The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-09-22


our readers private letter to him from his son,
Lieut.. Col Roberts, Of the army in relation to
The military conduct and services Of Gen. Pierce
il Mexico
Conone1 Roberts wAs in every battle from the
landing ofour army at Vera Crax 10 the storm
ing IF I'hepultrp~c, and twice breveted, first
nssjar aud second a lieutenant colonel, for his
gallant conduct IN that campaign tie i ma
tive son Of Vermont, Of whom che is and has
good reason to be proud and his statements
will be believed wherever he Is knowa.
The letter is written in the unresra.ned free
dom, i HIGH ought always TO exist between a
father and son, and shows cieafly on its face
that IL waa not .niendsd for the public eye; and
j. il only through the influence OF friend, to
whom Gens~R~aread it, that we have been able
u obtain il for publication. II adds another to
the many scathirg rebukes wich the infamous
libelisrs of Gen. Pierce are almost daily rcceiv-
ing from officers OF the old army, az well az the
new ieyies, Who in Mexico were his compan
ions in arms and Witnessed his conduc'
WAsa,Seros, August 4, 1852,
Mr. DEAR rAraER :-ln answering y"ur m
anirits of my personal knowledge OF General
Pisrce's military services in Mexico, feel some
dis,tnst ne en- officer of the old line, that ma
tural bias against citizen generals may operate
10 prevent candid avowel of their value. -
Nevertheless, will state the facts Of my own
knawledae, and doubt mt that you will see
that am Just 10 your ..model statesman and
General.
1 was in Pueblo when il was first generally
Known that Gen Pierce was on his march from
Vera Cruz TO that place in command oi several
rev regiments and recruits for the old army
rcculect at that time the gneriiias were strong
" organized and occupying the seemingly i'm
pyegnable passes at The Puento Nacionel, Cerro
Gordo. La Hoya, Rio Frio, &c. General APP
prehension .was felt for the safety Of his COIN
lnand II Was composed ofraw materials--new-
" appointed officers and men just recruited
The season was unpropitons, the climate pest
ilential and eickiy, and his march was in the
epidemical mouths. The success Of General
Sce,ts movement upon the capital greatly de-
pended upon this command. In no small de-
gree it's ffectiveness would turn upon the pres
tire If vslor success in the march would inspire
in the soldiery. and The certain reliance they
feel in officers whose courage and example bave
been approved.
Such reliable information had reached Gen
Scott about the 25. July, that the guerillas were
in great numbers strongly entrenched al the
passes Of La Hoya, that he detached Smiths
brigade, reinforced by draggoons and Domingo
spies, to 20 to Pierce's relief. This command
rapidly marched in that objection as fal as .Ojo
Aqua" where Gen. SmitEfeeeived intelligence
that Pierce had brushed away the force enlren-
ched a, La Haya, end that he was moving RAJ
pidlv down the es,ern slope towards Puebla.
General Smith returned there with the well
come Intelligence that Pierce had tough. his
way through every pass from the Puento Ma
oionel, and had efectually disorganiaed and de-
feated the entire guerilla force. His arrival al
puebia spread Satisfaction throughout the army.
The sentiment Of invincibility for the frst time
seemed to pervade the Whole line. New officers
and raw men joined US, with the confessed title
of referans, and with the hearts and courage OF
old soldiers Other distinctive features OF this
command lkened it to an old drilled sorps-its
order, discipline, and subordination. Common
danger has always been acknowledged great
assistance in creating these essential elements of
sill military success. 1t doubtless createsIunion:
but unless troops are commanded by Generals
equal to the occasion, pressing and continued
reril will result in division disatfacton, and de
feat. No army officer properly regarding his
military reputation, when Gen. Pierce reached
Puebla would have put it at hazard by the denial
Of his claim to be ranked with skiliul and suc-
cessfnl generals.
