Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-09-29
GEN. PILLOW.

q" We SOry oi Inc late splendid achievements OF
our army before the city of Mexico. There is eve
ry reason to believe that General Pillow acted
bravely, and obeyed implicitly his commanding
officer but to say that he did more, saying rather
too much for man who was appointed to office
merely on account Of his zeal in the cause Of loco
iccoiSm, and is assuming that valor may supply the
place Of military science
The New Orleans Pcayune Ga neutral paper)
supposes this writer to be either some toadv of
General Pillow, or the General himself, and that
our readers may see how it arrives at this conclu-
sion we.give the following extract from that paper
but what shall we say of the letter which, by
claiming all the honor and glory of the 18th and
ZOth OF August for Gen. Pillow, disparages every
other gallant soldier now living engaged in those
aiiairs Ut is emincntly worthy OF Gen Pillow
himself We know not who the author NAV be.
put TO our mind 1t bears the indelible impress Of
Zen. Pihow's genius. We believe as sincerely "a
we believe any thing where the evidence is not
direct and positive, that il not written by himself
1t was written at his dctation OF suggestion We
repeat 'hat II Is every way characteristic Of his ge
mus. III is worthy of the general who would in
trigue with his subordinates and solicit from them
a certificate ofgood behavior and recommends
uon for hrs promotion. IL is worthy of the man
VINO IN this city disguised equally his friends and
his enemies by his fnlsome self-laudation. 1t is
worthy Of the man who harangued the cabmeIs on
the corfer FIST. Charles and Common streets upon
MS exploits at Cerro Gordo, who showed them the
rent which that terrible ball had made, and graft
fled their longing eyes by producing from his
breeches pocket the fat,ened ball itself, by which
ne was ''cui all to pieces" Even in the minutias
or this letter we fancy that we recognise the mind
OF Gen. Pillow. What could be in taste more
characteristic of him than to sign ''Leouidas' to
the modest efluson in which his deeds are bazon-
| ed! How in single sentence could the mind
the education and the modesty of Gen. Pillow be
more ftiy embodied than in the following:
! "1he foregoing account of this most unparoU
''ed Diciory myself ,cas an eye-,rtness to, and
''c'H couch for It's correctness. and nothing but an
order from the commander-in-chief prevented the
occupancy OF the city by our troops upon the
evening of the second day of attack
Truly If the writer of the letter be not General
Pillow, he must be deeply imbued with the spirit
OF that great man. The very next sentence OF the
letter is Pillow all over again 81 cannot refrain -
he says, ION the present occasion from expressing
wish that Congress may do something for our
gallant band, who have, under such adverse crcum
stances and disparity Of forces carried, at the
point OF the bayUnet, the enemy's outposts and so
nobly upheld and maintained the honor of the A
merican nation"
1t needed touch of this nature to bring out more
completely the demagogue which is in Gen Pillow
III letter ever breathed throughout the spirit of a
man, this communication of Leonidas" is instinct
with the soul Of Pillow. But it appears that the
whole letter has not yet been given passages in il
have been omitted upon the plea OF want of ROOM
If the mutated trunk OF the letter excite such feel
lngs In the ingenious breast, what sentiments must
1t not have awakened if given in its full proper
tons! We beg leave humbly to protest against
tina omission of any part of it. Such letter must
have been intended for all his countrymen and
should be considered public property in all its ex
tent. The imagination wearies itself i'm efforts to
picture what is concealed by those envous stars
which printers employ to mark omissions Is it
possible that there were passages in the letter vet
| more disgusting and revolving than those which
were given to the light?"
The New Orleans Delta, the paper in which
"Leonidas" appeared, having asserted positively
that General Pillow was not the author of the com
municaton, the Picayune makes the following re-
joinder
GEN. PrLLow.-When we wrote an article for
our paper OF yesterday denouncing the letter of
Leonidas" and the claims it makes for Gen Pill
low as the hero of our recent victories we had no
evidence OF Pillows agency in the matter. other
than was to be derived from the letter itself The
internal evidence to our minds was almost irress-
tlble. Since writing that article we have more di-
rect evidence the subject which leaves no doubt
whatever with us that the letter. if not aphoL,,
written by Gen. Pillow, is to be regarded as his to
all nents and purposes. We abate not then one
title of what said in regard to it. CONSIDERING it
as the emanation of Gen. Pillows own mind. We
can but nadequatey express our loathng of the
spirit and purpose of the letter. 1t has been graft
flying to us to know that the promptitude and Sc
verify with which we rebuked them are univer
sally approved so far we know. Men of all
parties and all professions have thanked us for Thus
dischargng our duty. The manifestation of pub
lie sentiment on the subject is too clear to be mis-
taken; it is one of stern reprobation of the whole
scope and purpose of the letter of ''Leonidas."