Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-08-18

those we were placed in, we would have
hesitated along time before making the at
tempt. Pierce's brigade was at once
ordered to the front, With his to renal
ming regiments, Pierce pressed rapidly
forw ard"
I" The Mexican batteries played rapidly
upon his advance but the troops were
protected by the Inequalities of the ground
from the showers of shot and shells with
which they were welcomed. Pierce was
however temporarily disabled by the fall
of his horse, which stumblingin a cleft of
the rocks, threw him heavily to the
ground" (Ripley, page 223) Then,
again he was not borne off to his tent,
but remained on the field of battle the
whole night, Notwithstanding it was one
ofthe stormest it was ever our luck to pass
IN an unprotected position" Z" Captain
Magruder then thought of ayailing him
self of Pillows permission to retire, with
his nutilated battery, to repair his losses
and damages. Pierce, who although,
quite lame. remained upon the field,
opposed it for some time, and it was not
until the moon was nearly down that he
gave his consent" (Ripley, p. 2S7, y
! He here refers evidently. TO tho moon
which shone occasionally for at other
times one could hardly SEQ ones hand be.
fore one . face, as all those who were there
can well testify,)
The next morning. when, by the rapid
and successful assault of the fortified po-
sition Of Contreras. by Smiths force,* the
broken road across the podrigal which the
evening before had been iniladed by a
powerful battery of twenty-five guns, had
been thrown open, Gen. Pierce mounted
his horse again, Notwithstanding the Sc
we're pain he was laboring under, and re-
Joined the head Of his brigade on its way
to the bloody field of Churubusco.
There, when Gen. Scott found that re-
sistance in front was too obstinate, he or
dered Immediately General Pierce to
move to our left and take the enemy po-
sliion in rear, and afterwards ordered
General Shields TO support the movement.
These two gallant officers marched at the
head of their brigadcs to the attack of the
Mcxicans, who out numbered them at least
five to one, and at the same time they (the
Mexicans, obtained protection by advan-
cling into the ditch along the causeway,
besides being hidden from their opponents
by the dense growth of maguey. Under
the dangerous aspect of affairs, strenuous
exertions were made to restore the forma-
ton and make good the battle. Shields
and his staff, Piercc's staff, (for the Gen.
eral, suffering from the injury of his fall
on tho previous day, was unable to give
his personal attention, in fact the greater
portion of the officers did all which it was
possible TO do, and finally order was rcsto.
| red.-( Ripley, r, 1925
Now, the General kept on his horse al
the head of his column as long as the ma
ture of the ground had permitted it; but
when he had got on the field near the enc
my's line, along the road to the city of
Mexico from the rear of the tete depon, in
advance of the bridge of Churubusco, the
the ground became so cut up with wide
and deep bitches that having alighted from
his horse to endeayor to advance still fur
Their, he soon became exhausted from the
intense pain he was suffering, and which
every new effort Of his increased ten fold,
he at last found 1t utterly impossible to go
any further, and Notwithstanding he was
exposed there, also, to heavy fire of mus
kerry and escopettes, he remained there,
urging his men forward, until the enemy's
line was broken and dispersed.
10 any one who has ever been SO un-
fortunate as to be afflicted with sprain,
he can but admire the energy and power
of endurance displayed on this occasion,
by Gen. Pierce, and to those who beheld
him at the time they could but admire his
GOODNESS and courage.
On the 22d of August 1917, he was ap.
pointed together with Generals Quitman
and Smith, by the Gcucral-in.chief, one
of the commissioners to draw up the ar
mistice; thus affording lift were required
an additional proof Of the confidence pla.
ccd in him by Gen. Scott
at tho battle Of Moline del Rey, al
though, as stated by the Bee, che arrived
too late " to take part in the engagement
still he was in'rusted with very delicate
operation, as every military man can tes-
THY to-and that was "to cover the retreat
Tor more properly the withdrawal) of Gar
land and Cadwalladcr's brigades, which
were directed to fall back to Tacubaya.-
For this purpose, Gen. Pierce was sent
down with the second and ninth regiments
and although, TIE guns of Chepultepec
were served Spitefully upon them, the
movement was accomp lishcd without
loss. "-(Ripley, p. $751;.
On the morning of the 1 18th of Scptem-
Der, before making our last grand effort to
enter the city of Mexico, the General-in-
ohiefheld meeting of his general and en-
gineer officers at the village of Piedad !;
and after having explained his views as to
the best point OF attacking the city, which
was by Chepultepcc and its western gates
no called upon those present for their
opinion unbiased by what he had said up.
on the subject. thathe might make up his
mind and give the necessary orders for the
attack before the meeting was broken up |
They all opened for an attack by the south.
ern gates, with the execution Of GeneraIs