Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-09-30
MORNING, SEPT. 80, Ts57.
Ga. PILLOWS REPLY no HITCHCnCK-

ply to Col. Hitchcock. As we anticipated, it is
thorough and complete in answer to the stadied and
ingenious charges Of his adversary and cannot fail
TO carry conviction to the public mind of the facts
detailed by Gen. P. in his first letter.
We had intended accompanying this letter with
general summary, but upon reflection have conclud-
ed that it will be generally read to render such
labor unnecessary. We trust, in justice to a gal
liant soldier that it viii be extensively circulated
throughout the country.
For the Nashville UaOn and American:
MAURT COUNTY, Sept 2t, 1857.
In my recent address to the people of Tennessee,
giving the secret history Of the Pueba negotiations
with the relations bore 10 the Government. and
20 the 81 Trist Mission" and the part performed
IN defeating those negotiations, l was careful to
avoid everything of personal or party oharac-
ter.
made simple statement of facts, and referred
to the war Office at Washington where the proof of
those facts would be found
1 anticipated that these disclosures, would start
up fresh, the whole pack of blood hounds who have
pursued me- with so much ferceness ever since
entered the army.
H. A. Hitchcock, who signs himself "Actinp In
spectOr General Of the Army in Mexico and late
Brevet Brigadeer General" is the first to omen the
cry upon the new scent, and forthwith, the editori
al pack-Prentice, Greeley, & Co., chime in and
cry on.
The cry Of these last, is an old yell-ouite fam;-
liar to the public ear and withoutterror even to the
JalHt hearted But this man Hitchcock, who thinks
10 give himself character and consequence before
the country, by setting forth the position he occu
pied, and the length of time he had been in the
army, is not so well known, and therefore il NAV
not be improper to give him some further notice.
When the war with Mexico broke out, he was
Meutenant-COlonel in the line, and in command Of
the Sd Infantry, as fine a Regiment as the army
could boast of. While this Regiment was in the
held, marching against the enemy, to cut its wav
TO honor and glory, its commander, Col Hitchcock
gave up the command, and erGUenly skulksd from
TINS post Of danger and honor for the nominal posi
ton Of Acting Inspector General, in Gen. Scott's
Staff, where all his associates we're Lietenant and
where he was far removed from danger. With the
soldier, the post of danger is the post of honor.
To understand how far he compromised his honor
as soldier, by this STEP we have but to examine
the catalogue Of the gallant dead, where we find
the names of Mcintosh, Scott Ransom, Graham.
Butler, Dickinson and a host of other Repimeutal
Commanders, to see how fearfully their ranks were
thinned in the bloody battles fought from Vera
Cruz to the City of Mexico and then to contemplate
how eO"toTtableit was to be in the staff of the COM
handing General, '0thOut eOer being under fire.
TWAS by this species of strategy that this gallant
veteran Of nearly forty years services in the army
has passed through series of many years, nth
out scar Upon his person, without seeing an enc
my in the war with Mexico, except from the safe
stand peint Of his Chief and without ever having
faced an enemy of his country unless he was in
some of the skirmishes with the Indians, in the
Flarlda war While upon the subject of the Florida
war; we invite him, in his next episle to tell what
Gen. Scott in his reports said of his gaEanr in Thai
war; then to furnish the country with what be said
of Gen. Scott in his anonymous communications to
certain newspapers.
knowledge Of the achievements Of this son of
Mars IN that war, with the opinion Of the great
soldier" Of his gallantry, and his opinion of the
great soldier" written for the information of the
Puohe' would interest the people of Tennessee quite
as much as his dishonorable reflections upon the |
memory Of the great man, whose fame constitutes
the pride and honor of this State.
To understand why he was 6reUeted it is onlv ne
oessary to say that that was honor reflected from Gen
ocott ms chief upon whose reports the Government
acted In confering brevets. Such is brief sketch
Of the brilliant achievements of this veteran war
'lor, who with the brevet rank of Brigadeer General
resigned his commission and abandoned the army
'ather than obey the orders of his Government. and
90 on duty with his regiment TO frontiers where
y possibility he might have to fight the Indians.
lnregard to his character a man of honor and
ruth, the country will remember him as a cocoon
PTator and associate ICitHess of Mr. N P Trist who
y their fashoods, Matched the difficulties and pro-
oked the rupture between myself and Gen Scott,
nd acted as his pimPs in getting up the fasehoods
mbodied in the foul charges against me, and then
pPeared before the Court of Inquiry and swore
gainSt me- with malice so iHdiscrse, 20 tiscred
themselves, and to the Court to set aside their
branding them as conviels of will
III talssSuesrizg.
While l will be ready at all times, to make good
ne statements in NY address, if any gentleman will
Ike issue with me upon them, yet proper self res
ect, forbids that should do more than notice the
Representations and aspersons ofHitchcock or Trist
no are ''PaT Mobile fratruu " in crime This much d
Will do IN as much as come persons may see his
rty etusions who have not had an opportunity of b
,amining my address. l shall point out and cor o
ct two papable fdlsshOoas in his letter. so that the
ibc may see that he is still engaged in his old u
cation, of wilful misrepresentation.
In my address, l made the following statements it
z: p
81 In appointing Mission to travel with the army v
an npifr gbo 4 |
e grade Of diplomatic duty to be performed and -
emoIuments thereto attached made il impossible -
r the President TO find statesman who would ac p,
PIT the place. The man selected for that position ~
IS Mr.. n. T. Irist. But either distressing his n,
ulty, or judgment, or prudence or all these Pres y
snt Polk was not satisfied to place the honor of "
e country, and his administration in his hands III
by his confidential letters now in nv possession IN
SO lar associated myself with Mr. Trist as To place -
In SEM ogtciat relations with him as a commissioner
duty was enjoined upon Mr.. Trist of taking me -
all has conferences, and to consult me in all his ~
yotiatiOns. The duty was imposed upon me as a T I
riot, and the devoted friend Of the President 10
nd aud protect the honor of the country and of his
7sHistratioR against any any everything which I gL
ught would tarHisb the one or the other 1t will &c
ice be seen, that while Mr. Trst was the osfen,,5Z e
missioner, was, IN fact, the confidential officer
The Government, upon whom the President relied -
guard and protect the honor Of the country, in -
important negotiations involving the peace of VIII
country" W. WI
/ VIII DE seen from the above statement, that tho
resent myself as having been placed by the Presi dor
{, in semi official relations with Mr.. Trist, as a
missioner and that occupied the position of a con
hdential officer Of the Government in connection at
this mission, Of which fact Mr. Trist had full pre-
Wedge. But had no duty to perform as such l
officer with Gen. Scott, and there is not one neg
said upon that subject, and yet this swift wit no
, in his letter to the ST. Louis Republican makes opp
following reckless statement, viz: men
This very remarkable paper stands alone II Is l. Al
umed, as an instance wherein a candidate for orir
e before our people bases his claims. or his a
cipal claim, upon open confession of having l'''
pled The low and dishonOrable position of a spy IN
! the conduct Of his commanding General Gen call,
Nv unhlushlngly tells us that he Joined General pres
{, IN Mexico as 'the confidential officer of the h.
srnment upon whom the President relied to ~
d and protect the honor of the country in the di,
rtsnt negotiations involving the pesce of the view