The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-06-20
NY THE MALTA.
Affairs in Washington.

WARRINGTON, June 10, l847.
General Pillow and the Second Tennessee Regiment.
The charges of incapacity and ignorance preferred
against General Pillow by the officers Of the second
Tennessee Regiment have necessarily caused much
element The reply Of General Pillow to those charges
is before the public and the affair Is Of delicate
ture that would not say single word to its merits
either side Bnt there certain features connect
ed with it requiring comment, that may be placed
in fair light before the people, to whom appeal has
been made by both parties
In the affair Of Cerro Gordo the second Tennessee re-
giment suffered repulse and being the only regiment
forced to retire. 1t essary that satisfactory
explanation Of Of their retreat should be given
1t does not appear that the work they had to do
more difficult Of accomplishment than that in which
others had succeeded or each would natur-
ally do his utmost the occasion to obtain victory;
and that any Of those and officers went into battle
with predeermination to shrk his duty, Is entirely
out of the question They part Of the American
army. But when they got into the engagement they
suffered repuse Was this the fault Of the regiment
of the commander Of the brigade' There fault
somewhere. Where 1t rests, 1t is not for to pro-
nounce
II the officers Of the Second Tennessee regiment be-
leved according to their written statement that the
fault lay with Gen. Pillow, they should have immediate
y preferred their charges against that officer to the
manding General whose duty would have been to
der the investigation Of those charges by court
tia In not adopting this course the officers committed
great they have exposed themselves to the
pcion Of having refraned from preerrng their
tion until they without the reach Of martial law
their term Of service having expired and thus to have
obtained an unfair advantage Gen. Pillow, whose
conduct still subject to the award of court
tial That political motives Influenced them think
scarcely possible; and to charge the manufacture
of this accusation oicer, and the others with
being such dupes to be made to sign It unsdvissdy
and contrary to their knowledge Of facts Is begging
of the question, which General Hlow should have
dulousy eschewed A good cause cannot be promoted
by such means.
Neither was It judicious in General Pillow to meet
the charge Of ignorance and incapacity by counter
charge against of the ocersof potroonery and in
temperance Such course is undgnned and impolitic
II would have been much better had he at once de-
manded Court Of Enquiry and, until It's decision,
contented himself with simple denial Of the aocusaton
preserving complete silence In regard to his accusers
1t is very much to be regretted that Gen. Pillow in
stead Of following the njudcious example Of his oesrs
in appeal to the public did not at demand that
the charges against him be substansted before court
Of enquiry AS yet there has been nought but state
ments both sides General Pillow expect that
the public will put faith in the statements Of several
officers of whom, except one does he charge with
personal hostility to hmsefthan In the statement Of
individual, though that individual be Q Major Gene
raj in the United States Army.
Nor do see the propriety Of hushng this matter up
nor has the argument any weight with mo that this
officer Is the personal friend Of the President II he
has really erred, II but Of Judgment;
and II it but the character for bravery Of one
poor and fricndless private in the Tennessee reg
ment that st stake, do not see why
such person should unjustly be called coward that
| aL nd of general be vudicated
much less can see upon what grounds that generals
reputation skill and experience should outweigh the
honor entire regiment involving too the character
at home and abroad Of the State to which that rsg
ment belongs In shorter terms, do not the justice
of sacrificing the character for bravery Of tho Tennessee
regiment to the character Of General Pillow for
military skill and experience Nobody can believe
that General Pillow have learned the art Of
in twelve months. II he did commit an oversight
1t not much to his discredit. A sound lawyer
and apt surveyor, as understand General Pillow
H. cannot be expected, because of the possession
Of these two qualifications to be skfu general Here
the great mistake Of the PRESIDENT do not now
speak particularly Of General Plow-apponng to high
posts in the army whose qualifications OF tho
most doubtful Misunderstanding 1t for granted that
because they good lawyers good debaters they
would at once without any experience make able gene
rails No idea-and say II with all respect--could be
more erroneous. Who viii argue that who has
been a few months at sea can man@uvre q squadron
And Is It not equally absurd to suppose that few
months campaigning Is sufficient to enable man to
command brigade with efficiency,
tits impossible to overrate the importance OF this
sheraton for Ia not the character of regiment
brigade only but the national honor and the lives OF
Thousands that are not impossibly involved in It.
viii not conceal that q citizen would prefer t
should turn out that General Pillow is ignorant Of the
science Of than that the second Tennessee regiment
conducted itself badly in the affair Of Ccrro Gordo But
stu though should entail disgrace upon that entire
regiment, let both parties have justice. Fiat tui"
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