Again can speak Of Gen Pierce from per-
sonal observation On the 49, of August (as you
know was detached from Twiggs's division
rs en- advanced guard, with two companies Of
the rides, with orders from that general to clear
s.pedrigal in front Of Contreras OF its pckets and
skirmishers and on getting close enough to the
works for aure Reconnaissance, to send Tor
him. This was done While Gen. Twiggs
was with me, within too hundred yards of the
snemy's works, estimating their force and
strength, we noticed their sudden change of
guns, and rapid firing in new direction. In
q short time we observed our troops making
their way through the pedrigal to our right and
rear. No! knowing the purpose, we carefully
watched their bearing. exposed as they were to
ne of the most rapid artillery fires Of some
twentv-three guns ever Witnessed Round
shot and shells fell among them like hail stones.
Still they moved firmly on, led by an officer on
horseback whom we could not recognise al the
distance of some 600 or 700 hundred yards On
they passed, unchecked by destruction, urap-
palled by danger! We continued anxipusly re-
rard.ng them, until Twiggs suddenly exclaim
ed to me, s.by Cd, lie the old third see how
they stand it." This force proved to he PieFces
brigade, he leading in the face OF the lire have
deacri ed No better commentary can b. offer
ID 20 the army than this illustration OF the firm
ness, courage, and discipline of Pierce's CON-
mand The regimcnt he was leading was the
9th commanded by the gallant Ransom from oar
State. mistaken by Gen. Twiggs for the veteran
third infantry. This saw and heard. 1t was
under this fire that his horse became unmanage
Pierce was disabled. saw nothing more ofhim
until next day at the halt Of the army at Coyo
can. few minutes before the commencement
Of the terrible battle Of Churublsco. He was
then suffering from the injury received from the
fall Of his horse in the .pedrgal,' but resolved
upon remaining with h . brigade. ! have con
vcrsed with many officers who saw him under
the wasting FIRE of musketry that thinned with
destruction the ranks Of his and Shields's brig
AIDES In their opinions have undoubting re-
lance and the sentiment is universal that officers
and men alike in those brigades bore with un-
welding constance the brunt of this conf CT
The gallant conduct of the two generals-P,erce
and Shelds-was as household words in the ar
my. There, to its credit be it said, none are
& aud so insensble to hcnor as 10 breathe upon
tber ,-eil earned laurels breath that would
.o;l their -. .laess or waste leaf that should
main green forever.
s. have now, my de-. ! l. 'o'1 y I. al 'na',
pf mr. own observation, ..a"ra ~. !, =
P,ercs.s military history. sonu a,o nus
{ nawn ,h,s Gen. Scott, in his u >lches, com
manded hssa in terms Of praise, ana sas nn =
title that he seldom mistakenly bestows :.
co,lauts Fieree" Were Gen. Scott in position |
10 speak for his,self, he would cause the libel
,ers OF q agallam's officer, whose services have
greatly contributed to his glory and success, to
,.lush at their i'll judged attempts to stain the
hSnor OF 4 tried soldier and eminent citizen.
The humilis ting idea of cowardice, and mfr
nifty that in hay . has excited the pity of man,
i seldom en- erianed by any one in the army.
Among the though,less the timid ever are by
word and jest-,o thinking men the idea OF COW,
iies 10 painful and revolving! To my mind,
~Shc, conceives this libel upon human nature
, Dc deprave6 and radically wicket. To al
81 70 soil ,thatf feature that most likens us to
ap, ;ppiety against that sacrsd text, ''let
iiy L. vAa in oar awn image The highest
make Alat conld be visited upon the man
aishmrn ID this libel upon General Pierce
10 concen uiiish his name to the world
,uld be 10 l. Cain may be washed from the
rhe mark OF >ds msyb eleansed and shris
ov-bloody hai ION prompted, and the world
Of sin thai pass aAa'E good name is to insure
rrivcs TO libel the curse of Heaven. -
b;s is cowsrdice Seur father. f,o.use Gen
NV ind gna,ion. my M morea.fred" by this
Ia 4. attempt 10 impeach !, ~,yrring within nv
,sresshan any political man :. af eat,an i de-
: '.,,sc,;an. But in these da .a,;ans for ,he
s..cr when national conv, rs,,eS ST. ;"e
- .,,y,o.e Of nominating to the ,,..n.a a n,.
: p.ips;d -. great and fl men are 49, .a
Il tSSa&x 80 and ClVACscF uIc