The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-06-17
awHo is GEN. PIERCE,


TL;s question propounded with so much
.,roas,nsss is answered BY the editors Of
,he Valley Wing in tho following opitome
Of his life:
| Since Gen. Pierce has become cana,ua's ,o'
the Presidency, nine-tenihs OF the peoP.e ~ .ne
/ United States have doubtless pfopauhoeu ~, r
i ,hoye question IN spirit OF honest inquiry ioi
Information. The leaders OF Party have rescued
! him from obscurity and call upon The people 70
make him the Executive head OF the nation, aho
j, is not strange that the people should desire -
lInow something of the man whom Their voices
must make President in short time, II lndeeo
they shall choose TO give him their votes.
I franklin Pierce was born about the commence g,
ment OF the presen, century, aud spent hls you'"
and ripenng manhood ~ me 'o"n - - Ta;,,
| New Hampshire. He became a lawyer Q, 'a,'
practice in tina, section, and subsequently, Temov-
ed TO Concord. where he still resides, we believe
Twenty wears ago he was elected 10 The House
OF REPRESENTATIVES Of the United States Congress,
and after four years spent there. he was promo
ted to the Senate Of the United States, where ne
remained till 1912. lie won no honors ~ Con,
gress, but had the reputation OF very lar KIM
OF easy going, reliable old bunker Democia'' u
| the regular stripe.
He was secondary kind Of man IN New
Hampsh ill Hubbard retired from the ield
/ Hill lost Hunker favor, Woodbury. was MADE
Secretary Of the Treasury, and then put upon tne
Supreme Bench, and John r. Hale went over 10
the Abolitonsts-ai which New Hampshire
sought her little great man in the person OF MT
| Pierce.
In the spring OF 8i7 he was selected BY Pfesi-
dent Polk as one OF the batch OF political Gem
erals, to be headed by Benton as Lieutenant Cen
eral, to wrest the glory OF conquerlng Mexico
from General Scott. Under his appointment OF
Brigadier General he proceeded to Vera Cruz
with his Brigade. some $500 strong. He reach
ed Vera Cruz the latter part OF June, after Scott
had gone on to Mexico, and after Pillows Div.
sion and Cadwallader's Command had marched
on in the wake oil Scott. Detained in Vera Cruz
for want Of means OF transportation, he marched
tow ards Mexico about the middle OF July, al The
head OF his Brigade, and was opposed at the Ma
iona Bridge by some five hundred Mexieans,
whom he routed after severe skrimmage. lie
reached Mexico in time to par,ake IN the hnai
battle of the campaign. His Brigade was az.
tsched TO General Shields command, and did
good service in the final battle at the city OF
Mexico. During the fore part Of the day OF the
battle, Gen Pierce was charging round as brave
as any of them, but bis horse had fallen on the
rocks the night before, andunfortunately caught
Pierce,s leg under him, severely bruising his
knee and sprainng his ance, so tina, in the after
noon he was laid to land; or 10 give his own
words-"arriving at a ditch which il was i'm
possible for my horse 10 leap, iistnounted and
hurried forward withou, thinking Of my injury,
when turning suddenly upon my knee, tainted
and fell upon the bank in the direct range and
within perfeet reach Of The enemy's fire.
Lest our democratic readers should become
distressed in view Of his dangerous position, we
can inform them that the enemy was driven back
with rash, and the General restored, by the ad.
ministration OF camphor O! some other remedy,
TO his lost consciousness
After the battle Cen Pierce was, with several
others, appoiniedby Gen. Scott o Commissioner
TO arrange truce with the enemy, soon after
which he returned and reported himself at Polit-
ical Headquarters, Washington City, and a few
days thereafter Gen. Cass announced in the Sen
ate ofthe United States, that orders had been is
sued and sent on TO Mexico for the arrest and
suspension Of General Scott from the command
of the Army.
So much we learn Of General Pierce, and we
suppose ii is about all that Is 10 be known con-
corning him.
Ia civil lie 70. twenty wears, he neither said
or did an thing TO raise himspf even 10 that mod
crate eminence in public estimation occupied by
Hubbard, II II. Hale and WOODBURY.; and the SIX
months which he spent in military service, ie''
no memory of his deeds or his name upon the
pubic mind. While Generals and Coione's
without nnmber gained surels and a name and
fame still bright in the memory Of the'r country
men. il requires Piercing search amongst old
newspapers 10 rec all the events OF the military
career OF the present Locoioco candidate Tor the
Pres deasy.
OF eourss the chief merit ofGeneral Pierce as
acand dafe is hst he has never said OF done any,
thing to attfact attention or excite opposition pro-
baby.