The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-07-23

sGsse fertHs
He has put himself upon the stand and his testimony
IS upon the ecord out OF respect for his high poson
snail handle both tendery the nature Of the
will permit !. --,-
1t must be admitted that his testimony goes to the bot
om oil the question: IT is comprehensive. pointed. posi-
u'e ana eNphclt-remarkaby and to the eject
mat soon after ne reached the mound he directed
the village of Ansalda 49,
Such IS the testimony of the prosecutor; and though
unsqsalned II would be decisive of the question at issue
bu ior the fact mat 1t Is positively dsprored by many
Witnesses -
The prosecutor, in his testimony, fatty contradict.
Lieut. Williams as TO the place on the mound where
Gen. Scott was when he is said 10 have given me the
order 10 advance Morgan's regiment III
Lieut. Williams locating on the south side of the bill
menls could NOT be seem Gen Scott locating : No, on
the south side of the hill the top of the hill but
on secondary hill" mound, full vew of the
entrenched and the renforcemens then approach
Ing from the city.
Lieut. Williams says he heard the conversation tina,
occurred between Gen. Scott and myself mpeyfectlg
Gen. SCOTS testimony fully susains this statement, and
at the same time affords explanation how Lieut. VIII
las CHANGED TO understand Gen. Scott to have given
order which did not receive.
This slightly awkward position in which the gallant
aide-de-camp placed by his chief il is hoped will make
hn guarded for the future in giving testimony. and
cause HIM not to venture again TO swear to facts that he
knows Little or nothing about
The prosecutor is not equally fortunate in finding
frend IN the hour OF need In vain the record OF the
court searched for word that affords support to hs
testimony or explanation OF its inaccuracy.
Every circumstance that throws the least light upon
the subject seems to aggravae the injustice he has done
himself and the defendant sit
That Gen Scott could have been mistaken the focfs
touching this ORDER difficult to imagine and that he
should have had the temery to have warped and twisted
those facts out OF all manner OF shape tor the purpose Of
IT. scarcely conceiyabe yet such seems, at least 10
have been the case.
The examination Of few passages of his official re-
nor m her he nartIn
According his official report, he arrived upon
the field late q o'clock. p m) in the afternoon even
ing OF the 18th OF August His report states as follows
sFrom eninence, after arriving the scene
observed the church and haets Of Conreras Tor Ansa
en- % eDn ana sna s
ne the Of advancing BY that road
his regiment I5th III then held in by Pillow,
move orward and TO occupy Conueas, Tor Ansalda)be
ing persuaded il occupied, 1t would arrest the enemys
Inducements, and ultimately decide the battle"
This carefully worded extract taken in connexion with
his testimony, that OF other witness, as well as with
my correspondence with him on Tbs same point, Is worth
a volume OF commentary
II must no, be forgotten that although was on the
field from early the day till late in the afternoon, when
opportunity OF recommending the field yet he, in the
port from which this extract Is taken mentions no orders
had given, dispositions had made, except that men
toned in the extract viz OF holding this same regiment
in reserve.
When General Scott arrives upon the ground. he DIS
glance the importance OF point. uae Village
capped my attention the ent,re day. and at once sends
Aloygans regiment to seize and bold it bsiAE Pm1-
ed that must arrest The enemys Yesnforcemenfs aad S
Here is an explanation of the extraordinary character
of the prosecutors testimony. tDs u
more striking illustration. il is believed. cannot be
found of that pruriency of fame not earned and ma
lgnan exclusion OF others against which he cries aloud
in has on order No $40, which forms part OF the
ord OF this court Indeed, he seems to have taken
peca pains convey the idea that orders given
till he upon the field for he explicitly states, in
another part Of his report in relation to this same battle
that on the night of the 10Th, Riley, Cadwalader Nor
gan Smith and Shields found themselves in and about
the ''strong position of the village of Ansalda-
Is the idea intended to be conveyed that these four
about the pedriga, and accidentally met in the afore
said village. If the circumstance is not more remark
abe than Fortunate for, in the opinion Of the prosecu
tor, this the point that must ultimately decide The
battle" The inquiry is very natural one, How did
they ssclanee" TO Sind themselves there The
easily made the question is propcunded Riley,
and Morgan went there first by my order;
Smith and Shields followed the former seeing II was
an important position the latter by the order OF Gen
Scott to support Riley,
General SCOTS testimony as to the order is completely
overturned by several witnesses. fully as credible, far
more dssinterested, and quite positive himself
Capt Kerr, Lieut. Bennett, Lieut.. Hodge. Lieut. Ripley,
all testify 10 the same point that Moans regiment had
moved and well in the pedngal when Gen. Scott
reached the mound where was standing.
Can't Hooker, who bore the order to Morgan, (and
this point no, only proven by several witnesses, but is
not controveied) teses that he received the order
from me- and delivered it to Morgan to cross the pedr
ral before Gen Scott reached the field that after put
ling the regiment the route II was to take he returned
to my position, and then sent by me TO meet and
conduct Gen Scott to my position as the one most favor
able for viewing the movements OF both armies
The attention of the court particularly equested to
the testimony OF Capt Hooker Not only is IT fully
tanned hy circumstances and other testimony, but Is IN
itself SO infinitely circumstantal that impossible he
could have erred through misfake and the prose
cutor will hardly venture to entertain thought that thus
gallant and irreproachable officer has erred through de-
sign.
Colonel Morgans testimony sustains Captain Hookers,
to who bore the ORDER the character OF the order the
guiding the regiment to the route through the Pednga
and to the impossiby that General Scott could have
riyen the order Colonel Morgan says he saw General
Scott approaching the mound about the time has regiment
was put in motion 1t might have been few moments
before or few moments after but hrs impression Is,
ha, it was at the very moment his regiment moved
Hence The order could not have from General Scott
He further that Captain Hooker gave him the order
ader. ,
Half a dozen witnesses have testified that soon after
he got upon the mound, they heard General Scott IN
quire (pointng to some troops seen IN the pedngai
"What bayones those :" and that the answer was
Morgan's regiment
Now, if he had just put this regiment 10 mo1on, a. ne
claims TO have done, why this inquiry lie haa he se
opportunities of knowing that those who answered nun
had, and possibly better.
will not dwell longer this polnf--not iha. uis SUI
,ect IS exhausted but because II Is unnecessary TIE
fact that Morgan's regiment was orueic y nc sup
port Cadwaader not established no 'aS en VIC es'ap
lished by human testimony -. 49,,
nary ernaci,v that did not give minute lnstructaons 10
10, 10 p,araI coros placed in position. This
..r, f,~ / nowhere claim to have done Indeed,
- naure of the If would have been improper.
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