Daily American telegraph., 1852-06-30
Is General Pierce n Hero !.

Is General Pierce Hero:
II his friends say no, VIC have nothing more to
say. Our purpose is only to disprove their dec
larations to this effect lie is, or he is not
Which? that is the question. If hero, be his
the honor; if not hero, his friends must re
nounce an imposture.
We have heretofore quoted from the Republic
the statement of Gone who knows )" and we
have also apprized our readers that j" Old Army"
IN the same paper, had contradcted the former
He to-day, however, reappears; and to this second
communication we invite the attention of ever
reader 1t is as follows:
To Mc Editor Of the Republic:
SIR: Your correspondent cold Army" in the
Republic of 22d June, makes a great number of
assertions, arranged under separate heads, duly
numbered, and bearing most imposing simili-
tude to General Order :" but he proves moth
ing. He tells US what the official orders show,
but he does not bring forward the record, nor
cite the book and page.
Now, not to be drawn from my original posi-
ton by the many irrelevant statements Of Old
Army" | repeat what said in my first commu-
nication that General Pierce, though with the
army in the valley of Mexico, was personally en-
gagged in not of the great battles, and that he
was ended. And | say, therefore, that he did
nothing to entitle him to the least distinction as
officer, and that those who claim it for him do
it without knowledge of the facts, or with per-
verse misrepresentation.
Was Gen. Pierce ut Contreras on the 20th of
August? He says, in his own report (see mes
sage and documents for 1918, pages 105-6:)
''At one o'clock on the following morning, 1.-THE
goth August Gen. Tmiggs, with Capt. Lee, &C.,
came to my bivouac, with orders from the gen
eral-in chief to assemble all the forces, sc. Being
myself unable to keep my saddle TO aoatk, in con
sequence Of seOcre INJURY from The fdU Of my horse
the day before The command Of Tie force deUOtUed
Col. Ransom" DC.
Was General Pierce at Churubusco on the af-
tcrnoon of the goth August?
In the same report he says:
at was my misfortune, as before stated, to re
ceive serious injury from the fall of my horse OH
the afternoon of the l9th. This accident render
cd me unable to struggle with the difficulties of
the ground over which we were obliged to pass,
&C., and, in the effort to do 50, l fell faint from
exhaustion and PAIN yfe,o yards from the Sc
vercst fire OF the enemy's line
General Shields, in his report, confirms the
fact that Pierce was not with his brigade, for he
says:
Picrces brigade, under my command in tbs
Shields's report, same volume.
Was General Pierce at Molino del Rcy on the
9Th September?
Your correspondent sold Army" says he was
and that he brought up his command under fire
in fine order, and that there are men in Washing
ton who witnessed his gallant conduct on that oc-
casion."
What does General SCOTS report say:
1.-The battle was won just as Brgadier General
Pierce reached the ground
What does General Worth, who commanded
the forces in that battle, and who, from necessity,
must be the best witness, say?
In q letter to General Scott December q,
1917, (scc Executive Document, No. 90, 1913,
page ,077,) he places the matter beyond dis
pute
+" have to assert that the battle had been t0oa
more than one hour before General PierccS b,t2qd,
or any other support, reacAcd Me ground, that
had been nearly that length Of time engaged III
collecting the wounded and the dead that Gen. !,
eral Pierce's brigade did not approach I'll Molino
to replace Garland and to occupy that captured
work, until two hours after its arrival, sc.
Surely this official statement must confouud
"Od Army" and satisfy the "rcst of mankind
that General Pierce did not bring up his com
mand under fire. Mt Molino.
Was Gen. Pierce at Chapultcpec, or the gl.
ritas on the 18th Of September?
In his own report he says:
~ was compelled to leave the field in cuuse-
qucncc Of severe indispositiou, which confined
me to my bed during the 18th, and OF course de-
prived me Of the satisfaction Of participating with
my brigade in the glorious achievements Of that
day
Again, III the same report
.sAt o'clock, on the morning OF the lIth
rejoincd that portion Of my brigade (9th regi-
ment) then acting under orders of Maio General
Quitman at the garita, on the Tacubaya road,
Generals Quitman aud Smith say in their re-
ports, that the Mexican authorities informed
them at dawn on the lth that Santa Anna had
retired with his forces from the city General
Pierce reached the garita at ! o'clock, and the
Mexican authorities, to surrender the city, ~
dawn. Which was the first there, ! confess
cannot decide
SO, then, General Pierce was not IN the battle
Of Contreras nor Of ChurubusCo, nor OF Mohno
del Rey, nor Of Chaputcpcc nor at tic garias
But. saws Old Army, he was with his brigade
on the afternoon Of the 10Th of August, and there
was firing in the city after troops entered It,
We'll, if = Old Army will show from any official
report that Picrcc's brigade except the 9TH III
lantry, which crossed the pcdrigal on the 10Th
Augtlst) was exposed on either Of these occasions
General Pierce may have all the glory that should
nure to a general officer for 50 great an expo
sure ''Od Army" asserts that General Pierce
did not come home in the first train But this is
miserable quibble lie resigned and came home
in one of the first trains Il think, STILL the frst)
months before the war was ended.
If the curious wish to know more Of the mill