Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-08-18
Letter If zen GaincS to Gen. Taylor.
HEADQUARTERS, ST. L"uis, Missouri,

July %, i5l3
Sir An escort fer the protection OF Santa Fe Ira
ders has been asked for aud authorized by the Depart
ment of War, 10 leave Independence, Missouri, the
9Th OF August, soon thereafter practicable.
While making arrangements Ia furnish the desired
escort, have received The report Of Capt. ST. G..
Cooke Of The Regiment OF Dragons, by which find
that, although he had met with, and very properly dis
armed one hundred men, protesting TO be Texans,
whose avowed object 10 attack and capture the
Mexican caravans found upon the Santa Fe road, yet
some other of the same description are supposed
TO be still lowering about this trading road ready TO
pounce upon the unofltndlng caravans.
This mast not bc Ii is our bounden duty TO put
dawn all predatory movements of this sort of land
psiroeering, such as have too long contributed TO
mark the character of men, calling themselves members
Of the American Republic towards each other
We mast dtStroy, arrest, dtsarm, all such lawless
combinations, whenever found within or near
marked j0unGary.
In The under consideration il is very evident
that no such movements or captures can take place
any mhtrc upon the Santa Fe rOcd, without jeoparding
the lives and property Of many o! our good citizens
gagged IN this valuable and growing trade. Under this
view of the subject. ""'ii n2t besYaiSJtvAe.
s69aG EFF q fJ1laI limit NOT, Was Question,
which, in the absence of marked boundary, Captain
Cooke had a RICH, TO decide so far as the government
Of his conduct was concerned, while in the discharge
Of the duty assigned 10 him. His duty was To afford
Droter0n 10 the persons and property OF the United
States and Mexico lawfully engaged upon the Santa r
road
The sacred character Of This duty required perfect I'M
pariiaity on the part Of th u 5 commander to whom
il ,s confded aud naturally constitutes him, while act
under the authority of his Government, III and proper
ud re for the time being to decide how tar he can CO.
and where I've should halt, consistently with the well
known prime ples of the law of nations
have long acted upon the principle that Tor the pur
poses of protection of uncrndng citizens against sa-
wages as we'll against predatory bands of civilized
men sposed 10 violate the known laws OF war, or to
| violate the long cherished principles of that free
frade and social intercourse which have done so much
for the great cause OF civilization and free Govern
ment throughout the civilized world should not he
state TO consider every foot Of land and water near our
unmarked boundary and especially that upon the Santa
Ec road from the Missouri TO tho RIO dsi Nore as nen-
troi around and within reach of authority, or
al eas, until the boundary line marked and establish
ed according TO existing treaties | acted upon this
princule upon the SABINE frontier in the year ESQ,
much TO the dissatisfaction Of certain sei-esteemeu
ob,Lii;onists, with whom these iaad prtrateeTS may
now unite IN abusing me. But | am never so well
satisfied with my own conduct when find myself
abused by political intri and land prteateeTs or
pirates
The escort recently authorized by The Department OF
War will be ordered assemble after the 9th OF
AUGUST next month practicable at or near lndepen-
dsnce II possible that the escort may not be ready
to leave Independence uni! The 18th oil August
em very respectfully,
Your ohedent servant,
I EDMUND P. GAINES,
Major General U. $. Army commanding.
To Brig. Gen. Il Taylor.