The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-01-17

housr or REPRESENTATIVES,.

January 10. 1884.
friend has called my attention to the following az
tract OF leer. written from this place and published in
The Charleston Is. CO Courier OF The 9th instant:
Congress has, at length, performed ACT OF justice
70 Gen Wool by the passage Joint resolution fos pre-
sen.ing hm sword IL Is remarkable that this couIssy
WAS TOO feeble In body TO attend the House. supporsd
we on ss u r. s h. .s and
having disciplined the troops under bis command in
sp Of The Victory on Bus% o v.s you'd "a
have been disastrous defeat but for the discipline that
"It was believed tho time by some OF the vol
unteer officers who wished 10 have their way. Col
orders Colonel Richardson the present chairman OF the
Committee Territories of the House, admits al Gen.
and would have had him broken for insubordnstion"
So far the letter refers TO the galantry OF Gensa
Wool and my friend and colleague Col Bissell, does
them justice, and speaks what every knows. and
none better than myself Between the gentlemen and N.Y.
self the kndes relations OF friendship have long existed
No appreciates their worth and TO the
try than do The writer would leave the impress
sion that reluctantly yielded my assent 10 tho recent
resolution passed by Congress thanking General Wool.
believe was the first 10 call the attention of the House
OF Representatives to The injustice OF the omission Of
General Wool while all others OF the same rank had re-
ceived the thanks OF Congress II the author Of tbs IT.
cle had been content TO msrcpresent assai and ma
gn the living only he could have provoked no reply
from me- should think it strange If letter writer
spoke the truth OF me- They have the privilege to mis-
represent and assail mea privilege they exercise very
freely. The statement in relation to myself false
The object of this card however is defend myself
but the illustrous dead The statement that "Coone
Hardin sacrificed to his disobedience OF Gen. Woors
ORDERS" is reckless, FALSE and malicious. Col Hardin
killed at the very close OF the battle OF Buena Vista
The official reports OF the battle. and especially the re-
port Of Lieut. COL WeatheroTd, Of the first regiment Of
Illinois volunteers, show how and by what authority
the charge made in which COL Hardin fell To thai
report the public referred, at page l74 I'd volume OF
Elk. Doc, LIST session, Thirtieh Congress- ssIsQ
An order given TO Colonel Hardin by Gen Tsy-
or. through his aid Captain Chiffon. gallant of1csr.
now living make the charge upon what was supposed
to be reireang force that Ietreaiing force took
shelter behind the Of the Mexican army eight
thousand strong. Col Hardn's command Of five compa-
nes less than three hundred strong maintained their DO
son against this reserve until Col Bissel, with part Of
I'D Illinois, and Col Mckee, with ID Kentucky, came
from distant part of the field to his support The uni
ted force of Hardin, McKee, and Bsse not over 6ftsen
hundred strong. maintained their position for about forty
five minutes when it overpowered and forced to re-
tire Our loss immense. Hardin, Clay, Mckee, vii.
lis, Zabske, and Kelly were among the dead The dead
of the enemy marked their line and their advance So
destructive and eectual had been fire, that the enemy
not able pursue their advantage when we retired
This contest closed the battle.
have felt il due TO the memory Of Col Hardin 10 tho
State Of illinois, and the country make this statement
and characterize The statements in the Couner as false
hoods. Respectfully,
w. A. RICHARDSON 4
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE,
January 16, 1854.
DEAR SIR have this moment received your note,
directing my attention to extract taken from The
Charleston Courier in which is stated that Colonel Har
din, the battle Of Buena Vista, sacrificed 10 HIS
disobedience OF General Wools orders"
This statement is most uojust and cruel imputation
against the lanented Hardn-one, seems to me- which
the darkes, malignty alone could have prompted All
the of the terrible conflict in which Colonel
Hardin bravely fell well known. and no fact con-
neeted with better than this, that from General TAYLOR
himself he received orders to make the charge g7sg
Truly your friend a, NJ Scr