Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-09-14

nun nau connrmed my opinion of duty to
took place, Gen. Scott called a council of e,an.
erai Otlcers, to whom he made known what had
! oeen done In the way of negotiation, and to
Snum ne expressed substantially the views and
opinions above detailed - -
Being satisfied, after reflection, that my first
impressions were right L went next day to
ten Scott and Mr. Trist, and protested so
earnestly against the whole matter that they
both said L was right, and that they would
ABANDON the negotiations. 1 then thought they
were sincere In their purpose to abandon it, and
all Idea of peace to be thus obtained
In few days afterwards the army CON-
meneed the march for the valley of Mexico.
=, we reached the valley-had fought the bat
tie OF Contreras and Chnrnbusco, "a continuous
| night that lasted nearly two dsys) when at last
every portion of the field was won by the in
| dolnltable valor of the American army: and
whist pursuing the enemy at the head of the
army, aud almost within the gates of the city.
received Gen. ScOtt's order to halt the army
ana fall back to his position, when learned from
MIN thatl was his purpose to grant an armistice
The enemy had sent no flag of truce nor had
ne asked an armistice. | at once told Gen
Scott that the city was in his power-that /
| thought he ought 10 take it, provide for the
wants OF his army, and then grant an armistice
| if the enemy desired it,.
Gen. Scott replied that his purpose was set
tied, and gave orders for the disposition of the
army for the night then approaching.
Next day L went to Gen. Scott's headuusr-
ters, taking Gen. Worth with me, and we both
earnestly protested against the armistice, but
to no purpose
Still not satisfied, the same day addressed
written remonstrance to Gen. Scott which
sent by Gen Pierce-still more earnestly pro-
testing against this armistice, as likely greatly
to endanger the safety of the army in future
n fInVs RN.k
L was now satisfied that Gen. Scott was acting
under the influence and wishes of Mr. Trist.
and that he was carrying into effect the Puebla
negotiations. That in doing so, If we got peace
1t would be at the cost Of the honor of the army
ana OF the government of the country That
II We got no peace, Santa Anna would avail
himSef OF the armistico to recruit his beaten
and dlsorganlzed army, TO complete his defen-
slye works, and to remove his heavy artillery
from the front we had turned TO the front we
were asSalllng. And that in the event of Santa
Anna 5 bad faith in this negotiation, we were
giving up all the advantages gained by the bat
tie OF COntreras and Churubusco, (which had
cost US the blood of l $50 men, without any
thing in return, and without any guaranty of
the enemy s good faith. p.
Entertaining these views Of the Object and eff
Iect OF the armistice, and the purposes Of Mr.
Irlst, and finding that could no nothing to
prevent the cOnsummatiOn of measures so dis.
reputable to the Government at once wrote
TO President Polk, giving him full account of
the negotiations, and the steps adopted towards
its fultilment. Upon the reception of this in
formation. the President promptly recalled Mr..
Irlst, withdrew from him all authority to act as
commissioner, and directed Gen Scott 10 send
him back TO ths United States
The recall, however, was not received until
General Scott had resumed offensive operations.
and the army had entered the city Of Mexico.
which time Santa Anna had completed his de-
fences-had removed his heavy artillery from
I'll PInon and MeXicalZingO, and had reorgau-
lzsd and recruited his army, and had 25 900
fighting men in the field and then reannOunced
that the armstice was at an end And in the
af'er operations OF the army-made necessary
by the armstice, and by giving up all the ad-
vantages gained by the nrst two bloody battles
We lost In killed and wounded 1872 men; so
that the army had to atone for the error of its
Commander-in- Chief, acting under the inau-
ence of the Government commissioner, with the
blood of many of its bravest men.
Up to this time, Gen. Scott had never been
otherwise than just and kind to me-
At Vera Cruz, he had selected me to lead the
storming column of volunteer forces in the con-
telnplated assault upon that city. He after
wards appointed me a commissioner over the
heads of my then superiOrs in rank, to fix upon
the terms of res capitulatiOn. He had selected
Of CerrO Gordo, while with the main force of the
army he turned the enemy's left.
Finding his army 80 mnch crippled by the
operations at Vera Cruz and the battle of Cerro
GOrdo that he could not advance upon the CITY
OF Mexico, he sent me to the United States, un-
der sick leave of absence, but in fact to procure
from the President an order to reinforce his
command by the new troops previously ordered
TO General Tsylor's line of operations; which
duty being performed, returned and overlook
the army, and assumed the command of nv d.
vision ut Puebla-
lie placed me in command OF the advance of
the army In the movements that led to the bat
ties of Contreras and Churubusco. In the
mptst of this last, lOng-cOntinued. and bloody
battle, he sent his life-guard Commanded by
Capt. kearney) to me for duty, thus leaving
himself at CoyOacan without even life-guard
Immediately on the termination of the arm
stlce, he threw me forward to Piedad-almOst
under the walls Of the city-to drive in the en-
emy, and 10 protect his army from surprise and
str.tagetieal movement with orders never for
one moment to be absent from my p0st) while
he Vas concentrating his forces and setting his
plans for future operations. He moved me
from this place, in the darkness of the night TO
dash upon and seize the Casa Mata aud the
MolinOs del Rey, preparatory to stOrming Cha
pultepec and, having chosen me to storm that
strong and almost impregnabe fortifcation
4 ~O-----N"--N~N
ety. and when it had become evident that it
was victory or death to the whole army, he di-
reeted me to assail the work as pleased, but
that l must carry it, no matter at what cost
that the fate Of the army depended upon my
success.
Being disabled in this duty, General Scott
said, in his official reports, 4" that this gallant
leader was cut down, while up with the front
rank, by an agOnizing wound" In his official
correspondence he said From what he per-
sonally saw, he I'D received agonizing wou nd
in the able and heroic discharge Of duty in
storming ChapuItepec. Again he said: "On
your back ss you still are with painful wound
1 yesterday very reluctantly troubled you with
4 note Of that date. but was obliged to do So,
before finishing my report Of the recent go-
ri,us operations. in which you had full and
most distinguished participation.
Again he said, in haste - Permit me to repeat
once more, that L have, from my first meeting
with you, been anxious, from high opinion Of
your head and heart, your intelligence, honor,
zeal, and yaior, to win your esteem and conf
dence, on any terms consistent with justice and
| honor"