, 1862-01-23

ter, nothing to gain and nothing to lose. But
having been present at that engagement aud j
knowing the truth whereof I write. anl un-
willing That q wrong, originating in the self
gloTlfcation Of priyate individuals, and pub
ic1ys approved and lndorsel by resolution in
Congress, should pass unnoticed. another
incentive to this is found in the fact that those
who hare personal interest in tue matter.
have "lEo i eommcndable feeling Of delicac.f
in correcting wrong, or undertaking de-
fence, when they would subject themselves to
the charge Of stl!-interest, and so lose the in
1uencc they would otherwise exert if it did
not lessen public eredihility in, their state
1ntnts. As I am rot open to that Charge,
an in this particular, exempt from the danger
Incurred.
Now, sir, what arc some Of the facts touch
ing tho "dcfcnce Of LcNingtou:" Briefly
these:
Col. Mul1igan, good and brave officer, was
chief III command, by virtue Of 4 commission
having three or four days priority Of date over
that Of airy other officer present THIS fact
alone, added to his bravery, nlakcs Col. Null
}igan famous, while others, less fortunate,
(and pay them no undcscrycd compliment in
the co1nparison) equally brave, able and eff
cicnt, are entirely ignored.
Among these, ! may mention specially,
Col. Peabody the Thirteenth Missouri Rcgi-
ment, than whom al abler, Drawer, more
scientific, intelligent and efficient officer is not
to be found III the volunteer service, being
| practically acquainted with both civil and
military el.ineerins: Licut. Col, Day Of the
First Illinois Regiment OF Cavalry; Colonels
| Grover and White OF the Missouri regiments,
| a1l Of whom were as able, brave and eiiicicnt
| in conducting the "dcftncc Of Lexington''
! lis Col. A1u1iga1,. Each Of these officers, Col
! Mu1ligan excepted, were severely wounded i'll
| that engagement, and from which they arc
still suffering, save Col. Grover, who died Of
| injuries received about the 1st Of November
| Col, White Of this city is p1ralyzed in his
| lower cStrrmities, and will probably never
| recover.
Tie f:lct is that no more brayc, able and
efficient officers participated in the long
rlil.e days siege. Of Lexington, than
Al, exceptional instance, be GLADLY tes-
tilted to by all who witnessed it,
| save those who arc either blinded by prcju-
dice, or can SEC III The three thousand soldiers
1'restEt only 1Lc Twenty~tllird Illinois reyi-
n,c1at aud its officers. And yet, after t'.u *
piration Of three ntorths, and still suffering
from wounds received, Scarcely 4 syllable Of
''honor:blc ulention' has been made OF them;
willie others, OF whom it Is sufficient praise to
say were no more deserving, are publicly
culosizld: nay, more made the recipients by
Congress of 9 special privilege, hut limiting,
by thu language Of tie resolution, tho llonors-
bio distinction to themselves. Can insult be-
mere pointed, or in.ratitudc toward one and
1nyoritism toward another, bc made more ap-
parent?
But Inc several regiments commanded by
| these otflecrs-wl,at are the facts touching
their services on this occasion?
Evidently, you arc willing to bc the instru-
ment Of the greatest injustice to men who
tgllt, suffer and die in the cause Of humanity
| and their country, or you are III Informed Of
the true history of that engagement, having
heard only tie version given Of it by the
s'Irish Brigade and left uncorreetcd in the
frequent speeches Of Col. Mulligan: Whether
Col AIrllsan is fully aware Of the impression
| thus left upon thu public mind or not, can
not answer; bnt if he is he has been guilty Of
gross neglect Of dutyto his brave comrades
and suboroliatcs, in not making public cor
rection.
