Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21
THE HERO OF BUENA VISTA.
Records Which Dispute jefferson Davis
Right to That Title.
To the Editor Of The EVENING STAR:

To the Editor Of THE EvESISo STAR:
Jefferson Davis is dead. Now. il is an ancient
maxim, Say nothing of the dead but what is
good All will cordially endorse that senti-
ment if that good" can be truthfully said.
without injury or injustice TO others living and
dead. But the grandiloquent eulogies of JEFF
ferson Davis by his southern admirers as " The
Hero of Buena Vista" is most unjust to the
memory OF the gallant dead. both northern
and southern. will be pardoned, therefore, a
brief statement of a characteristic episode OF
that memorable field" involving jefferson
Davis so called "heroism''-a statement with
out mallce toward either Davis or his southern
admirers, and only as a matter of history and
in vindication of the truth.
On February % and %. lS47. Santa Anna.
the Napoleon OF the west, with an apparently
overwhelming force, assaulted Gen. Zachary
Taylor's Little army of volunteers" in its posi-
ton at Buena Vista. During the battles which
ensued the ID Indiana regiment, a raw or I'M
disciplined regiment of volunteers, was thrust
forward by its incompetent but gallant Colonel
BowIes INTO position exposed 10 a terrible en-
filadlng FIRE which would soon have annihilsted
IT. Three times were they ordered TO retreat.
Twice they refused and stubbornly confronted
death and the Mexicans. The brave fellows
knew how TO fight and die, but not how TO re-
deadly fire and the order Of their colonel, to
abandon the position, il was in a confused or
disorGanized mass.
Undoubtedly this retreat of the second In
diana caused a perilous crisis in the battle. All
authorities 80 agree. At that critical moment,
1t is claimed, Col. jefferson Davis advanced the
second Mississippi rifles, repulsed the Mexicans
and recovered the held.
remember well the extravagant newspaper
reports from the field. jefferson Davis. in
eilfaEa II.
god of war" Rushing into the deadly breach"
at this periious moment 1t the head of his regi-
ment, rising Ia his stirrups. brandlshing ms
"eXcahber" over his "god-hke head" and.
pointing to his Mississippians. cried in stento-
ran tones TO the retreatihg Indianians form
behind that wall.'
These reports were printed all over the
country. Thousands believed them. Davis in
consequence became hero and they have
actually passed into some works on history. In
substance they are now repeated by his south
ern euloglsts
In 1850, in the House of Representatives. in
the wranSle over the spoils OF Mexico. Mr.. J. A.
Seldom OF Virginia. in a glowing apostrophe
recitlng the splendid actions of the southern
troops to Gen. Taylor. who had become presi-
dent and was resisting the southern claim TO
the spoiia opima, exclaimed:
And on that memorable fed Of Buena Vista at
that nOSJc ical !luctu when all seemed lost save
mono again should his IOld Lachsl heart bound
regiment OF Mississippians and beheld them
steady, undismayed Through the very midst of
the brave but unfortunate troops ftte north then,
through a mistaken order. discounted aud in
rout, with souls untouched with panic and nerved
10 DO or ule, march onward-right onward on the
countless Zoe, and with invincible proves snatch
from the very jaws OF defeat rescue and Victory
Co"gi. Globe, S1a Co"g, 1T sess., Opp, p. rs.
Col. VIM II. Bissell, democratic member Of
the House from Illinois, commanded the move
ment on that field which followed ON the re-
treat OF the second Indiana. He consequently
heard Seddon's apostrophe with mingled
amaZement and Indignation. Nevertheless he
slept on 1t. Subsequently, in referring to it in
the House, Col. Bissel declared that Justice"
to the living and the dead, justice to the gal
liant Hardin and Mckee and the accomplished
Clay Lieut. Col Henry Clay of the second
Kentucky, a son of the celebrated Henry Claw,
who fought and fell by his side at Buena
VISTA demanded OF him "a prompt correction
OF this most erroneous statement" He were a
monster" did he not protect their well-earned
fame" He said:
"And l affirm distinctly sir, and such Is the
fact, that, at the time the second Indiana reci-
meht gave way, the Mississippi regiment for
which this claims thus gratuitously set up Cus
HOt WSiin u aate and q hID OF the scene Of
Gctto" npr had a as yet fired gan oraton .
Htg9fr affirm further, sir, that the troops which
at that time met and resisted the enemy, and
thus, TO use the gentlemans own language
Snatched victory from the Jaws of defeat, were
the second kentucky, the second Illinois and a
portion Of the first Illinois regiments. "-Con0L
GLOBE, SISt COng.,- 1T $685., Ipp., p 22s.
But this manly vindication of the truth of
history by Col. Bissell this generous defense
of 1.-THE well-earned fame" of his comrades in
arms living and dead, Jefferson Davis pre-
tended to understand only attack on ''the
chivalry" of the second Mississippi. He de-
manded retraction. 1t was refused BisseIl
Was OF a metal similar to that of ''Oid Zach"
OF whom II was reported Santa Anna COM
planned that ''he (Zach) did not know when he
was whipped" jeff then challenged Bissel
The challenge was promptly accepted-''mus-
kets at twelve PAGES" BIssell meant business
Whereupon Jeff's chlvalry collapsed: bis
friends sought an adjustment of the matter.
Col. VIM. A. Richardson, also a democratic
member of the Illinois delegation in the House
was one of Col. Bissell's seconds Gen. Edward
ID. Baker, whig, was also. i'll 1850, member of
the Illinois delegation. Col. Richardson, in the
eulogy on Gen. Baker, who, on October
House on December, II, 1861. in his
q had been killed at Balls Bluff.
gave a brief statement of the transactions
which led to a pacific adjustment of the matter
between JEFF" and Col Bissell Gen Daw-
son, Senator from Georgia and one of JEFF
Davis seconds, approached Col. Richardson
with the declaration: I've can settle this
thing" Col Richardson declared that but for
Gen. Bakers hostility to the duello Baker hav-
ing denounced il as infamous, barbarous, and
inhumanO he would at once have rejected
Dawson's proposition. As it was Gen. Bakers
high chars cter and commanding influence with
the delegation secured pacific adjustment of
the matter without dishonor 20 Col. BisseIl."
and in all probability saved the lives of both Of
the principal actors. NEW.
WAsHISGroN, DC, December 49, 1889.
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