possess more of the confidence and affection of his men. Firm, and sometimes even stern, he yet seemed to control those under his command more by the fear of incurring the loss of his respect than that of punishment. He could have commanded such a regiment even without a commission. In the excellent selections of the other fieldofficers, the regiment evinced their high appreciation of that first essential quality of an officer as well as soldier, that_of unblenching courage. To the accomplishments of a gentleman, Lieutenant Colonel Dickinson added a daring, dashing gallantry, which called from his superiors more frequently for restraint than encouragement.

Major Gladden, upon whom the command of the regiment devolved after the battle of Churubusco, had not only the opportunity of proving his coolness and courage in battle, but also his capacity and fitness for command. He received from his noble regiment the highest credentials they could confer on him by electing him to fill the high place which had been made vacant by the fall of their talented and beloved colonel.

cers.

I have alluded briefly to the personal character of the field-offiThe limits of this address will not permit me to particularize farther. My object is to present the general character of the corps. That purpose will be better attained by grouping together the company, officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, as a distinctive corps, possessing a common history, a common famo, and an undisided glory.

It was one of the most remarkable features of the Mexican war, which I hope will ever constitute a fixed trait of our volunteer system, that the general personal material of this force was of high grade. It was not uncommon to meet in the rank and file men who had been classically educated, professional men, tradesmen of respectable standing, and even men of independent property or comfortable expectations; in fact, you found there men holding in society at home a rank equal to that of the officers who commanded them.

What but motives similar to those that prompted the soldier of republican Greece or Rome to rally round his country's standard and perform prodigies of valor could have stimulated such men to subject themselves voluntarily to the deprivations, discomforts, and toils of war, and to the perils and dangers of the battle-field!

Whatever may have been the motives, whether a patriotic desire to serve their country, the love of glory, or the ambition of personal distinction, they indicate an elementary material from which invincible armies are constituted. I would not be understood as claiming this superiority for all volunteer corps alike; I speak of it as a general trait. Such, at least, was the personal character of the Palmetto Regiment. It was a fair representation of the people of the gallant state from which it sprung.

I have presented this fine corps, officered, organized, and mustered into service. I will not, in this narrative, accompany it in its departure from the state, its marches by land, or its voyages by sea. I will meet it at Vera Cruz, amid the roar of artillery, on an enemy's shore. But I may be permitted to indulge in some reflections, which naturally arise upon contemplating the position of that regiment,

about to be sent forth as the military representative of a proud state, jealous of her honor and her fame. The departing soldiers could, no doubt, read in the countenances of their countrymen and countrywomen the farewell of the Spartan mother to her son, when she delivered to him his shield, and said, "Return with this or on it."

With the state pride for which South Carolina has been distinguished, I doubt whether there could have been found a man or a woman who would not have preferred, had the melancholy alternative been presented, that every man of that corps should perish on the field of battle, than that it should return in full health, but stained with dishonor and disgrace! To that corps, the remnant of whom now stand before you as your chosen champions, you had intrusted the military reputation and honor of your state. Both were staked on their good conduct. You had intrusted to them your most valuable jewels. Had they failed, at any and every sacrifice, to maintain the honor and reputation of the stato; had they shrunk from their duty in the deadly conflicts they had to encounter, the disgrace would also have fallen upon you. Years would not have wiped away the blot left upon the fair escutcheon of your commonwealth. The Romans, when they gazed upon the desperate conflict of the Horatii with the champions of the Samnites, could scarcely have felt a deeper interest than did you in watching the progress and conduct of your regiment in Mexico. Before the close of the memorable year 1847 your anxieties had all terminated. Your gallant volunteers had not only signally maintained the honor and reputation of the state, but had laid on the altar of her renown fresh and brilliant wreaths of fame.

