The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-10-02
WHOLE No 593

again. He says, abiding to the order
to move the brigade under the guns of
Chapultepec, "previous to this moment,
however, was compelled to leave the
field, IN consequence Of serere indispo-
sition, Which confined me to my bed dur
ing the 1874" &c.
1t must be observed that General
Pierce did not attempt to lead the bri.
gade when he found it had to take DO.
stion "under the guns of Chapultepec."
When he was unexpectedly caught at
Churubusco, on the Goth, he made a
show ofleading i, brigade, but he had
daylight then for measuring the range
Of the "enemy's fire." and was able to
faint "a few yards" from it. But as the
movement at Chapultepec was to be
made after dark, and in the darkness he
might make mistake and get within
the range Of those ''gnns of Chapulte-
pee, to which he so fee ely al',d IS. He
determined, therefore, not to BE- con-
fused with the darkness, as to the proper
time and distance from the guns for his
fit of sickness to come on. According
ly, he says, ''previous to this" (the dark
ness) 81 left the field in consequence of
a severe indisposition." He certainly
had "severe indlsposition" to fight
whenever there was anything of that
kind to do. Give him an armistce to
manage and he would work at it three
days rejoicingly, but bring him within
sight of a battery of twenty-five guns,
as at Churubusco, and he tainted; or di-
rect him to move, after dark, under the
guns OF Chapultepec, and, although he
had been in good health for twenty-five
days, "previous to the moment of dark
ness" "severe indisposition' came on,
and he left the field. And he took good
care in this case to keep his bed all day
on the 18Th, the duy Of tile storming IF
Chapultepec. He was determined not
to be "pick-d up" again, as he had been
at Churubusco; he seemed resolved that
this spell of sickness, got up so oppor-
timely "previous to darkness" on the
evening of the 18th. should outlast any
possible change of Mexican enterprise
in the way of fighting.
During the 18th, the day of Chapulte-
pee, General Pierce says he kept his
bed, but he seems to have sat Il p al!
night, watching the embrrs of the fight
dying out. As soon as the last glimpse
of chance for any more fighting that
day went out, General Pierce, with
reckless energy, reports himself really
for duty at day-break on tie morning Of
the 14th
The battery at Churnbusco, and the
idea of facing the guns at Chapulteprc
had the effect on Gen. Pierce that the
panther-pit had upon Quintus, i'll Titus
Andronicus. He says:
81 am surprised with nncouth fear,
A chilling sweat o'erruns my trembling joints,
My heart suspects more than my eye can see.'
1t may look very irreverent in us, but
we cannot but think that Gen. Pierce,
at Churubusco, "lying few yards from
the severest fire Of the enemy" and in
his bed all the day at Chapultepec,
must have felt as Falstatf did while re.
iecting on his convenient fall, under the
blows Of Doug lass, and his resurrection
after the fight was over. We can al
most hear General Pierce breathing the
very words Of his prototype: "Sblood
twas time to counterfeit, or that hot
termagant Scott had paid me Scot and
lot too. Counterfeit ! lie am no
count erteit To die is IN he q counter.
felt; for he is but the counterfeit of a
man who hath not the life of a man; but
to counterfeit dying, when man there.
by liveth, is TO be no counterfeit, but
the true and perfect image of life in
deed"
We hand this matter over to the
friends OF Gen Pierce to point out one
error, if they can, in our quotations
from Gen. Pierce's official reports, or,
failing to detect an error, to show
whether we have omitted solitary
statement of Mexican events connected
with General Pierce's military career
IN the field of battle. Ifhis friends can
do neither, let them close their mouth
about his military deeds. lest they make
themselves the laughing stock of Christ
endom. Men who can admire equally
the Generaleh,p of a Jackson and of a
Franklin Pierce, should not be trusted
in the streets without keeper.
O. The Democrats have already
oh ,,,xt . hosp