The Arkansas banner., 1847-07-26
Erom the Gn-et,e


 supposed that he would. before fhis time. have recalled everything contained iH it. offensive ,o cr reiecting on ne. IHassnneh as he, subsequently 10 writing Il, after talking with me iii regard 10 the matter spoken ci ia It. and without my msk ng the slightest concession respect to what had writ ten about t, agreed to the entity upon the record of a court Of Inquify that oil matfsrs dispute be- tween myself and the Regiment were amicaby set tied- lie has moi done 50. and the necessity de- wolves on me of answering it.
 T His letter was obviously written in passion and be accordingly states his suspicious sacts. Like all men m passion, he d,d not weigh what he vas writing
 1 II is wholly untrue ihai Gen. Taylor was in the least degree ,niluenecd by me. in issuing the order 1 spoken ot. When the killing oi the Peohs took place, was al Paiomas, at least tiifig miles from ten, isytorf attl ntver saw him nn'A+Ae day be- fore the battle long after my letter writien. never exchanged word with Gen Taylor about the mailer. net wrote to hiI9 communicated with
 n directly or indirectly about tlle matter. In fact unlI alter my teitsr written never mentioned ! the matter excep, to men of my command.
 Capt. fIaHie tale about the finding 0f aFlns aud clothing oi volunteers anoue the peo tracing the nurdcrers there, and the like, told immediately | after the Hllng took place but was e0niradlcted amt beiisfsd bJ aobody. The court oi iaqairy of which Capt. Hunter speaks was convened toinquue into the matter. l never saw their proceedings 1 and 1t fact never heard thai court had sat at a assil saw his -le!ier.-Rat have since learned more about II. Capt. HunteI says they found fhat only four were killed. It IS very likely that fheg could mol procure srideaee ltai aay Killed because they could not get before thetn witnesses those who pefpetIated inc deed and could consc- qaentiy fiad out bat iite about it. But Capt Hun ter knew perfectly well that the number killed was much larger, for Ae told me himself some l0 days aiier his letter was written, that had made mis- take as 10 ihe naaber; and that only sereaiesa kiiied.
 His reference to this court of Inquiry was ex. ceedingiy unfortunate. Did il exonefaie inc men If so, why moi publish the finding: When we talk ed over the matter, 1 told him that whether Gen. i Iaylors order was correct not in fact, it was bound 10 be considered so, uAless he took steps to have the matter set sright and that. the order spoke ot the perpetrators simply s portion of the ArkaEsas Cavalry, he could mol blame for clear Ing my men Of the charge. He Sai that he could not set forth all the facts withou, erposisg the per sons concerned. l told him then, that ii he chose to let the order stand uncoBtfad cted il his tanlt and moi mine Now. ifhis vcrsionis correct the men were )uslitiabs, and there could be no trpos- ure about fl Why have the names of the actors been so studiousiy eoncealed-why did he even al low his whole company to be marched to the rear m disgrace, raiher than give up the names, if they l were lusiihable.
 l Now Capt. Hunter we'll knows thai the court of Inquiry did moi justify inc men. On the contrary as l ain informed land it will De remembered thai i have no personal knowledge of the matter,l and that by Jas. lcicar, Qnartermasier Sergeant of the Regiment, Mr. Peaeoes, of the witnesses swore to the killing of one man who on his l knees, anarmed holdng mp his hands and begging for his life. What the court really found do not know, but rfier the coHT! orer, GRi us finding retRrned 10 Gen. Taylor he issued his order calling ii co,oardty murder or course therefore it did not i exoneratc the men. or eourse, say--because if had, that orde- would not have issued-aad also be- cause II t had Capt. Hunter would have published ihe fact
 b. version of the matter given by Capt Hun. ter believed by any body, that know of learn that an Illinois officer, In publication in St. Louis paper, gives ihe account that did and states that he himself interiered to put stop to the killing. A few days after t happened, one tof the men concerned iH Il was sent 10 me as a teamsteT. It was upen his statements made to my men, that wrote inY letter. never spoke s hin about IL, but thce4tnen said his account was that they found the poor wfe;ehes uharmed drove them ap in ddle like sheep, and shot them down.
 If the act was jasfa5le why has not the stain been removed fIum the Regment by court ot h. quiry, When the two companies ordered to the in disgrace, all being punished for the act oi few, why did not Capt. Hunter demand coud of Inquiry, and prove his version to be tIHci II fl is true, ,'the men deserve praise and not eensare- The reason was hat II was not true, aGd was pro ven before the former court
 wish to be understood as 1 said bclole that all my statements were made on information, and all have said above IS on ln'urmaiion and not on any personal knowledge Gen Taylor's orgeT the uni Yersal belief o the camp, and the statements of of the actors warranted me ln stating what 1 did. have still no doubt that every word was true. Ii ne, and Captain Hunter will prove il by statements of Ren of seraciy, who kn0p something about 1t. shall be as glad he any else, 10 see this repFoaeh wiped oiE Bui 1 shall not change my be- lief for his ass"rtions--simpy because ke has no personal kactrledee otMs m1ttoF.
 Capt Hunter states that soon Gen. Taylor got away from my influence, hs re5cafei ihe order; and charges with knowing, bat concediing the fact when wrtte my letter. IT this true, 1t would be infamous. II false itis infamous to charge it. II isiase every word ot it. Gen. Taylor, afier bc 6Giif aid consequently long alter my letter written and O its Way, so far from having rescgded the older, ordered the two co,Hpahies Ia CaFnsIgo ia pFsHgHcc of the order, aai because the pcfpe- iTatots were not exposed. They started and were gone some days-went to Monterey believe and were allowed 70 return irom that place. Thus, il tine order ever rescinded al all it was not uatil it was ia tall force, %A
 Moreover, do not know or believe that the order ercr was rcsclnaed al all. The sYbssguent or,cr Il sending the companies in dsgraee 10 the rear was Ieyok ed-but no orier ever was issued that know ot restoring the coIHP to ofs.i sfsT,. ing, ac&aoa ledglng tbat the killing was ustili- abie and the fest oder urnst IT such an orlcI had tissued, it would have b zen sent to me
 Capt. Hunter usinuaies that throag my eomuland was kept during the battle beyond range of shot. As thus charge affects not me but C lone May, under whose orders was placed, miefTtde- cline to answerit But shall simply say that it is totally false, both o the fact and the insnuatsd reason. Early in the forenoon 1 dismounfel my men, took post the ridge n front of inc battle occupied the same groaad that our Rilemen in elpding Capt. Hunters commaEa, had just left ana held il under heavy ire until ordered away Fhree times afterwards We were under 6re. and lie las, was the bestoNal upon us for some 20 rpinates of
 the whole favor ol a 2l pound battery al point blank distance.
 IthappeRs teo, that Capt Huntes knew that we were not out of range shot. He shoud be the las, man living 10 impugn the eonanc; of another off cer on thai day. His is one ef those companies of which Col Roahe says that, without being charged by the enemy, il was ia so disoniered a condition thai 1t could not be rallied Capt Huater last his company, esme to us without men or eolors and ye. ! mained with us or sone time aloaf l saw him at ian h.. f..a. ...l .l..l l. l- :.