The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-08


sacrificed To a m0urnful, and of course an unne-
cessary, extent thro' want Of judgment, retiec-
ton or forecast on the part of Gen. BUTLER.
proceed to show that there is but ono occasion
to which you can allude, without absolute non
sense as well as error, and that, as distilled from
the circumstances of that occasion, the charge
may be resolved into its original elements OF
blackness by the application Of very simple
test Let me remark that ! do not mean to at
tribute to you its connection You doubtless
found il ready made in the hands Of some pois-
oner by trade, and used il, without nice inquiry,
as philtro to steal the affections Of the Democ:
racy from troublesome rival. When you have
tested, trust you will throw it to the dogs and
use manlier weapons for the future.
Waving for the moment the inquiry, to which
| shall return, as TO what affair in General Bur-
LER's Mexican campaigns you refer to, assume
it to be, as you will doubtless admit, the battle
of Monterey. As he was wounded early in the
action of the first day, and concerned only in the
Eastern attack, the field of discussion is narrow
ed to his participation in the plan, and his con-
duet in the execution of that attack. offer no
C, iticism on the plan of battle. General TAYLOR
was alone responsible for it, except so far as
modified by controlling circumstances-the ma
ture of the ground, and, perhaps, in some de-
gree, the order ofthe troops (whO could not be
well held in hand in such localities) having, nc
cording to many, precipitated comb,t not in
tended by General TAYLOR. This is a matter
/ of opinion, or of history, aside from our pur.
pose. The troops that brought on the action
were not BuTLER's, for his division was at the
moment being held in reserve by Gen. TAYLOR.
Neither is he responsible for the general plan.
It is well known, to those at all informed upon
the subject, that BUTLER did not coincide with
General TAYLOR, but urged detour and pro-
posed to undertake another attack from the
rear, similar to and in combination WITH that of
WORTH, which latter was far less fatal to our
troops Whatever rashness then critics may
find in the Eastern attack, General BUTLER is at
least gultless of its conception and its incep-
ton. Nor, so far as responible, was the less so
in it's prosecution.
At the opening of the battle, Buffers divi-
sion was, by General TAYLoR's orders, drawn
up in reserve, outside the town, while the regu-
lars of TwIGGs' moved forward and opened the
ball. When the latter became en- aged, Gen.
BUTEER was ordered to leave one of his four
regiments to guard the battery, and with the
other three moved forward, General TAYLOR ac-
companying the movement in person. Pre-
senty, the latter General ordered BUTLER to
detach two regiments under QUITMAN, to unite
in attack of fort on the left, and himself with
the Ohio regiment, to enter the town further to
the rght--there to support the troops already
engaged, and to take advantage of any oppor
tunity that might offer for inficting blow, in
that quarter, upon the enemy. For the conduct,
and of course for the loss, of this portion only
of his division, can General BUTLER be ac-
countable.
On entering the outskirts of the town, as
ordered, without the advantage of any previous
reconnaissance, (for the troops were already
engaged,) or of any information upon localities,
obstacle, or positions to guide him, he found
himself precluded from all view of the enemy,
and all possibility of comprehending the ground
of operations by the dense foliage of hedges,
gardens and fields. AT this juncture, he again
met General TAYLOR, to whom disastrous &C.
counts had meantime come Of the heavy loss of
the troops engaged in that part of the town, and
their failure to find any position from which n
corresponding impression could be made upon
the enemy. 1t became question whether the
attack in this quarter should be further pro-
longed. General TAYLOR appeared DESTROYS of
| leaving General BUTLER with discretionary
orders. The latter had forecast" enough
not to undertake the responsibility of dis
cretionary operation, without some data on which
brave soldiers" in labyrinth of unknown dan
gers, without orders from the responsible source.
Accordingly, he demanded the definite orders of
General TAYLOR. Under those orders he led
his troops into the streets Placing them in the
most sheltered position attainable--some walls
and houses intervening between them and the
enemies fort hard by, although there could be
no avoiding the fire of the battery in the street
-he went, in advance of the foremost COM
pany, into open ground, and while there re-
connoitering in person the defences of the
enemy, was struck down severely wounded
He did not, however, retire until he had or.
dered the withdrawal of his command from q
position where they were suffering severe loss
without prospect of inActng proportionate in
jury upon the enemy. He left the field without
escort, at the imminent risk Of being captured
or slain by the enemy's lancers on the plain, re-
fusing the attendance of his staff, and enioining
upon them to employ themselves in preserving
order, and in careful examination of the scene
of action, lest any regiment, separated by the
accidents of the ground and the hour, should be
left to itself, and unknowingly abandoned by tho
main body.
This exact narrative. comprises absolutely
every circumstance germane to the matter at
issue, and it is uncomfortable that candid minds
can eliminate from it any thing tending to show,
on the part of General BUTLER a want of con-
sideration or forecast in watching over the lives
of brave soldiers"
Regard for brevity prompts me to omit the
discussion by which had proposed to show
that the battle of Monterey is the only point in
Buffers career to which your accusations tend
Before that battle he was not detached nor was
there any loss of life in combat in any portion
of his division. During his command at Monte.
rey, his forced march to Saltillo and his occu-
patton of that place, no bloodshed occurred.
GAINES command was captured, it is true; but
that expedition set out from n detached post,
without the authority or knowledge of the Gen
eral. A distant commander can only be respon.
sible for giving proper orders, not for the man.
ner of their execution or non-eXecution. The
effects Of his wound drove General BUTLER
home before the battle of Buena Vista. Return
ing subsequently to Mexico, he conducted
division from Vera Cruz to the capital without
accident and soon succeeded to the chief COM
mand of the army. An armstice was shortly
after entered into, which subsi'ted about three
months, and was terminated by peace. During
this periCd no loss disaster or bloodshed oc