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

iuaiCh as Dunocr CT mine-an! have regarded
my ORDER Tor The formation Of laskell's lie Of
battle, as reversing th- wigs and changing The
rask Of the regiment. These things they have
by their signatures testified to- without any other
Information than such as they must have got
from Col Haskell himself for never held any
conversation with any OF them upon The subject
nor did | issue any written order oil battle, Ter the
reasons before given, and my personal Interview
was with tie colonies alonc. am bound, there
lo1e, under all The ciica instances, 10 believe that
these officers aced hastily aud without reflection,
and Under The influence OF ia!sc impressions pro-
duced By Col. Haskell, who abused their conf
dence, and eraiiiied his own malignant feelings
towards NE, Is masking, under the cover and in
nuercc Of their names, an attack upon my char
acler, remarkable only for its in6eeily and aJu,
dHy.
further appears from my report, HAT Col.
Haskell, in The lea, OF the battle, after lis field
officers were Gu, !awn and his regiment hea. back
in confusion ard disorder left AIS command and
followed nc neatly to Maj. Cuopef's position
TO .cner IN PERSON is condition. ana that inl-
mediately him 10 retnrn 70 his command.
/ did no, pass upon this conduct Of Col. Haskell,
in p.ecipilaley reifeating from the field Of action
without his cap and n advance If every officer
| and private OF his regiment; and PASSED il over
in my report, BY barely speaking of Inc iari, with
on any remark or obse.ralion-a ! did so from
desire 10 spare his Iepu'ation and ! regret,
that IS he AMI these ether officers have vounla-
ril; borne public testimony 20 mn rcysonai eon-
rocc aa4 gallant bcaTing o. he felt Of 6aHie,"
cannot accord the same 10 him.
The question is distinctly askct-"Why as
saulied battery No. 22-why did 50 before was
ready. and with so small 4 force?" As IN an
swer 10 lhsse questions | refer 10 The following
portion OF ny detailed report:
q n 4
commenced The formation Of my assaulins Tor
ces, without The loss OF 4 moments lime. had
myself placed Cor Ha>kell's reg iment in position
for assault, upon The LET, side OF Inc anele-had
placed Col. Roberts regiment the supporting
force Of Haskell's regiment in position short
distance in tho rear. Had ordered Wyhkoops
rcgmen,-the advance oi the other assau!Iins
tolcc--'o its position: (and il was on lis way 10
lis position, with Col. Campbcll's regiment as It's
suprortin. tcrce,) VIXEN the enemy, discovering
our position, directed a nest CALLING fire into The
command. This FIRE was destructive, that il
would have swept away my entire command,
had il remained in lis POSITION even lone enough
10 have completed The formation OF The forces Tor
the assault. Owing 10 The impcnstrabe chapa.
raj which covered The whole lace Of The country,
il was equally impossible 10 tall back and COM
plole lie movement, c;Cn il such movement
would not have thrown the force entirely our oil
position. Seeing that 10 alternative was lclt me
hut 10 retreat with Inc whole command, IA The
Gqeeofiie cn.mnS fire and t.cak mp he o,der ofda.
he, and ro'ofcft 0rdeTs n .!c sci,era!-:1cds and
thus bring disgrace upon The whole brigade or 10
dash rapidly forward upon The works Of The enc
nv with the forces which were in position, in
sian,ly sent M abide camp Lieut.. Rains, with
orders 10 bring Col. Roberts regiment as quickly
as possible u the support Of Col. Haskell, and
directed ,his last regiment 20 charge The enemy'S
works. | also scEi ny a;dde-camp, Lieut.. An
dcrson 10 Col. Wynkoor, with orders Tor 4 SINH.
lar movement upon The works in front 81 his po-
silion, being on In opposite siic o. lhe angle
HaskelPs rec ment dashed molly forward, with a
shout Of Enthusiasm" Hercc il will be seen that
Ire course which took ol charging The works
was Tic Only one left nc.
II is manifest, therefore, that The cilol, 10 throw
on me the responsibility oIthe lau!c 10 carry The
work assaulted al Ccro GoIdo is altogether
unjust. Tic alleged errors in my orders anddis-
positions Of iha asSauliine !ogces have shown
were not c,yo55, tn, that hey were, on Tie contra
rs the proper ciess and dispositions 10! that rar.
pose.
n most vigorous and determined effort was
made 10 carry them by Cal llaskcll's regiment.
IL was no. successful. because Ut The Strength OF
The work ass2iiei. AMI IT, most insnrmonn;abl.s
Co.. Roberts was IN Close supporting distance .!
Col Haskell being within l50 o. 200 yards
and was ordered L. his immediate support before
The latter was ordered 10 charge, yet he did not
setun in time 10 sustain The assault made b. Has
kcli's regiment, before j. was cutdown and forced
10 retire. Upen The report .. The lacl 10 me, n.
though Al the time was entirely disabled IN The
use Of my RICH, arm by canister shol. inime-
dialeY formed the whole command 10 renew the
attack, ami had u,derei he charge, when The enc
-. :, ,,,n 80, tl.n ,vb..o Iar MI eurrpniprai
While am no. disposed 10 charge The fanh Of
this failure 10 the misconduct oi any officer or
portion OF my command, bu, 10 the Gibi2ltar-like
strength OF The works themselves; yet, u any bo'.y
vas particularly a: iauli, il wa CD. Haskell ior
precipiIalely le.icalins from tie field, leaving his
regiment Gu, 10 pieces, scattered aEG IN Confusion,
without any field officer 10 command il, instead Of
remaining with his regiment, antreporiin3 ~ an
officer.
The colonel further says enjoy The reputation
of leading his command in this charge al Cerro
Gordo. was not aware that enjoyed the repu.
la,ion OF doing what nowhere claimed 10 have
done. In my Official report distinctly state that
| was al the head Of Inc columnin person placed
his regiment in rostion-orlcred Col. Roberts 10
his sunron-ord Col. Wynkoop 10 his posi-
ton: and hat, AFTER having TOR reasons which
are fully explained in M detailed rcpori) ordered
the charge III his regiment, that then moved
across the line Of tie cnemys fire, intending TO
lead in person the s.ormin. party, OF which Col.
Wynkoop's onent constituted The advance, but
was prevented from doing so by wound receiv
ed. II had led the charge Of Haskclfs COM
mani. IMiah should have I'D it d.fsrrnt'y, and
with df:rcn' results; and il the severity 81 the
fire had cut ,iown all my field officers EXCEPT my
self and driven back my command, think
should have fallen back with j! in .goed oritr in
stead OF rct,cating from the field in advance Of my
command, TO mater via; the object.
As shall leave this city in lev DAYS, 10 as
sumo The command OF M division, now IN route
10 Mexico, no farther communication from me
can be expected, on this or any other Subject.
As an act Of justice ask those papers which
have published he attack upan me TO give this
an insertion. GIDEON }. PILLOW.
Ner Orleans, Ja,.c :, is47.