The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-04-14
DAILY CRESCENT.
COURT OF INQUIRY.
NATIONAL PALACE, MEXICO, !
.3DriL 1S4S


FOURTEENTH D.HY-.Iarch 81. 1915
The met pursuant adjournment and the proceed
ing read over by the Judge Advocate Present all The
Brig. Gen. NATHAN, TowsoS, President,
CALEB CUSHING, and
Capt SAMUEL c. RIDGELY .Jadge .4drocate
General Scott rose and said shed TO pake certain ad
missions which he thought would be quite acceptable to the
Major General Pillow proposed to me, at the mound
which overlooked the fed on the 18th Of Angus s4 an.
the troops which had passed the Pedregal in the direction
the hamIe let and the enemys left This happened think
had great doubt bali an hour later and still more an hour
two hours later whether the said Pillow would be able tt
pass the Pedega all because had dispatched
staff officers at least besides Capt Kearnys dragons
who had within the OF Two hours after dark sncces
sve returned (sOme of em) and reported to that each
had found mpractcabe TO penetrate far INTO The Pedrega
Pow came e to e is the ng n h bd
cuded that he also would fail to get to the hamlet Al
Pillow into quarters at San Agustin where had
preceded him perhaps two hours With him also
spoke the subject concured the same report the
difficulties to be overcome TO get the ground in question
Capt Lee, Engineers, came from the hamlet, with mes
from Brig Gen Smith | think somewhat about the
same time. He having passed the difficult ground by
the darkthe greatest feat of moral and physical courage per
formed by individual within knowledge pending the
campaign. The said Pillow, Twiggs and Lee, were all
equally earnest the desire to return the night TO the
e es OF the 20 s nS sp 1 and a ra
orders and said Twggs allowed TO accompany him. but
and it became that should positively command
him to do think twas then as late midnight There
dark think thai bo the said Pillow and Twiggs spoke OF
many accidents among Others probably that OF falling IN
General Pillow remarked that he had desire contest
the point about Morgan Regiment as it was undoubtedly
an honest difference OF opinion but he found specific
Gen; scorr Examination continued AIN witness
lowing paragraph, viz; From eminence, soon after
arriving the observed the church and hamlet OF
Un tho nlI
entenched camp to Magdaena and seeing the time
the capa q o"g ss P C
gan, with his regiment the 10TH till then held In reserve by
Ensado being persuaded if occupied it would arrest the
enemys reintocemens, and ultimately decide the battle;
opinion OF witness expressed IN the above paragraph oil
Al think it did did not say in that report
that the only person who observing the position of
the for said before to questions,
desired 10 profit by inquiries made OF Gen Pillow and Others
much By what could see with my own eyes, before
coming to definite conclusions.
Gen PILLOW sadfhese questions are shaped for the ben
eft OF the court who have not seen the gound-thc witness
has reputation military man, and do not wish to
ain viewing the field of battle from the mound, or
State what point in that field he as military man judged
most important to be secured in the then raging battle with
the view OF securing victory TO the American amswas 1t
the village above spoken OIL embracing the road and the
ground IN the rear go
Al considered the secure occupation of the village
hamlet be exceedingly important TO give confidence to
any troops who might be ordered the entrenced
larry reference to that stream of Mexican rentocementS
observed after arriving at the mound to be passing
MAJ Gen Scott as prosecutor in this case will say
whether all the military orders and dispositions IN the val
ley made by Gen Pillow have met with his approval
- have at the successive at .h ne
which slightly ntimated report dated September 10
and for that approval at the respective periods refer to my
Gen Pillow and said presume the passage referred
to relates having called for division from Gen Worth
or dioisi0n but TOR brigade and prepared to prove
Woh was the error OF the stall 0's' That sent TO zen
Gen Scott said- would rather state, being posecu
tor, the reason for this ntimatlon OF my dsappova was
merely imaton and appears to me to be side issue
Gen Pillow sad-It is merely account OF my personal
pride that desire to have the opinion OF the witness, who
has justly high reputation military and my pride
has been deeply wounded by the course this examination has
Cen Scott said- am afraid it would lead me into wide
field and do not know that any would be entirely
Q-Wness will state il he did not order Captains kearny
and Rn companies OF cavalry to JOIN General Pillow, at
A,-rhe SQUADRON consisting OF Captain kearnys com
pany and Captain McReynolds company, and perhaps a
third company OF horse. The two former constituting the
ordinary TO General Headquarters, were very early on
make movement upon the of San Antonio, and 10
cover the reconnaissance with which Captain Lee was
different affairs of the bridge head and convent and Shields
in the OF those two. The oo of Horse did
not return position, which about the centre OF
fations, and Major General Pillow had been little later
in the same direction l. l3ok Tor granted ne a ,
do and that they had continued with him unless detached
By ms consent or by the orders OF some 1 he
given sent Staff officer to overtaks the Cavalry and to
soon follow and that Maiof-Geneal Pillow would follow
with brigade; and perhaps added, as word Of caution
the senior otieer-Majo General Pillow. NJ.
