The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-07
IFoR THE REPUBLIC.l

their renown under tho command of General
ScoTr, are in a great m easure indebted to him
for the favorable notice of them in his dispatches.
So in the war with Mexico. But for his notice
Of them the fact could not be established that
some Of the officers were under fire at all. In
the generosity Of his heart, General Scott may
have been misled in ascribing conduct to General
Pierce that he never deserved.
Unwilling to believe that General Pierce could
be 30 unmindful Of what 10 due. to the character
Of an honorable soldier to lend his aid to the
perversion Of the dispatches Of the commander
in-chief, it is not limited that he 10 charge
able with such an offence; but this may be said:
that General Pierce owes il to himself to correct
the misre presentations Of his indiscreet and un-
scrupulous political friends.
By reference to General Pierce's military ca.
reer," (from the Boston Post,) as copied into
the Albany Argus, will be seen the following abb
surd statement:
1.-THE American army moved forward to fight
the great battles OF the valley Of Mexico, which re-
suited in the waving Of the American flag over the
halls Of the Montezumas. The first OF the strug-
ges were those OF Contreras and Churubusco. In
describing the former engagement the rst notice
in General Scots official account Of General
Pierce 10 that OF being more than three hours
under heavy fire Of artillery and muskets along
the almost impossible ravne in front and to the
left of tho entrenchcd camps. tThese, four in
front, took their seven points in my targetl Be:
sides twenty-five pieces Of artillery, the camp and
ravnc were defended closely by masses OF infan'
try, those again supported by clouds OF cavalry at
hand lowering in views teieven buckram men.l
This was the front Of the enemy's works at Con
trsras. The gallant 9Th and 18th regiments Of in
fantry-General Pierce's command-tmisbegotten
knaves, in Kendall green, came at my backl-
NOV ed with great activity, and 10 the admiration
of the army, for three. fourths of mile, under
heavy fire OF round shot and shells, to position
which they nobly maintained from O'Clock until
a L. vbep bei q n
impress on on n vastly superior force, they were
ordered to position. tThcse lies are like the
father who begot them; gross as mountain, open,
palpable,l The night was dark. the rain poured
in torrents, the troops were wet, hungry, and
without the possibility Of sleep, and the ground
exceedingly uneven and dificult-indeed il was a
ing, (Isth,) General Pierce received, says Gene.
raj Scott, "a severe hurt from the fall from his
horse.' Scott next says u sent Pierce, just able
to keep his saddle. with his brigade, to attack
the enemy's right and rear This was on the
goth, not the 10Th, as stated But the accident
rendered The General physically unable to strug.
gle successfully with tho difficulties of the ground
over which he was obliged to pass, and in maxim
the effort he fell faint from exhaustion and pain,
few yards from the severest hre OF the enemy >
line. During this action General Pierce evinced
was the first time he had fought under scotfs eye,
who, in this DISPATCH terms him the gallant Gene
raj Pierce"
The quotation mark refers to General SCOTS
of this grandoquent description OF hair-brcod th
Escapes from the dangers of the battle and tho
field. Like Falstaf' 3 bill: " Sack. two gallons,
o.. 3d.; bread, haifPenny! o, monstrous! BY!
deal Of sack"--al the twaddle to the "halfpenny
worth" description IN General Scotrs de-
| spatchcs! Worse than the penny worth OF gene
rosity!
Now, what says General Scott's dispatches? Il
quote from the the Signal, No 8, July SD "By
three O'clock, this afternoon, the Advanced divisions
came to point, where the new road could only
be continued under the direct fire Of % pieces. "
SC; but General Scott docs not say it Uas con
tnued at that hazard; not having mentioned Gen
eral Pierce directly or up to this date OF
this despatch, it proceeds: CARRYING the ground
. an no ur later, i found that Pillow and Twiggs's
division bad avdanced to disiodge the enemy
picking their way, (aH officers on foot,) on horse
course General Pierce could not have been there,
according to the account given by his friends, be
cause he had been hurt by fall with and under
bis S% 4ss ans
gads" mot PIERCE in person because, for the rea
son above stated, General Pierce ,cas not there
Iphen, for more than three hours, AZ br'gode wa'
"unoer o heavy 6re," sc as described in his bi
ography by a peTversion Of General Scotts de-
spaicb! II ordered rays Scott, (through Majo
General Pillow? "Coona Mergan with his reg
found Cad,caiader's brigade in position. 1.-THE gal
Ian. and indeiatigablc Captain Lee, of the engi
necrs, WHO has been constantly with the operating
|
&c !; but not one word is said of Gen Pierce in thu
despatch No. 81, describing the proceedings OF tn.
first day against Contreras! His name Is only used
adjectvely to describe brigade. To make it ap
pear that General Pierce was hero on that day
according to the despatch Of General Scott, is .
most shameful and disgracelul misrepresentation
and perversion Of the truth, as appears from the
Despatch No 80, describing the further pro
ceedings against Contreras, 'the morning Of tn
goth, refers to "Brigadier Generals Shields p. F
k.s- A. G-ll
their brigndes, and the 18th regiment under Colo
mel Morgan, detached from General Pierce
"Guided by Captain Lee, the command Of Colone
Ransom Of the 9Th, came into action" but not ont
word yet of General Pierce!. {" Cadw ladcl
brought up to the general assault two of his reg
ments. Colonel Ransom. with his temporary br
gade Gin fact General Pierce's, who was not OH th'
ground not only made the movement" &c.
."Thus was the great victory of Contreras achiev
ed''-unaided by General Pierce; but after the
battle, according TO General Scot,'s report of it
ssthe two advanced divisions marched from Con
treras, under the immediate command OF Majo
General Pillow, who was notD joined by the gallan
Brigadier General Pierce, OF his division, personal
ly thrown out Of activity late the evening before
by severe hurt received by the fall Of his horse
In his description of the battle Of Churubusco
General Scott refers to General Pierce as follows
'Next (but all in ten minutes) sent Pierce Gus
able to keep his saddle) with mis- brigade, lPillow
DIVISION conducted by Captain Lee, engineer, b,
third road, little further ON our left, to attach
the enemy's right and rear )" and finally, Shields
senior to Plercc, (''WltD, Gc.,) was oruereu
follow Pierce closely, and to take the command o
our left wing
at has been stated that some two hours and .
half before, Pierces, follow ed closely by the vo!un
teer brigade-both under the command Of Briga
der General Shields-had been detached to GU
lett to turn the enemy's works, to prevent the es
s,pe," &c.
:'The battle was long, hot, and varied; but ulti
mateIy success crowned the zeal and gallantry q
our troops ably dircctedby their distinguished com
mander, Brigadier General Shields The 9Th, 18th
and 18Th undo, Colonel Ransom, Captain Wood, an
Colonel Morgan, of Pierce's brigade. Brigade
General Pierce, from the hurt Of the evening be
fore under pain and exhaustion, tainted in the &C
ton! Several ether changes in the command &C
Cured on this field
This 10 all that 10 to be found in General Scott
dispatches respecting the share General Pierc
had in the actions OF Contreras and Churubusco
In desc riding the battle Of Moline del Rey, Gene
Scott mentions General Pierce ms follows: a.
called up, from the distance Of three miles" :
.shis remaining BRIGADE" (Pierce's;)
s'but the battle was tpon just ds Brigadicr Gen
General Pierce reached the ground"
: This 10 the extent Of General Scott's authorit
for General Pierce's participation in the action