The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-20
The Return OF General Pierce IRON the Mex
lean War-His Reception and speech.


Pierce on his return from the Mexican is taken from
a New Hampshire paper;
CoScoRD, IN, H. January p, 1915
A committee appointed & conduct General Pierce
into the hall. He accompanied by Lieut. Thomas
r. Pierce OF the 9th infantry his acting aid and Lieut.
Cove of the same regiment After the ceremony OF
General Joseph Low, The president oil the
day. addressed the assembly substantially as follows;
FELLOW. CITIZENS: You have not come here to-day
to hear me speak, but to listen TO the tones OF him whom
you have so often heard with pleasure and delight. You
have come unite IN patriotic and grateful service
not to discuss any OF the great political subjects OF the
day or the fitness OF this that man for public office
Ours is the agreeable duty oil paying the tribute oil
respect and gratitude 10 the gallant soldier who has
fought the battles OF country upon the blood stained
heds Of Mexico and 10 tender 10 hun our thanks for his
services, and also TO express our thanks Tor the
services OF the brave men whom be has led IN those
actions OF the high motives, OF the profound sense
OF honor from which he acted, can bear witness
After bad been Informed that he had accepted com
mission colonel OF the New England regiment,
took the liberty oil asking him II II was true that he had
decided to sunaer the tender ties OF husband father, and
give up the peaceful enoymenls and comforts OF home
which he possessed IN such an eminent degree. lie re-
Piled " have accepted OF the commission. could do
no otherwise. was pledged 10 do H. When ! left the
Senate II with fixed purpose OF deyotng myself
exclusively to my proiesson win he single reservation
would ever hold myself IN readiness 10 her in the
field if called upon defend her honor and maintain her
rights. War has come, and my WORD shall be re-
deemed" He did redeem his pledge His commission
OF colonel was superseded by that OF bngader gene
rail- aud he went forth with The sons OF New England
Well we remember how we followed him and his COM
mand in our minds through the pestllential camp at
Vera Cruz then step by step 10 the National Bridge
and Jalapa where curtain, as were was shut down
upon him and his brave band and cut them oil from our
view Every breeze, every whisper. every report which
the power OF lightning could wait TO u.s. was sought with
avidy. Great the anxiety from the uncertainty tina,
rested on the fate OF our friends But the curtain was
lifted The black cloud rolled away, and the battle field
lay revealed to Then what admiration and asonisl-
ment did we feel! There we beheld nine thousand
troops driving before them thirty thousand OF the bes-ap
pointed army ever raised IN Mexico They are pursued
over ravnes and artificial trenches, cut by the abors OF
hundred thousand poems, by one small but gallant army
rushing on line upon lne mi upon mn, OVERWHELMING
redoubs, stomlng Notifications, capturing the capital OF
the enemy and planting the flag OF our country upon the
principal palace. Here our friend trumphany
leading on his command. But this is not all we Of
him. We behold the camp after the hour OF battle
has passed away We behold il wrapped IN the silence
Of night We see the killed and the wounded and we
look for our friend. We find him passing unattended
through the long line of tents in which to be
the pad cheek and exhausted frame OF the dying soldier
To minister to them the business OF his lonely rounds
He visits the tents he hears their last words, and
ceives their last mortal requests and expends upon them
his last shilling procure for them necessaries which
they could not 10 such place. otherwise obtain Is not
such worthy OF The State that gave hun birth
[Cheersl Turning 10 General Pierce, he continued:
can say no more, Your services understood here;
and now, IN the name OF this meeting, and in my own be
half likewise, | bid you hearty welcome home to your
adopted town. And in the name OF all The people in
every town in this State, congratulate you upon your
safe return 10 the capital OF your naive Stale
GENERAL PIERCE's REPLY
General Pierce now advanced 10 the front of the plat
form To reply He was evidently laboring with deep
ions the nature of which could well be gathered from
The tone and topics OF his remarks Although one OF the
most orcble and fluent speakers in the country, he, on
this OCCASION avoided everything in the shape OF speak
ing for effect He talked right out on matters which in
lensely interested his audience.
He said whatever had been his portion OF the danger
encountered or exposure endured The long sad days
and ale nip those behind,
which would have occurred 10 him but for the remarks OF
the president he bad been more than compensated by the
duty performed He felt, an embarrassment in address
ing the meeting that he could hardly account Tor
He felt profoundly grateful 10 that Being who not
the welfare of the humbest individual. He did not
take 10 himself The honor OF attracting such nu;
merous and excited assembly stood before and
around him. The gathering was on account OF the
great number OF their gallant sons brothers ana Trends
had formed part OF his command They had come
10 hear not only OF those who live, but OF those who,
having displayed their devotion TO their country now re-
pose on foreign soil set speech 10 an audience &C
tuaed by the feelings which he perceived would be alto.
gethe out OF place 1t would be SORT o. deseeFa.lon
to attempt any display such OCCASIONS Upon the man
topic which they be anxious TO hear about he could
not frame set speech. They wanted TO hear OF the
ninth regiment-the glorious New England regiment
which was assembled 10 such hot haste and in such hot
haste met the enemy There was not generous or Just
man in the State who had not pronounced ~ favor OF Their
motives Laying aside all the ties oi home, and The iair
promises OF youth and its enoyDeos, and suffering the
pangs which press the life blood from out young hearts,
they responded 10 their counry's call with a high
moral purpose that could not be exceeded. During The
three weeks al Vera Cruz, caused by want OF mules
and wagons for trsnsp0Ilaona delay aggravated by
wide spread sickneSs-he heard murmur from
soldier under his command cheerful set OF lads
they could not have been i they had been at home by
their own happy hresdes Their subsequent exploits bad
been read in The Official reports he would not detail
them. On the march, ia the Tight everywhere, one pre-.
dominant feeling animated them. The question was not
who should be ordered forward, but which corps should
be allowed TO go forward first The only dispute was
upon claims to be first led against the enemy. AZ night
they were cheerful in their tents, and longing for the
morning which should bring with Il The order TO move
forward 10 battle New Hampshire had occasion for
any other feeling than that OF pride in regard TO her
who belonged 10 the command They had proved them.
selves brave, devoted, selisacrhcng spirits And Con-
cord too, was well represented among them. There was
Henry Caldwell Of the brayest and most determined
soldiers in the army There was Sergeant Stowe who
was shot plump through the heart at Churubusco. As
his last breath flowed he whUfred 10 "Do the boys
say behaved welli II have, write home 10 my peo-
ple' Then there Sergeant Pike, who had his leg
shot of in advancing along on caaseway swept by three
batteries. Two ampuiations, which did not answer the
purpose were performed and third was deemed hope
less Die he must, il was thought 81 know better than
they do" he said "Ill try another, and when they cut
il again hope they will cut Il 50 that II will stay cut
A third ampuation performed, and he lived through
il. He and the others named were printers In the new
eyes the printers exceed by twenty per cent those Of
any other vocation and account OF their intelligence
and high spirit they have proved the most efficient sol.
diers in the field.
General Pierce also named Brown and SWEET, OF Con.
cord, as particularly distinguished and Captain Cady
and Lieuts Potter and Dana, OF the old line. Nor did
he oI nj fhn