The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1848-01-07
HEApQUARTERs OF THE ARMY,
Mexico, Nov. l2, l847.

~
HEApQUARTERs or THE ARMY,
Mexico, Nov. l2. l847.
The attention of certain officers Of this
army is recalled to the foregoing resoIu-
tion, which the general.in. chiefs resolv.
cd 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 US; the first in a
New Orleans, and The second through a
Tampico newspaper.
Itrequires not little charity to be-
llieve that the principal heroes of the
scaudalous letters alluded to did not
write them, or specially procure them TO
be written, and the intelligent can be at
nolossn conjecturing the adthors-chiefs
parizans, and pet familiars. To the
honor of the service, the disease pruri.
ency of fame, not earned have
seized upon half a dozen officers (present)
all Of whom, it is believed, belong to the
same two coterics.
False credit may no doubt, be obtained
at home, by such despicabe sea puffings
and malignant exclusion of others; but at
The expense of the just esteem and con
sideration Of all honorable officers who
love thei country, their profession and
the truth Of history. The Indignation Of
the great number of the latter cannot fail
in tile end, to bring down the conceited
and enyious to their proper level.
BY command of Maj Gen. Scott;-
H. L. SCOTT, A. A. A. G.
The letters alluded to by Gen. Scott as
"the echoes from home" are evidently
the "Leonidas" letter, and the other let
ter which appeared first in the Pittsburg
Post, was thence transferred to the Union
aud the whole then oppearediua Tampi.
co paper in which Gen. Scott first saw
the letter. Upon the publication of Gen
Scotts orders, given above, Lieut.. Col
Duncan came out promptly in the North
American with the following frank avow.
al Of his connection with the "Tampico
letter" which was compiled from two
letters written by officers of the army in
Mexico to brother officer in Pittsburg
for his eye alone" But read what Col
| Duncan has TO say Of it:
TO me Editor of The North american:
Sir: | herewith present copy of the
"Tampico letter." characterized as scan
dalous," "despicable" "maignant," &c.
in general orders 349, published in the
American Star Of this morning.
To the end that the true character o.
this letter may be known, desire thai
you republish it in your paper, and thai
none Of my brother officers may innocent
ly suffer for publication so obnoxious,
hereby pablicly acknowledge myself tc
be its author. The substance of it com
municated from Tacubnya soon aftertht
battles, in private letter to friend il
Pittsburg.
The statements in the letter are knowr
by very many officers of this army 10 bt
true, and ! cannot think that the publica
tionof truth is less likely to do violence
10 individuals aud the service than the
suppression or perversion oft.
Justice to Gen, Worth (who is evident
ly one of the "herocs" pointed out in or
der 349) requires me to state that he
knew nothing whatever of my purpose
to write the letter in question, nor that i
had been written till well on its way t,
its destination; he never saw, nor did h,
know, directly or indirectly, or even til,
purport of one line or one word or sylla
ble Of it till he saw it in print, and he i
equally ignorant Of my design to max,
this declaration, which do. as | wrot,
the letter, unpromp,ed and on my owl
responsibility,
Very respect. your obed't servant
JAMES DUNCAN, Brit LIT, Col. US, A
After the publication of this letter
Cot. Duncan was placed under arrest
and subsequently, Gen. Pillow was arrcs
ted, aud mex, Gen. Worth. The Nortl
American is of my opinion that Genera
Pillow was not arrested on account O
the "Leonidas" letter, but on the follow
lug HiVNHhos
There has been another arrest, that G
Gen. Pillow, one Of the chiefs aforcnam
, ed, but not, as appears, on account oflh
letters of which he is the hero. We hea
generally that tho cause was this. Ger
Pillow, having taken exceptions to tn
finding of court Of inquiry, which find
ling has been appoved by Gen. Scott, ac
dressed paper relating 10 tho matter t
the Secretary Of War, through the CON
mander.in.chief preservinga copy whic
he avowed in letter accompanying,
lad Sent (or would send) directiyt0 III
Secretaryat Washington. This ,ransaC
tionis judged to be contempt, and fo
the so judged contempt Gen. Pillow
arrested. Not understanding the tech
nica|;ties Of tho case wo are not adviso
whether part Of or The whole transaclio
,sreearded as the contempt-but that j
immaterial.
Gen. Worh's arrest is thus noticed il
! lhe North American Of the 10th uIt
he latest arrest occurred yesterla,
t -lhGt OF the Brevet Maj. Gen. Worth
, and The charge is, we believe, conlemp
towards the commander.in.chie With
out aiull knowledge ofall the racts we d,
not purpose to lengthen this article b,
any remarks upon this proceeding.
INCREASE OF THE ARMY.-The Militia
ry Committee Of the Senate reported
lhill n Eaw Inrn nnn cnr q nllinlr 10. -