Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-09-21

j. =, PenUictOhs hePNy
To the edtor gfMe Washington Star: MY
attention has just been called to a note OF
Gen. Jesup of the U. S. Army, dated the 2'd
of this month, but published in the Star Of
the l6.h inst, which requires to be noticed.
Tue lapse OF time between the date OF Its
imposition and its publication, c"mpe!s me
70 believe, that its distip guished author slept
long. if not soundly upon it, and therefore
accent it, ss a very we'll considered, aud de-
liberate performance.
| notice it, in no degree, out of any respect,
for a man, whose conduct on the occasion
strips him by its folly, if not by It's malignity,
of all title to such II sentimeut-bu entirely
on my own acccunt-And for the sake Of
those, the opinions OF whom, | do respect.
This very important personage, Major
General Jesup, Of the U. 5. Army, who, 1t
seems by his note, commanded armies TWEEN
ty years ago, has seen III to make a most
unproyokcd attack Oh me--and be has chosen
without enquiry, OF call OF any sort on me, to
do so in the public press. l have no alterna-
tive but TO answer hun through the same me-
dunn, and | presume no editor will PRINT his
piece, without the justice to print also my
reply.
That be should have selected such q med
up, is o matter neither of complaint, nor
surprise to me, for though know but little
Of this Maior-Gen. Jcsup, | know enough,
unless my memory singu!arly tails me-, to re-
member, that albeit a military man By pro-
fessiou, the columns of the ne1spa pcrs have
been on other occasions, the favori,e fields of
his beliigareut exhibitions.
When | was writing the article com pla!ned
Of, and was a iitle irritated, and disposed
to complain in no very tad humOr,) OF s1me
newspapers, that were medtlsng in a matter
which did not concern them, aud about
which they knew nothing. | happened to
think Of the auecdote Of O,ceola. IL wac
told me by On old friend, now an eminent
statesman OF the present day, as he has been
for twenty years past-aman whp knew we'll
what he was talking aboui--.nd Who Is IN
the habit Of knowing we'll, il be does not
weigh long, all that ne does talk about. l
am unconscious Of having received any III
preesious in respect to Osce0ia--Jr POWELL,
according 10 Gen. JesuG-exeep; from that
gentleman. lie admired Oocec'a, and be
thought as ! did, that TIC Chiefs remark
about the newspapers, Was a very sensible re-
Election, lor q man of his profession.
lie, as well e. | remember, lever named
Geu. Jesup, nor had [ when writing the Of
feosiye article, the faintest remembrance OF
Gen. Jssup's connecaJn, with Gny military
transaction whatever-not even the capture
no, not the capture, it now seems, but the
detention OF an lLdian warrior.
If ever knew, or ever beard any thing
about his complication with the affair, it has
escaped without leaving any trace 10 my
memory.
| have a distinct recollection, that OsceoIa
was understood to have been taken and
tire 4ted in a way winch reflects grea; discTc1-
it or the Government Of the unltod States
and really | supposed, that, If there was an
undieputcd point CT historic trutu, il was,
that this poor Indian had beer !oui!y dealt
by: but | learn for the first tins Tor have
strangely forgotten) that Gen. Jsusp had any
part uf the responsibility.
In this respect | may have been %involun-
tar.ly, in q certain degree, III Iaul,--for am
in truth a very poor reader at bess-ahd
what little time | have had industry enough,
10 give to the history Of military events 10
this country, has been almost exclusively de-
voted to the more important trahtdStions'
that have occasionally occurred, and to the
histories and regulations Of those uore sue
c~essful Generals, who have achieved Their
rerowu. rather 10 the battle fields of the lie.
public, than in the sJirees Of the metropolis,
or the digiadistions OF the newspapers.
Had Msjor-Gep. Jesup seen tit with a
sense OF proprlety, becoming a person OF q
tythe Of bis pretensiOhs, to enquire whether
i was aware of bis delicate relations to this
suhject, and meant to assail him or NOT, l
should have been most prompt 10 di6c!alm the
knowledge or the iptention.
But as the gentleman has mounted his
war horse, and selected his fnyorlte field, |
have ouly by way Of putting myself even
with him, to give hin in return for bis coun,
sel, q biz OF advice on NY cwn pari--aud
To at is, that when be hereafter attempts to &C
quire in peace, ~laureis, more appropriate to
wur-he will on lis own account, If lor no
better reason, select for his experiments 9th
er subjects than myself.
JOHN s.. PENDLETON.
Redwood, Culpcper county, Va.
C.-- 1aSS