While the regiment was awaiting orders in South Carolina I was at Monterey, commanding a field brigade of selected volunteers. In December, 1846, after the battle of Monterey, I was detailed by General Taylor, at the head of five volunteer regiments and a battery of light artillery, to advance upon Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas, and take possession of the city, and of the passes of the mountains in its vicinity. Shortly after this duty had been performed, I received orders to join the forces then assembling at Tampico under General Scott for the purpose of invading Mexico through Vera Cruz. My first application, after reporting to the commander-inchief at Tampico, was a request to assign the South Carolina regiment, then at the island of Lobos, to my brigade, and in reply had the very grent satisfaction to learn from the general that Col. Butler had requested him to assign his regiment to my brigade, unless it could be attached to the regular brigade under General Worth. He remarked that he would not resist this concurrence of wishes, and accordingly the South Carolina, the Georgia, and Alabama regiments, were constituted into a brigade under my command. With the two latter regiments I sailed from Tampico, and arrived at Anton Lizardo in time, on the morning of the 9th of March, 1847, to take part in that splendid and successful military-nautical movement of the debarkation of General Scott's army of invasion at Vera Cruz. It was a skillfully-planned, highly-imposing, and entirely successful movement. The point selected for the descent was the beach west of the city, just without the range of the heavy guns of the Castle of San

Juan de Ulloa. In less than an hour after the debarkation commenced, ten thousand men, armed and ready for action, stood upon the beach.

It was here, during this exciting scene, that I observed an officer of noble mien and martial bearing approaching me, surrounded by a group of officers who seemed to be worthy followers of such a chieftain. He reported himself as Col. Butler, commanding the South Carolina regiment, ready to receive any orders I might convey to him. This was my first personal acquaintance with one for whose character, both as a soldier and a man, I soon acquired the highest respect and esteem.

The siege, bombardment, and final capture of the city of Vera Cruz and the strong fortress of San Juan de Ulloa, although not generally so regarded in popular estimation, perhaps from the trifling loss sustained by us, was, in my judgment, one of the most brilliant achievements of Gen. Scott's remarkable campaign. In establishing the lines of investment, my brigade was a part of the time very actively employed in skirmishing. At one time, the South Carolina and Georgia regiments being in advance, a serious attempt was made by a large body of Mexican cavalry and infantry, under cover of a heavy cannonade from the works of the city, to drive us back from the sand-hills which we occupied. A deep ravine, which commenced near to our position, and penetrated within the position occupied by the enemy, seemed to furnish a better route for assailing them than by a charge in front. Four companies-two from the Georgia regi

ment and two from South Carolina-were therefore detailed, under command of Lieut. Col. Dickinson, to attack the enemy by this route. The movement was successful, and the enemy soon retired. It was in these operations that Lieut. Col. Dickinson was seriously wounded, being, I believe, the first American wounded at the siege. He was certainly the officer highest in rank whose blood was shed on that memorable event.

It may be worthy of remark that, during the siege, the loss in killed and wounded of my brigade, though few, was greater than that of the whole balance of the army.

The siege of Vera Cruz afforded me an opportunity to become more familiar with the character of the new regiment which had fallen under my command. Immediately after we had landed a violent "norther" had interrupted our communication with the shipping, and we were thus, for some time, without the means of transportation; this was but of slight inconvenience to the troops posted on the flank of our line, and thus near the sea, but was a heavy burden on those more centrally situated. My brigade, though stationed immediately in rear of the city, and nearest to its walls, was between three and four miles from the point at which our commissary and other stores were landed. Until transportation could be gradually procured, all provisions, supplies, cooking utensils, etc., were packed on the backs of men, and carried that distance, over a rough path, over steep sand-hills and under a burning sun. This kind of toil and labor is felt most severely by the soldier, because such casualties are not anticipated; yet it was submitted to with patience, and no murmur reached my car from the brave Palmetto Regiment.

When tho "heroic city" had surrendered to the American arms, I was directed by General Scott to concert with Commodore Perry a joint naval and land expedition against the city of Alvarado and neighboring towns, the principal objects of which were to dismantle the fortifications which commanded the entrance into the harbor, and to open the country which lies adjacent to the Alvarado River for a supply of mulcs. The land-force was overwhelming, intentionally so constituted, to prevent resistance, and before it reached within eight miles of the city, the latter had surrendered to a small schooner of Commodore Perry's squadron. The objects of the expedition were thus attained without bloodshed; but the march for sixty miles along the sea-coast and back, under a tropical sun, and through the deep sands, with none but brackish, unhealthy water to slake our thirst, produced much disease in the regiments constituting the brigade, and especially in the South Carolina regiment, which had never before, sinco its arrival in Mexico, performed a full day's march.

