Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-11
GEN. SCOTS ALLEGED PERSECUTION OF GEN.
WORTH SHOWN TO BE FALSE.

Gen. ScoTT with having prosecuted Gen. WORTH
during the Mexican campaign" charge which, it
will be perceived, is peremptcrily disproved by ir
REPUTABLE testimony
Fortunately for Gen. scorr the whole subject-matter
out Of which the charge Of persecution by him Of Gen.
WORTH grew subjected to court of inquiry before
whom Gen. WORTH appeared and allowed the widest
latitude of vndicaton, but whose judgment
against WORTH and in favor Of the pursued
by Gen. ScoTT but complained Of by WORTH That
Of inquiry composed Of Major General QUIrMAN, Bri
gader General TwIGGs, and Brevet Brgadier General !
PERsHER F. SMITH, all three of whom were Democrats
politically opposed to Gen. Scorr but sympahizing with
Gen. WORTH who was at that time recent convert to
the Democratic party
Gen. WORTH in agreeing to the terms Of capituation
with the civil authorities of the city Of Puebla had vio
lated in ndsputabe manner General Orders No. 20, |
and surrendered rights in regard the trial and punish
ment Of offenders by military commission of own
army, which, in many instances might have endangered
its safety. Upon mere idle that the Spanish
thortes had directed the wells and watering places
Pueba be poisoned for the purpose of destroying
army he issued most nAammatoy order to his DIVISION
without communicating to the Genera-n-C Chief the nfor-
nation upon which he relied justification for its
publication, and which not only gross act of disre
spect to Gen. ScoTT, and subversve Of good order and
discipline in the army but from its incorporate tone
calculated unnecessarily exasperate the Mexican
people and authorities against small force then
plying the city Of Puebla. No military acquainted
with the circumstances will deny but what Gen. SCoTT
would have been more than justified had he at once
dered court martial for the trial Of Gen. WORTH upon
the serious charge of violation of orders Instead of
this proper course however, Gen. ScoTT from the kndest
and lenient feelings towards Gen. WORTH suggested
m 1aff had haffo ofs
that the only way in which the ordeal
of martial could be obviated The request was
made and complied with, and the unanimous finding of
that you will find in the concluding portion Of this
communication embraced in General Orders No 1885, By
the last paragraph of that order it will also be that
Gen. ScoTT, to the feelings Of Gen. WORTH directed
that the publication of the order should be confined
18th Commanders Of Decisions Brigades and the Chiefs Of
the General Staff eniency the magnitude Of the find
ing of the court considered that has parallel in the
annals of army proceedings This simple act of Gen.
Scorrs completely disspates every suspicion of unfend
illness his part towards WORTH and subjects him to
the charge Of partially towards him, which, in all proba
bility would have been shown towards any other
officer in the American army.
If the suggestion should arise in the mind of any read
how into the possession of copy of this order
reply in other than an honorable and unexcepon-
able manner and until after army had garrisoned
the city of Mexico for weeks. Neither Gen. SooTT
any member of his military family knew that had it,
or was in any way privy to my obtaining it it
procured from any connected any way with gen.
eral headquarters. With this observation, submit the
order entire, which, though lengthy, sheer of
justice to magnanimous commander as an army was
blessed WITH sincerely hope will be read by every
who in the least has been influenced by the base and
malicious charge that Gen. Scott had prosecuted Gen
Worth The order contains every fact material cor
understanding of the opinion of the of inquiry
which is also embraced at length in it. 1t is impossible
for English language to express a complete vndi-
cation of Gen. scoTr than the opinion Of the court Of in
qury contains 1T is In thcss words.
GENERAL ORDERS, No. 1896
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
PUEBLA, JUNE 80, lS47
Abstract of proceedings of q court of inquiry which
convened this place by virtue of General Orders No.
1885, and of which Major Gen. j. A. QUITMAS is President
l. The said court Of inquiry proceeded in due form
investigate the subject embraced in papers here cited
viz First the General Order No 1885, Headquarters of
the Army, Puebla, Mexico June "a, 1S47 as follows
"At the instance of Brevet Major Gen. WORTH court
of inquiry will meet in the building called the Palace of
this city, at 10 o'clock morning, investigate
certain matters in which that General officer conceives
himself to have been injured by the Chief Of this
army viz In the matter of the terms granted by the said
!
the way Of capitulaon guarantees at about the time
To- l64 of his entrance with the advanced corps of
the army into the city; and in the matter of circular
dated June 6 184 published by the said Major General
to the officers Of his division"
If there be other in the conduct of the said re
vet Major General which he may specially desire to have
investigated by the said court of inquiry he win submit
them to the Generain Chief through the recorder for
further orders in the case.
DETAIL Major Gen. QUITMAN,
Brig Gen. TWIGGS, Members.
Bvt Brig. Gen. SMITH,
Lieut. R. P. HAMMOND is appointed special Judge Ad-
vocate.
The court will give Opinion Of the merits Of all the
ScoTT: H L. SCOTT, A. A. A. g.
brief statement By BreUa MAJOR General WORTH Of The
matters in ohich he conceived himself ronged byhs General
IN Chief and 10 which The investigation extended under the order
in nsttating The court, in The tollouing terms,
!. In the matter Of an interview had May 10Th, at
Chichapa Mexico between Brevet Major General WORTH
commanding first division Of the army and the civil au
thortes Of Pueba at the instance Of said Brevet Major
General The GeneralinChie verbally and in writinpl
has improperly, in manner and in matter characterized
the proceedings said interview to the prejudice and
wrong Of said Major General.
2 In the matter Of circular which was addressed by
Brevet Major General WORTH to the first division on or
about June 10th, 1S47 The General-n-Chief verbally
and In wrtng has harshy and njuriousy characterized
said circular, and in uncaed for and to the
deserved reproach Of said inferior officer
After investigation Of the above matters the Court
MAJ he ovin inn int ba