The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-10-04

up all day. But, alasl there came an order to him
his brigade, after dark. under the cover Of
long q spidinss ?. MOLINE o. as
pressively, sis immediately under the guns ChapuI
iepsc.'' This was enough for General Pierce; for,
Notwithstanding he enjoyed fine health from the
18th Of September, and was we'll enough to ma
neuurs his brigade all Of the day Of The last date uhie
there toGs fighting, yet, when the brigade had to
move qftr dark, under the guns OF Chapultepec,
the stomach of General Pierce came to crisis and
he ,oas suddenly taken III again. He says, abiding
to the order to move the brigade under the guns OF
Chapultepec: "Prcvious to this moment, however,
was compelled to leave the field in consequence Of
indsposition ,Ohieh confined me omy bed dur
ing the 1874" SC.
Il must be observed that General Pierce did not
attempt to lead the brigade when he found it had
to take position "under the guns Of Chaputepec."
CO, on the Goth, he made a show of leading his
brigade, but he had daylight then for measuring
the range Of the 'enemy's fire and was able to
faint ga few yards" from it. But this movement
at Chaputepec was to be made after dark, and in
the darkness he might make q mistake and get
within the range Of those "guns of Chapultepec,'
TO which he 90 feelingly alludes. He determined,
therefore, not to be confused with the darkness, az
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) l left the
field in consequence Of seuere indisposition. He GER
him an armistice to manage and he would work
at it three days rejoicnglys but bring him within
sight Of battery OF twenty two gums, as at Chu.
rubusco and he tainted; direct him to move, after
dark, under the guns Of Chapultepec, and, although
he had been in good health for twentytw two days,
"previous to the moment OF darkness" a 'severe
indisposition" came on, and he left the field. And
he took good caro- in this to keep his bed all
day on the 18th, the day Of the stornning Of Chapul
| tepsc. He was determined not to be "picked up
again, M he had been at Churobusco; he seemed
resolved that this spell of sickness, got 80 oppor
timely "prcvions TO darkness on the evening d
the 18th. should outlAst any possible chance Of
Mexican enterl Fise is.the way Of fighting.
During the 18th. the day Of Chapultepec, Gen.
have set up all night, watching the embers Of the
fight dying out. As soon as the last glimpse of O
chance for any more fighting that day went out
General Pierce, with reckless energy, reports him
sey ready for duty at daylight on the morning Of tn
The battery at Churubusco, and the idea Of
facing the guns at Chapultepec, had the effect or
General Pierce that the panther pit had upon
Quintus, in Titus Andronicns. He says:
81 am surprised with uncouth fear;
A chilling sweat o'erruns my trembling JOINTS
My heart suspects more than my eye can see."
II may look very irrcvereut in US, but we cannot
but think that General Pierce, at Chornbusco
"lying few yards from the severest fire Of the
must have felt as Falstaff did while rejecting on
his convenient fall under the blows of Douglass
and his resurrection after the fight was over. We
can almost hear General Pierce breathing the very
words of his prototype: "'Sblood! 'twas time tc
counterfeit, or that hot termagant Scott had paio
me scot and lot, too. Counterfeit lie. am nc
counterfeit. To die s to be counterfeit; for he il
but the counterfeit Of man who hath not the life
of man; but to counterfeit dying, when a man
thereby vetb, is to be counterfeit, but the true
and perfect image of life indeed"
We hand this matter over to the friends of Gen
era Pierce to point out one error, if they can, in
our quotations from General Pierce's official re-
ports, or, failing to detect an error, to show whe.
Their we have omitted a solitary statement o.
Mexican events connected with General Pierce'i
military in the field of battle. Ii his friends
can do neither, let them close their mouths about
his military deeds. lest they make themselves the
laughing stock Of Christendom Men who car
franklin Pierce, should not be trusted in the
streets without q keeper.