The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-07-16


army The Senate pr posed suspend, until 4th
OF Mar. h. the operation Of the provso Of the of
ie4I which makes 1t the duty for the President to
duce the number Of Major Generals and Brigadier
U, nerals The military committee Of the House diss
gree and insist absolute repeal Of tho pro ison
Fifteen majors app tinted by of the Law of
i 40; II was necessary take them from among the
captains OF the old army He had bee informed that
they most valuable officers In the
BY the law OF lS47 they bs discharged at the
cose Of the war. The committee military affairs
did not believe that it the design Of Congress
tgisaie these officers into promotion, which they had
no right to refuse aud then to legislate them
They were on the felds Of Mexico and received
missions without knowledge Of the law by which
they were appointed. The committee wish
tain th9se majors in the public service The
mttee were also opposed to dismissal Of the quar-
termasters. created by the law. They will
all be needed in of the spread Of cordons
Of posts over acquisitions. Several officers
were taken from the old and placed In the new,
and Mr. Bolts free to confess that IL his desire
that they be restored to their original rank super
nuneraries to take their places vacancies may
cur. 1t is provided by the Senate that the officers
non-comnissioned officers, usicisns and prvates
who engaged in the and served out their term Of
enlistment or served out the time for which they
luntetIed shall receive three months extra pay The
committee then, with amendment, except such
officers whe leave of abse the day of tho
proclamation Of peace"
MIR Com, Of Georgia. wish to know whether the
object Of the committee is to pay such officers and SOL
ders who have left the United States and been
honor ably discharged!
MIR. Borrs-lt is in contem pation to offer amend.
me nts My impression is, that extra pay ought
be given to soldiers who. during the war, in
vice and have been honoraoly discharged
blr. Conn., ask the gentleman whether those who
have never been out of the United States to be
paid.
Mr. Borrs-They ought to be paid according to the
BILL but Will offer ame ndment
MIR. j X. lNGERsoLL asked a question, to which
MIR. Boris reped:--l am willing to retain every Of
fcerin the old army, without distinction
MIR. BoYp said that he against the retention of
any officers whe have no service perform He would
never be found voting for Office simply for t. beue-
Ct OF the he was therefore, opposed to the
repeal or The postponement Of the provis0 which
qurts the President to reduce the number Of Major
Generals TO one. and the number Of Brigadier Gen.
erals to two; and he was against the anne ndment
which, II agreed TO, would continue seventy officer in
commission, Who in fact would have service to per-
f,rm We will not squire addition of men to the
standing army II five thousand men whipped Santa
Annals well appointed army with four times the num-
ber surely twelve thousand seven hundred and forty
eight can keep the peace.
Mr.. BURT understood the President to recommend
that the army be increased to seventeen thousand
men. Did any suppose that army of twelve
or thirteen thousand men is to be commanded by
MIR. BoYp-The army before the war had but one
MIR. BURT-Was there but one Major General'
Mr. BOYp-There was one by brevet.
Mr.. BURT said that he received the pay and emou-
ments and was subject to the duty The rule was
Major General for four thousand men, and Brigadior
General for every two thousand That the pro-
portion in every country. and had been in this
MIR. Burt made allusion to the selection of the
ground on which the battle of Buena Vista fought
and this called up
Col RIcHARpsor, of Illinois, who furnished the
House with a scrap of history in relation to the
SELECTION OF THE BATTLE FIELD.
The credit, he said has been claimed by Gen. Wool,
and the friends of Colonel Hardin. will state the
ferences), far as know them and believe them to
be material Some time before the battle in January,
Col. Hardin's regiment stationed at the spring
above Salto, and the advance position. While there,
ne sent two companies, under the command of the
major Of the regiment to the pass contemplating to
take the regiment up that point in the event OF the
advance OF the enemy. When General Taylor as
sumed the command, the troops advanced to
Aqua Nueva The 2lst Of February, after leaving, the
enemy were advancing in large numbers. for the pur
pose Of being supplies, which in depot
at Saltllo.- Leaving at Aqua Nueva the Kentucky
cavalry, Colonel Marshall, aud the Arkansas ca
vary Colonel Yell the army fell back toward the
depot. The Kentucky infantry halted and encamped
at three miles to the rear and ut the pass
Col Hardin asked and obtained leave to halt his reg
ment during the night. Under tho direction Of Col.
Hardin, the regiment fortified the pass by ditch up
sde and breast~ ork of stones and dirt upon
the heights the other side of the road through the
pass This was the key to the field and in this posi-
ton, believe, we lost not single man. During the
night Of the 21st the regiment which in advance
fell back to General Wool's position, two miles to
rear On the morning Of the ed Col Hardin exam
ined the ground and said to General Wool that reg-
ment should forfy upon the extreme left at the foot
was thought impos ible IN Of the rayines
to advance troops and especially artillery them
and consequently it was to fortfy at that
point. On the morning of the 3d. the left flank of
the American army turned at that point and the
artillery advanced by throwing tmbers the
ines While sir desire to refer to another matter
by which, unintentionally, no doubt injustice has
been done to the memory Of those who are more
Buena Vista was the result Of a conference between
Col. Hardin and Col. Clay and that Col Mckee op-
posea the movement THIS is incorrect BY reference
seen that COL Hardin ordered to make the charge
by volunteer aid to Gen. Taylor: Captain Chiffon.
General Taylor however, denies that he directed.
That order given in my presence and hearing and
also in the presence of Capt Robertson Lieutenants
Erwin Myers, Wallace, and others. After engaging !
the enemy who in position and large numbers,
Col Bssell, with the second Illinois regiment to
our assistance and formed upon our right Col Me- |
m ftprW I'd md form
or partly So upon the right Of Col. Bissel We
overpowered by immense numbers lines forced
and the nation mourns the loss in that desperate
conflict make this statement in justice to the men,
Of whose fame is dear to the State which have
In part, the honor to represent.
Mr. BURT resumed-Nlajor General Taylor was pro- |
NOTED without bis knowledge consent for his spen
did battles This was in accordance with the wishes
Of the people No heard that he asked for |
public Office If the President does not wish to CON-
init act of inexpressibe meanness, he will dismiss
Twiggs and Kearny, the junior major generals by |
brevet he dare not dismiss Gaines and Wool, they |
seniors
MIR. HASKELL, (who. as colonel displayed his prov.
ess on the fields of Mexico) mentioned the names of
the officers who had been promoted and testified from
personal observation to their efficiency, bravery, and
private worth. They rewarded for their gallant
service, without iDterpositon knowledge Of their
own; and to deprive them of their positions in the
army altogether would not satisfy the country, be
consistent with justice
MIR. HARRISON said that to select either Scott or
Taylor and to dismiss the other would be extreme
ly delicate task for the President He would wish if
he President that Congress would repeal the pro-
yiso and let these distinguished officers stand where
they If either Of them is dismissed, the people of
the United States will not be satisfied
Mr.. Boris expressed his anxiety to move that Com
mittee Of Conference be appointed to confer with
similar committee Of the Senate, on the dsagreeing
anne dine nts to the bill
Mr.. McCLERNANp said, that the question was not
whether certain officers should be turned out, but
whether we shall continue the establishment lie
opposed to this and in favor of the President
executing the law Of 1916.
MIR. MCLEAN, during his remarks spoke in favor of
retaining the two major generals and four brigader-
generals
The House, by vote Of yeas 102 nays 49, refused to
in the ndment of the Senateto postpone,
until the 4th of March, the provso which requires the
President to make the reduction of major and
brieader nerals, and insisted upon repeal Of the
proviso.
All the other anne ndments of the Senate were dis
rnoI 10, ,nffh hat