The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-11-20

brave men at L OrC L tcAciS- ~ i'A. "Ai'
contempt might he not have looked upon
Chase or Bragg, in front OF him, with
VARYING masses of from two thousand TO
six thousand men, if Fort Pickens and Its
twin Fort II Rae had had between them
only two hundred men!
| have thus shown that small garrsons
would at first have sufficed for the other
twin. Forts Jackson and St. Philip, also
NV object was to save to the Union, by |
any means at hand, all those works, until
CONGRESS could have time to authorize d |
call for volunteers-a call which the Pres |
ident. for such purpose. might no doubt |
have made. without any special Legislation, |
with the full appreciation Of every loyal |
man in the Union.
2. The ex-President almost loses his
aniability in having his neglect OF the
forts "attributed,' as he says, ''withont
! the least cause to the influence Of Gov.
Floyd :" and he adds, "all my Cabinet
must bear me witness that L was the
! President myself, responsible for all the
| acts Of the Administration"
Now. notwithstanding this broad as
sumption oe responsibility, [ should be
sorry to believe that Mr.. Buchanan spe-
! cialiv consented to the removal, by Seere-
tarv Floyd, of 1l5 ,000 extra muskets and
rifles, with all their implements and am
munition, from Northern repositories to
Southern arseuals, so that on the breaking
out OF thc maturing rebellion they might
be found without cost, except 10 the Uni
! ted States, In the most convenient posi-
tions for distribution among the lnsur-
gents. So, too, Of the one hundred and
twenty or one hundred and forty pieces OF
heavy artillery, which the same Secretary
ordered to Ship Island, in Lake Borgne,
and Galveston, Texas, for forts not yet
erected. Accidentally learning, early in
March, that, under this posthu8toas order
the shipment Of these guns had eommen
ced, [ communicated the fact to Secretary
Holt (acting for Secretary Cameron) just
4 10 time to defeat the robbery.
But on this point we may hear ex.S Sec
retary Floyd himself. At Richmond, he
: expressly claimed the honor Of defeating
: all my plans and solicitation respecting
the torts, and received his reward-it
r being there universally admitted that but
+, for that victory over me there could have
] been no rebellion.
1 >. Nj Buchanan complains that pub
! lished without. permission, January IS
i 1861. NV views. addressed to him and the
d Secretary of War, October % and 20
: 1860. But that act was caused, as ex
;, plained 10 him at the time, by the misrep
. resentation of the 0i~ws in one of tn
d earlier spceches Of the same ex-Secretar.
: after his return to Virginia.
L One OF my statements complaining
1t of the joint countormand, sent thropg
e the Secretaries of War and Navy, to pre-
ID vent the landing at Fort Pickens Q
t. Captain Vodges' company Hahess the fo'
al sh0ud be qtiached, l. cited by the e1
President to prove singular want {
rt memory" on my part; and note iron
'n Secretary IIolt is adduced to show that
c; had entirely approved Of the joint cour
rt terrnand the day january 26) that 1t W:
ne prepared. Few persons are as little llab
n, to make a misstatement by accident
an Mr.. Holt, and no one more Incapable
or making one by design; yet have n
he the slightest recollection Of any intervle
es- with him on this subject. | do remer
ak bcr, however that Mr. Holt, on SON
N. matter OF business, approached my bedsi'
OF about that time, when [ was suiferIr
Gu greatly from an excess Of poin. MI b
er, chanan, Mr. Holt and myself were
- landSmen, ana cOUiu KNOW but ittic
-ed the mpossibility OF landing troops on
~ open sea beach, with high wind Al
ac- surf Mr. Toucey, Secretary OF the Nav
int with officers about him OF intelligence a
nautical experience, ought to have sa
aer plumplv that if Vod"es was not to la
ce- except in the case of attack upon II
gar Pickens, he might as well have remain
lon at Fortress Monroe, as the prohiolt'
ex- placed the fort so far as he was concel
use ed, at the mercy, or, Gas the event Shove
one on the want of enterprise on the part
the rebel commander at Pensacola.
ch Possibly there are other parts OF I
IN reply which superficial reader may TIN
me require comment or eluciGation and,
lth, deed, here is another marked for me
eht my kind visitor:
lGg 5. The exPresident has brought
ant gether labyrinth Of dates respecting
Ia arrival and departure of rebel cou'missl
nnS ers, ,,rnistices, &c, with which. as |
IKE no official connection, may have nj
out an unimoortant mistake or two but, !
'loe' have not By me the means OF recover
oh the clue to those windmgs, shall nut
my tempt TO follow aim.
lck, WINFIELD SCOTT.
han Kew Tork. 9th a.. Hotel, Nov. s, l85Z'