The daily union., 1852-07-07
From the Republic.
General Pierees Military Services.
WAsHsGroN. June 80, 1852.
From the RopubHc.
10 he Editor Or The Repus,ie.

SIR Your correspondent "o oae who saw and knows"
in hs second article IN your paper OF this morning. quotes
preferred against Gen Pierce 10 his first article
] will commend 10 his careful attention the follow
ing extracts, which will reveal TO hun the fact OF which
he To be profoundly ignorant. that the 9th of
August there severe and protracted engagement
against the front and left OF the entrenched camp in
which Pierce and the bulk OF his brigade bore gallant
and conspicuous part:
Eriyaets from General Scotfs Rport-" Arriving tho
ground hour later, found that Pillows and Twggs's
Call ces o o % ss m ee
batteries CAlegruders and Calenders,) most galanty
the enemy's superior metal" :. The battle. though mostly
stationary continued to with violence until night
Colonel Reys bfg gades (Twigxs division supported by
Bdgsder General Peree's and Cadwalader's brgades,
(Piow's dvisiooD were more than three hours under
heavy hre OF artillery and masketry along the almost i'm.
passabe ravine in front aud the ef Of the enenched
canP.'--A"n.at Doesmsnt, 1877, pages 304, 3o5
Extracts from Geaerai Paows Rsporf---.sTo sustain
hese movements. Brigader General cadwaader or,
Riley aud BdgsdIsr General Pierce with Ill. command
% snppor' The column moving upon the enemys 'front.' nn-
soon closely engaged with the enemy, bat
eries Of Captain Magruder and Lieutenant Calender"
After dwelling on CadwaladeI's operations in the vii
lage, General Pillow says:
dsssSs,1s @ @ fire q sraI.y SisS, soaias % %, %
until entirely dark) this fierce couflict suspended 10
bs rene wed en- morrow"
Again:
Bdg Gen. Pierce, though badly njarei by the fall Of
est Of The light oa s iSb. did NOT saii s sd. ba, con-
tinusd in command OF his brigade NC 81 cannot with
under the and honor due my command
my gallant brgadler generals, lCadwalIader and
Pierce, whose promptitude, skin, and daring equal
every emergency, and who, in the absence Of discipline
in ,heir commands met and overcome every obstacle and
led on their brRades 10 honor and distinction iatdt
Doc, 1877, yGges 3ai 3S5, 339.
These extracts are sufficient to show the severe ma
tue OF the engagement OF the 0h and The gallant con-
duct OF Gen. Pierce II indeed the Paio Alto OF the
valley, though has been lost sight Of in The magnitude
OF the operations OF the following day
g. Your correspondent, One who saw and knows"
inmates doubt as TO General Pierce having reached
Qul'man the night OF the 4ih September before the
Mexican authorities had informed him that Santa Anna
had evacuated the city but after referring to General
gives Pierce the benefit OF the doubt will commend TO
his careful reflection these extracts from Qutnans
port:
During the aght while at the trenches Brigader Cen
cro Perce OF whose regiments (e 9Th iniant) had
joined column during the day, reported % me IN per-
lie was instructed TO place that regiment in reserve
battery in rear Tor The protection 81 Sepoe's light
battery aud the ammunition at that point The has
damn Of day the 4h when Captain sreptoe was pre-
pasYg his heavy missiles white flag came from the ciia
Eyfrdct Ioa, General Smith's reporf."T This done
during the nigGt by Lieut. Bsauiesad. and at day daylight
when we learned the city was abandoned by the enemys
troops"
These extracts show conclusveIy that Pierce Joined Quit
mans command whiist they making their arrange
ments To renew the attack that he rendered service IN
preparing Tor that attack and that il must have been
some hours before II was known the enemy had aban-
doned the city. II "One who and knows" ever saw
the position OF the trenches" and if he knew any
ihg Of The terrible fire Of the citadel on the ai,ernoono oi
.e is ga and as Mafh Fas 81 the h as the extracts quoted
show, he can then understand The welghy sSnineasea
in the night aud repairing TO the post Of greatest dange
3. But The official reports are again quoted irsm to
show that my assertion IN regard TO General Pieces ga
aniry at Mono is without foundation. What do they
say will quote whole sentence from Scott aud
not The least significant part IT. as your correspondent mas
done
/" But the battle won just as Brgadicr Gen. Pierce
reached ground, aud had ,ntuposd his 6efiosea
Garands brigade tVors dipso") ard The reirsattag an
tmy."
Your correspondent has left out the part have italicized
/, was true General Worth complained OF this unJu-t
to his command but as all who were on the held OF Mo-
limo know, there was canonade from Chepuiiepec--
shells and round shot-duIng nearly the whole OF the
day, and very sharp muskefy hIing from the enenys
skrmishes 1t under this fire Pierce brought bus
command into position; and, though me onlcefs OF the
old army did not see and know everything, they did see
this Two OF Worths own siaf IN that battle have ek-
pressed bohin the city OF Mexico aad IN thus city, heir
admiration OF Pieces conduct this occasion and
was on their authority spoke. One was his CHEF OF
staff and he other the only reconnoiring olhcer al
iached 10 his command that was not wounded. II " one
who saw and knows" knows anything about tue opera
tons at Molino, he knows 10 whom refers ana he
knows them be OF The most high minded, gallant,
and efficient officers IN that whole army, and men whose
Worth would bear the same testimony were he living
have thus, from The official reports and from the
testimony OF officers, made good my assertions ~ VIII
be seen that General Pierce unucky IN getting badly
hart during the frs, engagement have never claimed
that General Pierce the battle o Conireras on the
morning OF the GOTH IT pby seal impossibiy lot
him 10 get over the rocks. Twiggs and Pillow did not
even attempt il and who doubts the galsniry oil these
men We have the testimony OF General Scott That
Pierce led his command into action al Churubusco, Just
able to keep he saddle" and know that he sank ex
bausied to the ground unable TO move single step Is
he 10 be reproached for the attempt 10 make his way on
ioo in tha, field, when most men would have sbIunk
from il in his then condition Or is not rather TO oe
referred to convincing evidence OF his Ralan'ry ana
patriotism -,
s. The whole OF your correspondents hrst artcle
10 depreciae the services and character OF pen-
Pierce He persists in the same unworthy purpose IN
his SECOND article, though my reply has compelled him
10 change his ground In bis hrst article he states at
Gen Pierce personally engaged in not one battle IN
his second that be not engaged IN one OF the great
battles: Ia The first he states positively that he cane
home in the first train in the tecond. that he hHks
he came home in the first, but Is II was In one OF
| the FIRST. Now, know in which train Gen. Pierce
came home, for was grateful recipient OF his Kind,
ness and sympathy the whole way IRON The city OF
Mexico TO New Orleans VIII your correspondent ven
ure to reflect iourously upon the chivallous Quman,
or the gallant Shields Harvey The very opur OF the
army for coming home they did, in the hfst train
Or will he reflect the memory OF the lusnons and
veneraed Taylor, who, the 4th OF October, asked
i leave OF absence OF ex months, and on the 23ih
of November, (ourieen days before Pierce LETT the
city OF Mexco) at the Brazos island, turned over
the command Of the army Of occupation 10 General
i Wool Pierce left at time when lew men looked
IfOrtr In mil TOR nucr