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

.O0snsd and wished 10 do something TO repair the honor
gs,ss & by ,vsisl We. sS.sessa
ssl va rh u Tsv faabie. whsr alleged the other day
IN, General Taylor 10 making the report OF the bat
Dc Of Baena Vista made y truly and according to the
/ will now say a few words as 10 the number Of men
n the Cd Indiana regiment thai rallied and fought under
Colonel DAVIS General Laue calls lhem :. part" OF
he regiment but sai pat he does not say Ii the mum
r., were large small he should have stated H. 80 an
~ have saved those who were not censurable from
he "di.guacs" which he attached TO those who did
rslly. tal.ts' .
hal early in the action Colonel Bowes. OF Indiana
with small party from his regiment. which he stated
nressed wish to with my command He remained
with US throughout the day, and, under all eircum,
displayed much personal saan,ry" General
Them "a handful OF men" He has evidently been gov,
sned by the statements of General Wool and Colonel
Davis as the number could no, do otherwise, as
General Lane has not furnished him any information
he po,n, General Lane admits that all OF the regi7
men thai did moi join Colonel Davis rereated, and
were not again rallied, but remained disgrace" Col
Davis saws that only "a small purity joined him and
General Taylor calls them "a handful Of men" ...
Bsole pass from this part OF the subject ! desire
10 call the attention OF the Senate TO the true history of
the refusal the part Of General Taylor TO grant this
court martial MAJOR Bliss. writing to General Wool in
relation to these matters, says:
.HeApouAarkRs Army or OccurArIoy
" Camp near Monterey, March rs, 1877 +
.GrsrRAL; The haxes against Colonel Bowles incu-
dsd in your OF the Nth instant have been
duly submitted TO the commanding general who drec's
me 10 say that under all the circumstances he dis.
posed q order coutmartal il the case BY reference
the official reports OF the engagement at Bnena Vista, IL
seen thar the personal conduct OF Colonel Bowes
led both by yourself and Colonel wis, whose repi
msnt he associated after the fight of his La
nearly two weeks that the General remained Sao,
ae The bste he heard syllable breahed against
reputation OF Colonel Bowes nor does he believe that
charges affecting his conduct in the battle be subs m
mated HIS own Otlcnl reporf, based the
dsnce he could obtain, speaks well Of ts conduct OF ii
Bowles and he will not now oonsen entertain the
charges sganst him They should have been preferred
an earlier day Should Colonel Bowies desire cour, OF in
curry this directed say that you
horzed by the commanding general grant III bur the
General thinks it best TOR all concerned to 10, the
." am, sir. vsy respectfully. you, obedient servant.
"-a Buena Vista, Mexico"
imagine all the parties will come to the same conclu-
sion thai General Taylor did They will think il best
TO let the matter drop" Gen. Taylor showed himself TO
be wise this occasion as he brave the field
| Of Buena Vista
pass to the second branch. in which alleged that
Gen. Taylor owed il to his official position. TO his own
ghlensd portion Of his countrymen who placed him in
the first office in the country, perhaps in the world, to
have dismissed from service as high and responsible
that occupied by Gen Lane any individual who had done
what his bterest and most vindctve enemies had never
before donecall into question his personal honor and
his personal veracity Sir, Gen Taylor had not done
ne W0ulu not nave Oeen BuCn man rs the American
people and the world have esteemed him TO be.
appeal to every honorable gentleman here il there
one amongst them who would 60 to the extent of for
to which is insisted that Gen Taylor should
have gone. may constitute beautiful page in history
record that the King n France would remember
the injuries done to the Duke of Orleans, but apprehend
there more OF fancy in the assertion than there is OF
reality Sir, it is true that during all administrations in
power President, without loss OF respect, permit
any one who is engaged in revlng his personal char
scer and casting mpuiatons on his honor and yeracy
kasn hruh and pncih ouynp NIL iJ~p
has permitted il. and none should permit it, gs
Gen Lane, in the progress Of subsequent evens-for
have omitted vast deal that under other circumstances
should have stated-had courts OF inquiry The first
held in reference TO himself am glad TO be able 10 say
the papers show, that that court of inquiry said every
Thing in regard to Gen Lane as gentleman OF bravery
and gallantry, and made Impeachment of him what
over They further say that any order given to the I'd
Indiana regiment TO retreat il such given, did not
emanate from him That court pretty generally agreed
with Gen. Lane that Col Bowles, by of sickness
and other causes, had not attained that degree Of excel
in military science deemed indispensable control
her companies or regiments, but that during the action
pl that day he had shown want OF bravery. On the
contrary Col Davis, in his report, speaks of his conduct
hs having been gallant throughout the day Gen. Wool,
his report speaks in like and upon the of
bravery far the reports OF that action CO. land there
pre- reports from subodinaes) his bravery APP
ears to be as great as that OF Gen. Lane. -ts. +.
General Lane has been pronounced TO be the "Marion
The wat" That he Is brave, no one. presume, will
eny; but on that point cannot perceive, judging from
be reports, that he has or entitled TO iota OF repu
alton above Colonel Bowes. The second Indiana regi-
nen broke and rereated General Lane. in bis report
lays that all the officers endesvored TO rally It.
enand Colonel Bowles to be included in that number
te dd rally some twenty men, and Joined Colonel Davis
the rifle regiment and, according TO Colonel DAvls's
epori, did excellent and efficient Alter these
bindings OF the court they said everything honorable 10
Pie gallantry Of Colonel Bowles ba, not much that
redable to his skill commander. There was moth
ng 10 mpeach his galanlTy They alone found that he
bad said, perhaps than once, "Cease firing, and
reat II was remarked that they were in such posi-
ION that they should have reiterated at earlier period
u as the second Indiana regiment the regiment TO
lover and protect OBrens battery, II is very strange
ha, when they ordered forward they should have
ound II prudento have retreaed, though in that
ndlng IT is said that Colonel Bowles had lnlimatIon
whatsoever that Lieutenant OBnens artillery had ad-
aheed. should like TO know how much General Lane
Fslll make out of that fact, He in command both
the regiment and the battery. Whose business IL
see that the officers commanding the respective divis
ohs and regiments received the requisite order Yet
hough General Lane first says he ordered them TO ad
ance, and afterwards speaks OF its being INTENDED"
hey should advance, and though Lieutenant OBrien
vas ordered forward with his flying artillery, General
ane 10 The finding OF that court OF inquiry, said that
olonel Bowles had sort OF knowledge intImatlop
hat the artillery had advanced Whose business was il
o have made it know to them Who should have com
nunicaed these orders In what General Lane bene
Ted BY making this fact APPEAR He of who is
the command OF all must be held responsible for the
proper communication OF all orders II, then, the chief
command is the responsible person, and General Lane
vas IN command OF that part OF the army, does that add
hrs military reputation
After these courts of inquiry were held, Gen. Lane
nade new case OF the whole affair General Taylor, il
W be recollected, had. before that me refused grant
court martial try Coone; Bowes, for which
e himself states very briefly, but, to my mind, very
ansiacoriy and sensiby and think they will strike the
hole country This refusal created the necessity for
bese OF inquiry and after the made