Owl the witness state what orders he gave to MAJOR
General Pillow early the morning OF the 3oh OF AT
gust his departure for the field OF operations at Contreas
instructions were ora ard must have been I" o e
treas, and take command OF the necan troops engaged
about place. and that should follow with brigade OF
Nonhs Division, and the remaining brigade OF Quman
think those orders before sinrse-lt was hgl
QWtness will state if it not his habit after the lrSt
draft OF his reports TO rewfte and correct e same ana 70
correct so long he finds errors to correct IN pursuing ts
course has he not Instances found Ii necessary ma
teay TO modify and change his first rough draft and to
have them several tunes written over
Al don remember ever to have rewritten during ths
campaign any report have corrected and modified SEVERAL
by cancellations and nteneatons in two or thee instances
that have not written entire page OF manuscript
In instance in this campaign and never before have
nature. mus correct this by stating believe some OF my
reports from Vera Cruz went off in my own original draft
General Pillow here handed in the General Order relative
10 the amistice with the approval &c and the dates oil
General Scott said he whed present, in conjunction
with that his instructions to the commissioners he
General Scott read certain letters addressed to MorGen
General Scott here returned to General Pillow paper
tanning certain admissions OF the SAID fiow "hch "ehei
General Pillow wished to read them the court, but Gen
eraI Scott Directing, lie did not do
Captain r. L.. LEE called and duly sworn, . r.
QIn reference the third head under the first peclhca-
ton, second charge-what do you know .,.,uso5 .
A-On the night of the 18th Of august returned re 10
General Scott from the village of San Geronimo ana re-
ported to him that General Smith superior oceI az Uero on!
mo had determined attack Valencia camp al daylight
or little before daylight, next morning Inc troops We're
TO move at clock morning, following raHihe sup
posed 10 lead TO the of the work. and attack te wok
from the rear General Smith told to report distinctly
TO General Scott that he would make the attack In question:
and he might calculate upon it whether returned TO nun
that night or not One OF the objects OF my V or report 70
General Scott that he thought PROPER ne might 9aef
an attack in front operate diversion 10 me attack In
rear 1t abont halfpast II oclock at night when re-
ported TO General Scott San Agustln as well as can re-
collect Aer considering the Practcabty OF ordering troops
from General 0ufan Brigade then at San Agusln, or
from General Worhs Brigade then at san Antonio to
make this diversion General Scott directed me to return to
the field in front of Vaencas camp, with orders 10 Colonel
Ransom OF the Ninth Infantry to collect his Regiment and
any other troops found lhe field and to attack Va
lencia camp front by daybTeak Bedes the Ninth In.
Colonial Bonham-thee Companies of the Third Infantry,
under Captain CIaiga Compeny OF Rifles under captain
Polk and some parties OF Sappers and Rfemen that had
been thrown out the previous day. The whole moved
conng 10 General SCOTS orders by the direct path leading
to Valencas camp far the ravine that building
represented the map which reached at day break and
drove his advanced picket and were then drawn up m