Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-08-24
The Foreigners Manner of Fighting our
Battiesl


DEAR Sir: The issue of the American Orgdn
OF the 10th instant contains brief article headed
WELL TO REMEMBER" in which, after adverting
TO the infamous policy OF the anti American press
IN defaInng the patriotism and courage of our ms
tive soldiery, to the advantage and applause of tic
foreign beggars OF their motley brotherhood, you
cite two historical facts connected with the Mexi
can war, 1.-THE glorious conduct Of JEFF. Dayiss
Mississippi regiment and the dastardly treason Of
Riey's Irish BATTALION in which real and almost
universal contrast of the comparative virtues and
attributes OF our native and foreign soldiery il
clearly exposed, and the direct and positive false
hood given to the allegations and inuendoes of that
shameless press whose malignant slander of the
high qualities Of their own countrymen, and the
abuse Of the institutions Of their own country. can
only be paraleled in the iniquitous breast of an
Arnold or that of a demon But why, say our
magnanimous Sag Nichts-why cant upon that
solitary instance of Irish treachery-of foreign
treasong
Is that single instance 10 override and damn the
merit OF other Irish or foreigners who true to their
colors aud allegiance, have performed great and
distinguished actions" in our military and civil
services2 Here we have the invariable shifts of
the learned and judicious maigners of native pn-
trotism and American faith, when ingloriousy
driven to the wall by such pointed, undeniablc
and damning proofs OF the corrupt and worthless
poodics OF their doomed dynasty! They sudden
ly and incontinently "dsremember'' that, from the
single fact of Arnold beins native they deduce
their favorite maxim that "all natives opposed to
their foreign knaves or pimps are traitors |" They
for the single instance of Arlold's treason, con
denim and prescribe all native merit, and expose
their brazen but puere hypocrisy in whining about
the solitary instance OF Irish treason in battalion
OF Irish deserters! But where are to be found
those extraordinary instances of "great and dis
tinguished actions" of foreigners since Lafayett,
and one or two others af ravnlutinna ,,u,,,,.,r
whom we all honor and revere? 1t is trne that
few, but very few, individual foreigners Of protes-
tant faith have arisen to distinction and honor in,
the service Of the republic; but who can point 10
4 the great and distinguished actions of Roman
Catholic Foreigners, whose only achievements are
really comprehcnded in their furious turbulence
their frightiul ends, and their deliberate and cold
blooded massacre of native citizens upon Amcti-
cansso a--
Butit is wickedly and iniuriousIy false that the
American party unjustly judge and prescribe any
class Of foreigners because Of solitary instance Of
Irish treachery! Their actions and measures in
reference to foreigners proceedfrom the profound.
est reflection and judgment, suggested BY an ardent
patriotism and sincere faith, and based upon the
certain knowledge OF the positive palienable char
acterstcs OF those foreigners, and ofhe disorgan-
| zing, degrading, and dangerous influences they
are introducing into society and the body polite
Neither is 1t true that the instance of Irish treason
here alluded to ID solitary case but it is really
merely one OF the numerous treasons and outrage,
upon the American name and character with which
| these sangunary miscrcants have been clothed
] This shall be demonstrated, not by the er parte
statements of natives but by the unwilling testi-
mony of foreigner, whose prepossessions are al
4 IN favor OF the people of the other side OF the
/ wpter.
Tine |" Autobiography Of an English Soldier Ia
| the United States Army" il the title Of a work.
purpoting to give the history of i've years expe-
rience Of an ex-Britsh soldier in the American
army and embraces u somewhat graphic descrp.
ton of some OF the principal scenes and events Of
General Scotts campaign in Mexico from Vera
Cruz to the capital. The author, Scotchman by
| birth, and foreign in all his tastes and affinities
appears of considerable ability, and although
occasionally displaying lite tact and acuteness
| in his observations and judgments Of the men and
the stirring events of that celebrated campaign vet
the extreme foreign bias OF bis feelings frequently
| forces him to drag his conclusions from exaggera-
ted or distorted premises Attached to the regu-
lar service, the composition Of which being almost
entirely Of forcigN materials he never disguises his
preference for that body nor, indeed, his disgust
for our whole military system But even he il
compelled to record, though most unwillingly, "a
il manifest in hs qualifications and extenuatons
the Infamous character aud dastrdy treasons uf
the foreign mscreants now 80 tcndery folded To
the bosom Of the "Pierce and Forney' dynasty,
ana so jealousy preferred, 10 the exclusion oil
| tiyes and of native meritl
He early notices the numerous desertions at the
opening Of hostiltes; but amid the description of
the gallant achievements of that brilliant campaign
occurs the ignomnious record Of foul foreign trea.
son and desperate mischief He says:
"For some ii 1e before we left Jalapa, the ennis
sarics Of the Mexican government had been busy
tampering with the soldiers of our army holding
out large promises Of preleTment and distinction
to any Of our men who would join their army, aud
giving them money and Hqnor as earnest of future
higher reward. Unfortunately for their dupes, they
were only too successful, and great many Of our
men stayed bchind!' "Out OF the com.
pany to which belonged, ten deserted-more than
an eighth Of our entire company, which was not
eighty strong ut the time. cannot say for IT,
correctness, but it was currently rumored, and
think it highly probable, that there were between
two and three hundred desertiOns from our army
while we lay at Jalapa." =. 2lG.
More than an eighth Of his entire company, and
between two and three hundred desertions while
at Jalapa! lustrious examples of the high and
faithful character Of the foreign soldier! But what
render these assertions particularly Infamous, IL
the imminent jeopardy of that gallant little army
at that time. Casualties in the field and the fright
ful diseases that climate had immensely reduced
its originally small numbers while in the heart Of
the enemy's country surrounded upon all sides by
infinitely superior numbers, malignant with hatred
and the burning thirst Of revenge for their numcr
GUS defeats. Under such circumstances, the souls
Of men Of virtuous and generous natures would
have revoltcd Indignantly at the bare proposal Of
the enemy, and would have spurned its emissa-
ries with mcrited punishment FROM their neigh.
bofhood. Even men of the slightest sentiments
OF honor would have rcpeIed such overtures as
iniquitous and degrading hut Mexican money
and liquor" was too powerful for the dstin.
gushcd virtues of SIG Nehts euliahtcnment.
who esteem such "substantals" "a Of infinitely
higher worth than tile patriotism and virtues Of M
Aristdes or Leonidas
Our author also records the capture Of seventy
Of these deserters at Cherubusco, their court-mar
tia sentence and angey-horriJlc of their
execution! After declaring that had not the Ut
terly wretched condition Of the Mexican service
been known these desertions, "numerous as they
were would have been infinitely more so, he
says;
"These deseltars were considered principal
cause of the obstinate resistance which our troop,
met at Cherubusco, two or three attempts Of the
Mexicans 10 hoist white flag having been frus-