Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-05-11
WHOLE NO. 2,237.
The Two Wars-Remfniscenc Of
GEN. shields I'm the Mexican War.

The Two wars-Remfniscen Of
GEN. shields in the Mexican War.
Interyiew IN Washington Post.
"Well, General, how many wars
have you been in, anyhow"
1.-Two; unless you count in the
war over the doorkeepership, and
that being a skirmish that was over
before 1 came up, can hardly be
charged or credited to my account"
els the painting Of the battle Of
Chepultepec over the Senate stair
case, where you are represented as
standing in your shirt-sleeves talk
ing to General Quitman, a fancy
sketch ?"
''No, we were taken Just as we
stood, by a photographer who fol-
lowed the army to take sketches
whenever he could. It was after
wards transferred to canvass. The
incident which il cOmmem0rates
was one of the most notable and GU
rious in my history. l had been
ordered by General Scott to make q
demonstration on thecity of Mexico
from the Chepultepec side. / gath
regiment, Colonel Butler, the
mounted rifles, the New York vol
unteers, and O'Brien battery, and
led sudden dash along the acque-
duct towards the city. The enemy
gave way and seeing that we pressed
them all the harder to prevent their
reforming, General Scott, who i'm
tended that General Worth should
take the city by the San COsme
route instead of the Berlin route,
saw from the heights that / was
making rather rapid progress, and
Immediately detached two aides
de-camp to stop me. saw them
coming and suspected their errand.
Lord Nelson, you know, at COpen-
hagen, was the second In the COM
mand. When the signal was given
to him by the Admiral not to at
tack, one Of the officers called his
attention to it. He put his glass TO
his blind eye, and said:. Damned
if / can see any signal; attack 2 /
didn't want any message from Gen.
Scott at that precise moment, and
speaking range and said, General
ADNObl cNnio Ills Nuili HAiAAltiAA1 w AAllA-
eral Shields, / hOllered out, 'All
right, but / haven't time to talk
with you now; wait Bit General
Scott seeing that we were still push
ing ahead at a break-neck pace to-.
ward the city, sent General Quit
man to me, and my horse having
been shot under me, was on foot
explaining to General Quitman that
it would be madness for us 20 desist
from our advantage, and that Gen
eral Scott never would have author
lied It If he knew how gloriously
we were advancing. Oh but he
was gallant soldier, was General
Quitman, and generous one, and
instead of ordering me back he told
me to go ahead. SO on we went,
and in less than twenty minutes we
entered the garrita, or city gate, and
the first American flag i'm
the City of MexicO-the flag that
was borne by the gallant Palmetto
The artist happened TO get his
camera in focus just while l was
talking to General Quitman, and so
apprehend it is n more correct
than the most OF those
that ornament our public buildings"
81 don't suppose you much regret
not being elected doorkeeper, do
you" said the Post.
"No. While grateful 20 my friends
for their intended kindness, and
deeply grateful to Mr.. Hutchins, Of
the Post, for his very complimentary
article, to which / largely attribute
my unexpected prominence, should
have felt myself compelled TO de-
cline the position"
"YOu are willing TO be retired
with the pay of brigadier3
Naturally enough; / couldn't be
lverse to that. If j have been of
any service to my country il has
been while acting as a brigadier
general. / should consider IL
graceful and touching recognition
If, not my deserts, perhaps, but Of
my good Intentions and my fidelity
% my adopted country"