278
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1856
"The letter of Lieutenant Du Pont is not such a one as I had expected from an officer who had heretofore sustained so high a character in the Navy. It is not couched in language becoming an inferior addressing his commanding officer; and his refusal to accept the. concession, of which his brother officers availed themselves, savors more of pettishness than dignity or of manli- ness." He took back none of those charges at all; but, to gratify the gentleman and their friends, he ordered their return. What may we reasonably suppose to have been the cause? The facts had not changed since the first rebuke which he administered; but it would have blasted the young men's reputations if they had been sent home in disgrace by the Commodore. He must save the mor- tified feelings of them and their friends. It is a natural thing. I believe you will find it jn the Navy, to some extent, as well as anywhere else. But, sir, while speaking of Du Pont's writing, I wish to bring another production of his to the notice of the Senate. We hear of his chivalry, and my friend from Delaware read to us the most remark~ble actions I ever heard of. The commodore said it was one of the grandest things that ever was done, and his letter was read, and I intend to have it read again. It is beautifully written, and one would really suppose half Mexico had been slaughtered, and this was a modest recital of the carnage. [Laughter.] It is one of the most extraordinary things I have ever seen. Du Pont landed with one hundred and one men near San Jose. He marched to Lieutenant Heywood, a mile and a half or two miles across a creek, ankle deep, and he talks of walking across waters, and so forth, making a terrible splurge! Heywood, with thirty men, made a sortie with his little garrison, which he had defended for some weeks, and joined him as he was advancing. He killed a man as he charged, I believe, and wounded several others; and all that was done by Mr. Du Pont was to get four men wounded and two only disabled. He says it was marching in the hottest fire; and when he comes to conclude his official report he says that the number killed is unknown. [Laughter.] But friendly Californians say it was from thirteen to thirty-five. [Great Laughter.] Is not that a large ~argin? I thought of Falstaff and his buckram men when I read it--two swelling to eleven, I believe, and all Kendall Green coming in to boot. [Laughter.] Lieutenant Heywood corroborates that statement; but they found none of the men who were killed! What complacent boasting!
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