taylor refused to accept it.
There is another matter connected with the cOnGuc
of the ID Regiment that has been misrepresented. i
has been asserted that the brave Captain Lincoln fe
while in the act of raying the ID Regiment. 1t has
been shown in letter of Capt Starbuck of Illinois
to Col. j. H. Lane, that Capt. Lincoln fell while il
? the act of communicating order TO an officer il
one of the Illinois Regiments.
2 Senator COrwin, of Ohio, was burnt in eifgy By
: the Ohio Volunteers, the night of the 9Th o
! April. Some of the boys put in the GuarC
2 House, alas Company @, on the same night, but
I, have. not been informed whether it for burning
the eSy of the antwar Senator, or shouting 50 lOuC
{. as to disturb Cen Wool
Time drags heavily along, though our term of ser
vice will soon expire, and we Will be on our wal
5 home. The mail does not arrive often, and we d
snot get fourth part of the newspapers sent US
t To be here in the midst Of mountains with few
newspapers to read, is almost like being out of tn
f world. However, when am busily engaged
r. am not altogether at loss to pass away time. On
day l-strolEed away from the camp and went up int
a mountain gorge at the left of our encampment. AT
ter ascending up winding ravine some distance,
observed stream of clear water that ran along tn
Y valley dasbing rocks and sinking beneath. TIN
scenery around exceeded any thing j ever beheld
The large massive peaks were seen in every direc
lion, the sides of which decorated with thrift,
Il cedars, pines and great variety of flowers Of vari
IT colors. 1t place where could gaz
upon the wild, romantic scenery of nature, wit
nought TO disturb his meditations save the rustlng
the mountain squirrels, the occasional notes of tn
parrot, aud the low rumblng of the little riyuet.
BUENA VIsrA, Mexico, May }, 1917.
J. Il am able 10 explain why Col Bowless reques
for Court of Inquiry dated Tar back as the 27
IT Ct March, when the Court ordered until the l2
lof April. Ii was well Understood in camp as late III
Sd of April that he had not asked for Court of Inquiry
The date may be explained hereafter.
5, (a) GEN. TAYLOR'S REASONS FOR NOT OR
;. DERlNG A COURT MARTIAL.
# HEAD Quarters ARMY OF OccUPATIoS,
Camp near Monterey, March %, lS47- !
General The charges against Col Bowles include
in your communication of the l4lh inst have been dul
" submitted to the Commanding General who dfeeis IN
II TO that under all the circumstances he is dispose
/ to order Court Martial in the By reference
the official reports OF the engagement Buena Vista,
seen that the personal conduct Of Col Bowes is e'