When the Alvarado expedition was planned, it was not believed that Santa Anna would be enabled to rally his forces in sufficient strength to opposo tho advanco of our army at any point between Vera Cruz and Jalapa; and as our means of transportation were very slender, it was hoped that an abundant supply of mules could be procured from the valley of the Alvarado River, where they were reported to be abundant and cheap. The news, however, that Santa Anna was fortifying a position at Cerro Gordo induced General Scott to advance Twiggs's division, and afterward Patterson's, in that direction, Worth's being detained at Vera Cruz until further transportation could bo procured.

When the Southern brigado returned to Vera Cruz, it was with the greatest difficulty that a few wagons could be added to our already light train; but such was the ardent desire of officers and men to move forward to the scene of the expected battle, that they proposed to carry forty rounds of ammunition and three days of provisions per man on the march. I have gone into these details to correct a common error, which existed even in my command, that the detail of the Southern brigade for the Alvarado expedition was an unfriendly act, intended to deprive them of participation in the battle of Cerro Gordo. On the contrary, the designation of a corps for separate and distinct active service is a compliment to them as well as to their commander. I know that in this case there were competitors for this service.

Pursuing the purpose before indicated, I shall not attempt even a hasty sketch of this glorious campaign, but confine myself to such events as are connected with, or illustrate the character of the Palmetto Regiment.

The last corps has now left the sea-shore, to take its place in that gallant army whose deeds and achievements form the wonder of history.

The battle of Cerro Gordo has been fought and won. The enemy have been beaten and dispersed. Those frowning fastnesses no longer obstruct the quiet movements of our troops into the interior.

While the army was encamped at Jalapa, an important modifica→ tion of its clements took place, some of which affected the position of

the Palmetto Regiment. In consequence of the near approach of the expiration of the term of service of the twelve-months volunteers, seven regiments in all, the general-in-chief determined then to order them home, under the command of Major General Patterson. Gen. Pillow also, being wounded, returned to the United States on leave. Gen. Shields being severely wounded and not on duty, I was left as the only general officer in command of the remaining volunteer regiments, consisting of the South Carolina, New York, and First and Second Pennsylvania Regiments.

Of these, the First Pennsylvania Regiment was detained in garrison at Perote and Puebla, and never crossed the mountain rim which surrounds the valley of Mexico, and, of course, did not take part in the last bloody battles of the valley. Thus the Palmetto Regiment constituted, in the great battles of the valley of Mexico, one of only three regiments of a distinct army corps, and that one numerically the weakest of the three.

While the army lay encamped at Jalapa, General Worth, with his division, about 2000 strong, was thrown forward to Perote, of which he took quiet possession. Soon afterward I received orders to join him with my brigade, then consisting of but three regiments-South Carolina, New York, and First Pennsylvania, the Second Pennsylvania having been detailed as the garrison of Jalapa. Although the superior in lineal rank of Gen. Worth, yet, as this might be regarded as" detached service," in which his senior brevet rank would prevail, I cheerfully submitted to his command, and, re-enforced by Wall's light battery, marched to Perote, and there, as directed by General Scott, was obliged still farther to reduce my command by leaving in garrison Col. Wynkoop's regiment of First Pennsylvania Volunteers. While on this march, ascending the snow-capped mountains of Perote, we encamped late in the evening in the open spaces of a small, wretched village. The evening was cold and frosty, and the men, generally, thinly clad. The quarter-master was ordered promptly to procuro a supply of fuel. He had just reported to me that he had purchased it, cut and ready for use, when a Mexican, under great excitement, rushed into my quarters complaining that the soldiers were tearing down and burning the materials of his garden fence. Having directed a staff-officer to ascertain who were the trespassers, he soon reported to me that they were of the South Carolina regiment, but acting with the consent of one of their officers. Upon my message, Colonel Butler promptly proceeded to investigate the matter, and in less than ten minutes returned with the injured Mexican, his countenance now robed in smiles, acknowledging that he had received ample satisfaction for his damage.

Before we separated at Perote Gen. Worth and myself had a full conference on the subject of our march. His orders were to advance and occupy the city of Puebla, a city of about 80,000 inhabitants, in the most populous portion of Mexico, and ninety miles in advance of our main army. His division consisted of little more than two thousand men, and my command of about fourteen hundred, encumbered with a very heavy supply train. Regarding it as a bold movement on the part of the commander-in-chief, we determined to advance with every precaution. Accordingly, it was arranged that the several col