The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-14

He took distinct ssue with 10 The fact tb.p re
Lane had at any Time impeached The yeIacily or e.
ousstion the fairness OF the late President OF ths r
Mates. That is the point 10 which wish TO dr.
a,ta alton OF The SenaIe and The country
Ii will be seen that Gen. lay lors report which l.
read distinctly states ihat bui "a handtl Of hes% ~
thai the Others had retired, and did not come ioo ~
at all but al la CT period Of the day did GOOD SEW
defending the depot al Buena Vista
Nav there is moi a single TACT stated by Gen r.,
for which there is not full authority in the repo a
Lane Gen Lane goes further, in Tact, than Gen ~
Tor; Tor he sfixcs dtsgrace on portion Of the men y
ever. while Gen; Tay or employs no harsh Language 4
General Tay or had also before him the report ~ %
Wool to whom Gen Lanes report was made ms "a
port OF Gen Wool WAS made on March D. lSa1 y
week after Gen Lanes report had been made 10 him
said
..General Lane, avreeaby TO my ORDERS wishing
his in iantry within striking distance, ordered h ~
more foroa,d This order wa duly obeyed by Leusa,
o Brien The Infantry, however, instead Of adVa.a..,
g.neyai and his cDaers, left the artillery unsupported
Ned the field Of battle Some OF hem were rallied NY
Who ws l and snna s s d.. a. DID ss
with that gallant regiment ! deeply regret syns
os of then did rslurn 10 the field, and many OF d.
continued tier flight 20 Sailio
General TayIor's report made upon these rsuo,.
and the reports OF other OF his subordinate officers Az
am indebted to the researches OF the honorable SIENNA
from Indiana for additional authority that this srs
Indiana regiment was ordered 70 advance when ituv
N
pori OF Lieutenant o Brien the individual perhaps WIN
above all others, charged with the creates, resDn.
bility on the field Of Buena Vista. He says hu M
second Indiana regimen. were ordered TO sustain his M
General Lanes first report was made on the 2SA
February He made supplemental report on d. N
March, ls47-another on the 3,h March, 1917; bul
neither OF these did he refer to the 81 Indiana resm.
nor did he deny or explain IN any way the tact that Ar
were ordered 10 advance.
He made another supplemental report, however, On A
oath March, ls47-nineteen days after General Tsva,
reporf had been mdde-and by this report he corieI
what he called slight error in his report Of the ISL
which was that the word ordered, in the extract quo
above, should ha We been infsnded-so that would ban
read, "and my infantry instead Of advancing. a i
tended" &c, instead OF and my infantry, instead 4
yancing as ordered" &c.
Il will be found that in publication which GeDeI
Lane made the 26ta OF August, 1913, ne throws N
darts with the adroitness Of Parhian In that be bu
the entire charge OF unfairness against Gen. Taylor
the idea that the regiment was not ordered" sav,as
but that il had been intendsd that it should ady,Du
And because General Taylor did not correct his epa
conform with this supplemental report OF GeaeEal Luz
he is charged with uniarness. But General Tays In,
mitted these supplemental reports 10 the War Department
and thus the regiment has the benefit of them Anil
defy the production OF scntila Of proof that anyh
which was officially communicated BY General Ian. b,
General Taylor was not transmitted to the files Of A
War Department have looked into this matter, and l
have found that General Taylor transmitted these report
but he did not correct his own original report benw
u
ton when these supplemental reports OF General Ia.
were made II was not III his possession, and ne cow
not correct it.
General Taylor transmitted them all, both original v
benef, OF the change which General Lane desired i
make by his last supplemental report.
Gen Taylor is sustained in the report which he maA
to the War Department by the report Of Gen Lane Bin
severer language than Gen. Taylor; for he spok. d
those who did not return to the action as having d.
graeed" themselves. Gen. Taylor used no such huA
language.
none OF the reports stated the number Of troops who NJ
lied and fought under Col Davis. From dligen inquig,
the highest estimate which can make is that thirty
forty did return There IL nothing TO controver lhatk
gotten up by Gen. Lane and Col. Bowes The couu d
inquiry says that from $50 10 200 men returned 10 the h.
lie. From dgent examination, have not been able b
ascertain that any returned except thoee that returned
perhaps. twenty in squad under Col Bowes, and
teen or eighteen scattered drought regiment Thsns
no proof that any more returned except the findings
the court OF inquiry. which was go, up a, the instance
Gen Lane, and which may be suspected to have ia
what is called WhiteOaaiiag" concern. Gen. T,la
remained in camp for several days after the baik
Buena Vista. He then went 10 the camp at Walls
Springs. near Monterey During this time. as he decas
in letter TO The Hon. Geo. G. Dunn, formerly Of y
House OF Representatives, be never heard ylsAa
whispered mpeachng either the gallantry or The Coz
age OF Col. Bowes-who. il seems, was in some NJ
about TO be made the scapegoat OF the concern. Az
yet application made 10 Gen. Tay Tor by GeA LA
Tor court-maral TO try Col. Bowles on charged
most atrocious character.
will read some OF them. by way Of showing the sp
in which this thing was conducted. will read Aa
IRON communication made by General Lane whea Y
left for Oregon. | find this communication pubshN q
the Indiana State Sentinel, published AT indianapolis ~
TENDER ., iS4S:
"Charge LIST liability and ncompe.ency TO dlxh'q'
Specification LIST, In this, thai Colonel Bowles Cs
rant OF the tactics which used in the army IN bsua
and company drill and exercise"
The ID charge preferred against Colonel Bowles va
"volatloD OF the sad article OF war"
Some OF the specifications to sustain this charge wen
Specification An In this. tina, the said Col Boxa
after giving tue order specified in the ls and I'd speciha
tons under this charge, did ,hcn and there abandon
position and regiment, and run away from the eoss
and hide himself both from his regiment and from
enemy, and take shelter alone in avine near The ss
| action.
"5tn. la this that the said Col Bowles commands
OF the said regiment, while commanding the same ia ~
battle and while under the fire of the ene,ny disn nM
from his horse in the OF his regiment and took sheI
from The encmys fire behind his men and behind bis o''
| horse"
will not weary the Senate with reading any more
these specifications.
II will be found on looking at the history Of this na
ter, that General Taylor says in letter 10 which ~.
again have occasion 10 REFER he had heard W.
per against the character Of Col Bowles while al lne
tie field OF Buena Vista. A few days Afterwards o
turned TO the camp at Walnut Springs, near blonsM
During this time the idea bruited about that 'ons
body had given order retreat 10 the second nda
regiment. and that Col Bowles was the person Gens.
Taylor was applied 10 on the l4,h Of March, lah
Gen. Lane to grant court martial to try Col Bowe !
the charges which he preferred against him. poloo
which have read. General Taylor declined ordering
court martial, for reasons which shall hereafter es
And it will be found that Gen Lane never said wa'
about changing his report. and changing orders,
nded," until after General Taylor refused 70 oIos
m In frv( nj RowiDa Thu a