Had Col. 3fn11igan, On his return, made an
official report, aud published it to the world,
the impression had long ago been corrected,
saving the necessity now Of supplying omis-
s1ons, aud very ateria1ly modifying tile state
nlcnts made BY the Irish Brisade-1hc burden
OF which is self culogy. The effect Of this
emission, if Intentional, is, in the estimation
Of many who swould honor and respect him
for his bravery and ability, sadly preju1iclal to
himself, and grossly unjust, as ii happens, IL
officers and men who are quite as much en-.
titled to honor and special privileges as tho
Twcnty-third Illinois.
| II is q notorious fact, which Col. M. himself
will readily admit, though it is suppressed by
the " Brigade that the first days fight was
made almost wholly by the Thirteenth Mis-
souri,, Col Peabody, and four companies O.
llc E1ISL 4ulIlDlS cavalry uuutE inc cOnlIllHt
/ Of Major Jenkins, who met the cnenl: sont
two miles from the intrcncEments, and fough
them all the way into the city One company
Of The Irish Brigade was ordered out by Col
Mu1lisan but participated but little in tue
fight, and early retrcatcd back to the intrcuch
n1entE. Within the trenches. the Twenty
third Illinois did no better service than others
| and only On two occasions were they outside
I to Wit: the one above alludcd to, aud the other
when ordered to charge upon the hospital.
x11,3 II H.
first day, only ono was worked by the Brigade
Tie two best pieces III the command bc!ongeG
| to Col. Peabody's regiment, and during tht
entire siege were worked BY his men. Tht
wn1ndt and killed of this day were nosti.
fruln Colonels Pcahady's and Whites regi
ments and the First Illinois cavalry.
During the last three days of the siege (and
they were sufficiently trying to the bravest
llostiltics continuing night and day the tspos1
Of Aopor'-so regarded ny the command, anS
dcuominatcd the shot corner situated or
the hospital side-was defended by the cayal
~. fFirst nlinois. \ notwithstandine they Ycrt
improperly armed for such defenscs. Il is buf
an act Of Justice, i'll passing, to s,v that bette
f,cc danger in whatever slape it may come
arc not to be found iu the service. About one
fourth of tIc whole number killed WE'RE from
this regiment. and onc-third Of the Who'll.
:, ! nuu1brf wounded. No other canal unmbcr q
nen fscyen coIopanics only being pr,scnt) suf
fi,rcd NOR. and think nat as uincb r. com
ace and rcneated acts % Of dssncrate sehtjue !,
, r6neIlinr the assaults Of the cncn1y cuf;tl
!, !, men to honorable mention and snecia1 nriy;
lrres. fhe men Of the F;rst Illinois Cays,ry ar
oHite as mnch icseryine oft then, as those Who
fl1rmeh s,11,nr.ss;on of fur Whole truth INV
hen "a roneatedir en1aoized h.s tho nras: m,
rom tba npatfom m 80 ~ Eth11so nccas;nn
thex Tera eid eaided IN The 5rfsnse If their ms;
r tion h7 comn,u;es from nt}er reoim.nts r.
:. III Hncc or tsSioc Nv = con,nany from II, !,
T,;sh Rr;oa5a and oncs ~ txrio. ~ ,.o,u,,,n;a "a
ron, t,,e Thi-teent1, To-" Missouri Il Was mo
: t1';a s;Ja thai the ssrarast HoL+;ng nccur1e1
hn;nar the 1,aost - ex,'oscd ~ Ioasf nnotaeteG
~, ;1 ~ naEn,. ~ ~ t
~ n,r M n11nr VI LIZ LII
Ths c1ar, ,,no,, +,,t. bozn;ta,,, .x,s mad
bc ~ r. no Ta.o1+rlt1,,rS I7;no;s
~ - ~ E1oan ~ "a ~ ao,e,,az ~ 10 Th;,
f;, aiio H ote tGa M ,.3',ie Ia
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1's,1eg 1 laouus "a e ~ .1,o.1-, rain,1,
1su ahe nnn',,az, - .n1S
1ap,' 81 ;et,io +ho o1t;r. ,osa :;
~ ndaH ~ ~ tto ~ frsb trs Rr;de 51
~ ~ ann s;ane Ea,,t y c1nasons 1oss Tas a;at
~ ine S!SS ~ wp;. ntsson ,nndod 80
a,,a1,t ,ns, % ,.s4ah1a ~ tha hr,vest If n
Ee sna!' i,a3- ~ @ ;s n1'. b;etoat ~ -
r Ctaae' ''ons ~" c"n;gann IS cnt;tied ~ e9e'