The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-28

ask YOUR Grace about Monsignor Bedini, tho real
object of his mission to bis country, and divers
other matters These things, however, must reserve
recon-, as the French say. have the honor to be
your Graces most Obedient and humble servant,
SIMON PETER.
Col. Benton, Lieut.-Col. Fremont, and tho
West Point Academy.
TO TIE EDITOR OF THD HERALD.
letter by Col Benton, COPIED from the National
Intelligencer,) appeared in the HERALD Of the 10th
inst, in reference to the route Of the Pacific Rail-
road in the concluding paragraph Of which he says
And this is the way that Mr.. Fremont and his
citizen comrades escaped massacre in his twenty
thousand miles Of wilderness explorations, and who
was driven out Of the army because he was not edu
Gated at West Point
Now, it is altogether improbable that man Of
quietly suffer himself to be driven from the army for
any such cause; and even were it SO, Col Benton is
not the person. one would suppose, to be the first to
proclaim 1t to the world by childish winnings.
1t was not, however, for the purpose Of represent
ing Fremont as an injured and prosecuted man that
this clause was penned; it proceeded solely from
determination to avail himself Of every opportunity
to attack through the public press the Military AGA
writer, in an unguarded moment, to wander from his
subject and drag in this assertion, uncalled for by
the argument and 30 unwarranted by the fact Of
cers are not driven from the army because they are
not graduates of West Point; and Col. Benton could
without doubt, if it served his purposes assign
truer and better reason than this for Lieut. Col.
FIemont's resignation during the war, when under
orders to join his regiment in Mexico.
nfo; into
The lowest grade being that of Cadet and among the
best officers are many who were appointed direct
into the higher grades. None are more ready to ac-
knowledge this than the graduates Of West Point
none more ready to honor real merit, wherever or ia
whomsoever it may be found. General Scott is not
: graduate of the Military Academy. Ask him from
whom in the hour Of trial, he received the rmest,
most reliable and efficient support General Persifer
of the regiment Of which Fremont was lieutenant
colonel and commanded a brigade in the field during
the war. At the end Of the campaign none, after
Scott stood higher in the estimation Of all or had
more influence in the army, than this newly-made
citizen general. Without further allusion to the dis
tinQushed living it il only necessary to mention the
names Of Taylor, Worth, kearney, Riley Cross,
Martin Scott Craig and others Of lower grades, now
no more, none Of whom were from the Military
Academy, and none Of whom were "drivcn out of the
army to show how unfounded and absurd is the
allegation Of Colonel Benton. But since he has
thought proper to make this assertion, the following
statement OF facts, based upon and partly copied
from the official records, will not be out Of place.
Previous to the Mexican war Second Lieutenant
Fremont Of the Typographical Engineers, at the head
Of select parties, composed Of the best woodsmen
and guides Of the frontier, and assisted by able
scientific citizens made several important explora
tons in the Far West for which due credit was gven
Having strong " friends at court" he received for
this service the brevet rank Of captain. At the
breaking out of the Mexican war Col. Benton was
leading member of the Senate and Chairman Of its
Committee on Military Affairs. Second Lieutenant
colonel in the regular army, while such men as
Bliss, Mansfield, Mccall, Duncan, Bragg, and hosts
Of others already distinguished in battle, OF known
military talent, who had served longer than Ere
still in the subordinate grades OF captain and lieu
tenant.
Col. Fremont subjected himself, by his own con.
duct in California to the following charges, which
were preferred against him by his commander, Ge-
neral Kearney, himself not graduate of West
Point, viz.:-Charge LIST, mutiny; I'd, disobedience
Of the lawful commands Of his superior officer and.
Sd, conduct TO the prejudice Of good order and
military discipline; to which charges there were some
twentythree specifications He was tried by court
martial Of thirteen members, found guilty Of all the
dismissed the service" Preeid94 ~, In reviewing
the proceeding of the court said: Upon an inspec-
ton of the record am not satisfied that the facts
proved in this case constitute the military crime OF
charges are sustained by the proofs, and tina. the
conviction upon these charges warrants the sentence
Of the court. The sentence Of the court is, there
fore, approved"
But this sentence was RENTED Lieut..Col. FIRE.
mont released from arrest, and ordered to join
his regiment in Mexico. He resigned his commission
in the army without obeying this order.
The officer who preferred the charges was not
graduate of West Point, nor was the president who
approved the proceedings but both personal friends
to Colonel Benton. The court consisted of thirteen
members, only four of whom and they Of junior
rank, were from the Military Academy.
Colonel BentOns statement is, therefore, not only
positively denied, but, as will appear from the
above statement Of facts, completely disproved.
Could it be that his usual good sense and judgment
were warped by the general feeling Of dissatisfac-
ton with which the rum0r of his appointment as
Lieutenant General was received by the army, or is
he indeed approaching that period Of mental dim
ness when, to use his own choice expression, he
begins TO lose the ability to know hawk from
handsaw?"
in conclusion, we would inform Colonel Benton,
az he has yet some things to learn, that he is but
wasting precious time in his impotent endeavors to
shake the solid foundations and massive superstruc
ture of the reputation OF the Military Academy at
West Point. The deeds Of its shall be emblazon
ed upon the page Of history to the credit of their
alma mater long after its caumniators and detract
ors shall have passed into oblivion.
ARMY OFFICER.
TO TIE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
December ~, 1853.
TIE IsInYsnSe LIGAI QuHr1os-ws hear that there is