Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-01-01
Wan DEpARTmEST,

$3.50 Private letters reports, relative military marches
and operations, frequently mischievous in design, and
forbidden and any officer found guilty of making such
ports for publication, without special PERMISSION placing
the writing beyond his CONTROL that it finds its way to the
press within month after the termination OF the campaign
to which it relates, shall be dismissed from the service
BY command Of Major General scorr
VIM. G. FREEMAN
Assistant Adjutant General.
General Orders--No. $40.
"HEADaU ,RTERs OF TuE ARMY,
Merico, Nore,aber IL, Is47.
The attention of certain officers Of this army recalled
the foregoing regulation which the General resolved
to enforce SO far as it may be in his power.
As yet but two echoes from home Of the brilliant operations
Of our arms in this basin have reached the first in New
Orleans, and the second through Tampico newspaper.
1t requires little charity believe that the principal
heroes of the scandalous letters alluded did them
specially procure them be written aud the intelligent
be at loss in conjecuring the authors-che par
sans and pet amars To the honor of the service the
diseasepruency Of fame not earnedcannot have seized
upon half dozen officers (pesen,) all Of whom believed
belong 10 the same two coeries.
False credit may doubt, be obtained home by such
despcabe elfpufngs and malignant exclusion Of others
but the expense of the just and consideration oil
honorable officers who love their country their profession
the truth of history. The indignation Of the great number of
the latter class fail in the end to bring down the
ceied and the enyious to their proper level. -@
By command of Major General Scorr
H. l.. SCOTT, A. A. A. G.
The letters alluded to by Gen. Scott as s'the echoes from
home evidently the Leondas letter, and the other
letter which appeared first in the Psbg Post thence
transferred to the Union, and the whole then appeared in
Tampco paper, in which Gen. Scott first the letter.
Upon the publication of Gen. SCOTS ORDERS given above,
Lieut.. Col. Duncan promptly in the North American
with the following frank avowa of bis connection with the
"Tampico letter." called. According 10 the North Anne
rican the 'Tampico letter" "ccmped from letters
written by officers of the army in Mexico to brother officer
in Pttsburg for his eye alone But read what Col Duncan
has to say oft
MEXICO, NOVEMBER -, ls47.
To The Editor of the North american. Sir herewith
present copy oil the Tampico letter" characterized
sscandaous "despicabe, malignant" &C., in general
orders No. $40, published in the American Star Of this
morning.
To the end that the true character Of this letter may be
known desire that repubsh your paper; and that
of my brother officers may nocenty suffer for pub
cation obnoxious, hereby publicly acknowledge myself
be its author The substance Of communicated from Ia
cubaya after the battles IN private letter to friend in
Pittsburg.
The statements in the letter known by very many Off
Of this army be tue aud cannot think that the pub
caton Of truth is less likely do violence TO individuals
the service than the suppression or p'rversion of it.
Justice to Gen. Worth (who is evidently Of the he
roes pointed in order No. 3i9) requires that
he knew nothing whatever Of my purpose to write the letter
question, that had been written ill well lis way
its destination he saw, nor did he know, directly
Indirectly the purpou Of line, word syllable Of
il till he saw in print and he is equally ignorant Of my de-
sign TO make this decaraon which do wrote the letter.
unprompted and on my responsibility.
Very respectfully, your obedent servant,
JAMES DUNCAN, Brcv. 1t. Col. IT, s. A.
Acs the publication Of this letter Col Duncan was placed
under arrest and subsequently, Gen. Pillow was arrested and
next Gen. Worth The North American il Of opinion that
Gen Pillow was arrested account Of the Leonidas"
letter. but on the following grounds
'rhcre has been another arrest that of Gen Pillow ono
Of the chiefs aorenamcd, but not appears Of
the letters Of which he the hero. We hear generally that
the cause this Gen. Pillow having taken exceptions TO
the finding Of court Of inquiry which finding has been APP
proved by Gen. Scott addressed paper relating the matter
to the Secretary OF War, through the Commanicr-achic
preserving copy which he avowed in letter accompanying
he lad sent (or would send) directly 10 the Secretary al
Washington This transaction is judged 10 be contempt.
and 5r the judged contempt Gen Pillow arrested Not
understanding the techncaes OF the case we arc advised
whether part Of the whole Transaction is regarded as the
tempt, but that is immaeTial."
Gen Worhs arrest is thus noticed in the North American
Of the Goth ultimo
he latest arrest occurred yesterday that Of Brcvet Major
Gen WORTH and the chatge is believe contempt towards
the Commander. in-chef Without full knowledge OF all
the facts do not purpose lepghen this article by any
marks upon this proceeding"
FROM VIEW ORLEANS rIcAruNE OF DECEMBER ls.
FRoN P,cirIc.Mr. F. WARP bearer Of dispatches
from Col Mksos Governor Of California passed through the