Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-09-08
MARTINsBURG VA, WEDNESDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER s. 1852

Of ChdpUltepec II his was enough for Ten.
Pierce, for, notwithstanding he enjoyed tine
health from the Goth of August up to the
18th Of September, and was well enough to
manGuprc his brigade all of the day Of the
last date aDhile there tras no fighting. vet,
when the brigade had to move after dark, IN
uer the guns Of Chapultepcc, the stomach OF
General Pierce came to crisis. and he tCas
suddenly taken III again He says. abiding
to the other to move the brigade under the
guns Of Cbapultepec previous to this mo-
ment. however. was compelled to leave the
field in consequence of serere indisposition,
1chich confined me to my bed during the l3ih,
SC
1t must be observed that General Pierce
did not attempt to lead the brigade when be
found it had to take position under the guns
of Chapultepec" When be was unexpected
ly caught at Churubusco. on the Goth, be
made show of leading his brigade, but he
had daylight then for measuring the range Of
the enemy 5 fire." and was able to faint "a
few yards from it, But this movement at
Ciapultepee was to be made ate dark and
in the darkness be might make mistake and
get within the range of those gums of Cha
poltepcc," to which be SO feelngly alludes
fIe determined therefore, not to be confused
with the darkness, as to the proper time and
distance from the guns for his fit of sickness
to come on. Accordingly, he says, previous
to this (the darkness) Il left the field IN
consequence Of sercre indisposition. He
certainly had ''seYere indisposition" to fight
whenever there was any thing Of that kind to
do. Give him an armistice to manage and he
would work at it three days rejoicingly, but
bring him within sight ola battery of twenty
two guns, as at Churubosco, and he tainted,
or direct him to move, after dark, under the
guns of Chapultepec and, although he had
been in good health for twenty two days,
previous to the moment of darkness, Csc
we're indispositions came on, and he left the
field. And he took coed care in this case to
keep bis bed all day on the 18Th, the day Of
the s.orming of Chapmtepec. lie was de-
termiued not to be picked up" again, as be
hadsbecn at Churubusco be seemed resolved
that this spell of sickness, got up so oppor-
timely previous to darkuess Oh the evening
of the Eth should out last any possible
chance of Mexican enterprise in the way OF
| fighting.
During the 18th. the day Of Chapultcpec,
General Pierce says he kept his bed, but he
seems 10 have sat up all night, watching the
embers of the fight dying out As soon as
the last glimmer of chance for any more
fighting that day wont out, Gen Pierce with
restless energy reports himself ready for dh-
ty at day5reak on the morning of the l4h
The battery at Churubusco and the idea Of
facing the guns at Cbapultcpee had the effect
on Gen. Pierce that the panther pit had upou
/ Quiutus, in Titus Andronicas. lie says:
I II am surprised with uncouth fear;
I chilling sweat erruns my trembling joints
! My heart suspects more thanmy eye can see,
1t may look very irreycrent in us. but we
cannot but think that Gen. Pierce, at Chur-
ubusco, lying few yards from the scycrest
fire of the enemy, aud in bis bed all the day
| of Chapultepec. must have felt as Falstaf did
while rejecting on his convenient fall, under
the blows of Douglass, and his resurrection af-
ter the 6gbt was over. We can almost hear
Gen. Pierce breathing the very words of his
prototypes : 'Sblood twas time to counter
felt, or that hot termagant Scot had paid me
Scot and lot too. Counterfeit lie, | am
no counterfeit. To die is to be counterfeit
for he is bnt the counterfeit Of a man who hath
not the life of man but to counterfeit dying,
when man thereby liveth, is to be no coun-
terfeit, but the true and perfect image of life
indeed"
We hand this matter over to The friends OF
General Pierce to point out one error. i they
can, in our quotations from Gen, sPiercss OF
fetal reports. or failing to detect an error, to
show whether we have omitted solitary state.
ment Of Mexican events connected with Gen.
Pierccs military career in the field Of battle
If his, friends can do neither let them close
mouths about his military deeds. lest they
make themselves the laughing stock Of Chris
tendon Men who can admire equallyahe
Generalship of a jackson and Of Franklin
Pierce should not be trusted in the streets
without keeper,