The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-31

From the LOUISVILLE Journal, august rs.
We think we must be cruel enough, though not
naturally hard hearted, to compare Gen. Pierce'a
own account Of his mishap at Churubusco with
that given In his behalf by his Hibernian friend,
Senator Shields. Pierce says: 5sissi asf
ARRIVING at a ditch, which 1t was impossible
for my horse to leap, dismounfed and hurried
forward, without thinking of my injury, at the
head Of my brigade for 200 or 800 yards, when,
ing suddenly on my knee, tho cartilage Of which
had been seriously injured, tainted and fell upon
the bank. in the direct range and within perfect
reach of The enemy's fire. That escaped seems
to me now providential.' E .sa ~ Ht. ~
Now, keeping this account in mind, just read
the following from the pen Of Senator Shields:
GAS we Che and Pierce) approached the enemy's
position, we encountered deep ditch, or rather
deep, narrow, smy canal, which had been pre-
viously used for the purpose of irrigation. II was
no time 10 hesitate; SO we both plunged in. The
horse happened to ride that day WINS a light, ac-
tive Mexican horse. This circumstance operated
in my favor, and enabled me to extricate myself
and horse after considerable difficulty. Pierce, on
tho contrary, was mounted on large, heavy Amc-
rican horse, and man and horse both sank do,on
and rolled oer IN ne ditch. There was compelled
10, leave him. y After struggling there
cannot say how long, he extrcated himself from
his horse, and hurried on foot 10 join has command
then closely engaged in desperate conflict with the
enemy; there he remained till, overcome with
suffering and exhaustion, he sank on the ground,
and carried all but lifeless from the field
We don't want to get Pierce and Shields into a
fight. and we presume there is no danger, for, in
all probability, Pierce has no more idea Of getting
into fight with his friend Shields than he had OF
getting into one with the Mexicans; but there are
certainly sope direct issucs Of veracity between
the YankcsGeneral and the Irish General.
Pierce says that, coming to the ditch and finding
TINT his horse couldn't leap it, he dismounfed and
hurried forward on foot Shields, on the contrary,
says that Pierce and his horse both sank down and
rolled over in the ditch; and that Pierce, after
strugg ling and houndering there for some time,
extricated himself from bis horse. Now il Shclde q
account 10 true, what business had Pierce to say
that he dismounted, instead Of eaying that he and
his horse rolled over in the mud until by dint of
hard ioundering he cxtricated himself from the
beastf What sort of dismounting was fhaH a
Again, Pierce says that, on disnlounfing, he hur.
ried forward at the head Of his brigade. He con-
veys the idea that he wasn't delayed at all by the
ditch; that, on coming to it and seeing. that his
horse couldn't leap il, he leaped FROM his horse and
General Shields, on the contrary, says that he
rolled aud foundcred in the ditch, and, utter
struggling there indefinitely, extricated himself
and hurried on, not sat the head Of hiss brigadc,"
but "fo join his command, thsn eiosely enyoged in
a desperate conflict spith the enemy" Pierce Gays
that he went the hend Of his brigade, and Shields
says that he followed IL. UyVA fshppt5 4a
Ii Pierce tells the truth, Shields doesn't, and If
Shields does, Pierce doesn't. We have no doubt
that the kind hearted Shields will chcerfuily take
the whole fnsehood upon himself for the present. in
consideration that his friend Pierce can't afford TO
take any thing of the kind until after the election.