Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-09-02
AN INSULT TO VERMONT.
Justice to Col. Ransom.

We have always thought that the appoint
ment, by President Polk, of FRANKLIN PIERCE
of n. II. as brigadier General, over T. b. Ran
SOM of vermont, was piece Of gross favortism
-unius, in the highest degree to Ransom and
an insult TO Vermont. RANSOM was skilled in
military science and a thorough bred officer
he had adopted the teaching of military science
and tactics as profession; and in every battle,
from Contreras until he fell at the head of his
brave regiment while storming Chapultepec, he
proved himself to be one of the most gallant and
accomplished officers in the whole army, the old
veterans Of the war of 1912 not excepted
PIERCE had no claims to the appointment, by
military talents services and had PIERCE
lived in Vermont and r. b. RANSOM in New
Hampshire, no military man can doubt for a
moment that the post of honor would have been
given TO Ransom. 1t was denied him and given
TO PIERCE And hence il is we say, the favo--
tism to PIERCE and the injustice to the gallant
RANSOM, was deliberate insult To- Termont--an
insult which the brave officers and soldiers of
Vermont in the 9th Regiment, and an insult
which the .freemen Of Vermont, ought to be the
first to avenge
Nor may we stop here to this gross insult to
Vermont, by President Polk, we must add The
groSsesi injustice 10 The gallant Ransom, by Yer
moniers' Aye-by Vermonters and Democrats
Of Vermont into the bngain!! They rob RAN
som of his blood bought honors, to fas,en them
on FRANKLrN PIERCE They fch from the
hard-earned fame, won by their own friend and
brother by the most daring and efficient services
at CoNTRERAs, CHURsBUsco, and CHAPULTE-
PFC; and they rob RANSOM of his laures to
place them on the brow of PIERCE, in the face
and eyes OF the record that PIERCE was incapa.
citated, by falling from his horse and fainting,
from taking any part in these engagements, and
that it was RANSOM, and not PIERCE, who gal
lanty led the gallant 9th in every one of them
II is JEFF. kidder, of Randolph, the democratic
candidate for lieutenant governor of Vermont,
who has the brass to tells us that Franklin
PIERCE was +" in the blaze Of ereyy battle from The
.NdtionGl Bridge 10 The halls ofthe .Uontezumas :"
Ii is history that convicts JEFF. Kidder of the
rankest injustice TO the memory of his friend
Ransom, and assures us that r. b. Ransom was
the actual commander of the New England 9th,
occupying Pierce's post phen Pierce had fallen and
tainted and remained an i,isaIid and as COM
mdRder in place Of Pierce, leading his troops in
every fight in which they engaged, and winning
the very honors which Vermont Democratic
speech-mdkers are now bent upon filching from
him.
Soldiers of the gallant 9th freemen of Yer
mont let the day of the Presidential election
be day Of justice to the memory of the lament
ed RANSOM day Of retr5ution to FRANKLIS
PIERcE-and day Of reckoning with the locofo-
CO electioneerers of Vermont.
We confirm the views we here express by a
statement Of facts, furnished from the documents
by soldier Of the 9th regiment, and published
in the Boston Atlas Of August &c. The article
was written in reply to a letter of Gen Shields.
We have examined the official documents, and
find that the following statement is su5tantated
by the record;
"The battle Of Contreras was the first fought
IN the valley Of Mexico by our army. The ac.
ton, It will be remembered, was commenced
about three o'clock IN the afternoon. General
Twigs' division was in advance, closely followed
by that of General Pillow, to which Gen. Pierce
belonged. The New England Regiment, the
Ninth led By the gallani Ransom. was. from posi-
ton, IN advance Of the other portions of the
brigade m the charge of the enemy's skjrmish
ers but as Gen. Pierce 8" fell iron. has horse -
be was unable to keep up with his brigade; con. |
sequently, the assistance given to Brig. Gen.
Smiths and Riley's brgades owed nothing TO
the individudi proieess Of Gen. Pierce Gen
Shields, who contributed largely TO our success
by his conduct in the orchard on the night of the
18th, the credit Of which Gen. Pillow, through
the agency of the celebrated Leonidas Letter.
endeavored TO rob hun OF, did not come upon the
ground with hls brigade until after Gen. Pierce
bad fallen icith his horse. What Gen. Shields.
therefore, knows Of the character of Gen. Pierce
upon the field OF Contreras on the evening of
the 18th, amounts TO NOTHING On the morning
Of the 10Th, Gen. Pierce. according TO his own
statement, did not participate in the action
consequently, he did not prove himselfto be
hero on that occasion and Gen. Shields cannot
:" U,nd,eaie his miiiiary character" there. A3l
o'clock on the morning of the Doth, the great
movement commenced on the rear Of the enc
mys camp. Riley leading, followed by Cadwa-
der's and Smiths brgades II was now Aaf The
gallant and iame,ied Ransom, ..,ptfh has femporo-
~ brigade" not only made the concerted move.