The New York herald., 1845-09-01

A0alrs at the oouth.m10tary M0vemonto.
We received, by the mails yesterday, further intel
Igence Of the movements of troops TO the seat Of
war in Texas. We also received letter from
correspondent at Aransas-a squattex, who is ac-
quainied with every inch Of soil in Texas and Cali
fomia, and who can snuff a candle at a hundred
Yards distance with perfect ease and satisfaction.
According to the news from Aransas, there is yet
no appearance of fight from the Mexicans:
ARKANSAS BAY, (TFxAs,) Aug. II, lsl5
knowing that you are military man, take It tor
granted thai you will feel the most lively interest IN
the movement OF our troops, and IN everything per-
tanning to probable war with Mexico therefore
send you a sketch Of Aransas and Corpus Christi
bays the present theatre OF military movements ano
warke preparations-showing Gen: Taylors hrsl
landing on ST. Joseph's Island, and his first encamp
ment west of the Nueces, on the Gull shores ol
Texas.
This map was originally sketched by one OF my
brother squatters the lsand of ST. Joseph's, ano
was subsequently verified by hasty examinations OF
he officers OF Gen. Taylor's army For general
accuracy, il is, therefore, worthy of reliance.
The first landing was on st. Joseph's Island
from thence the route was by the depot on Shell
Island and from thence, over the mud flats &c. Ia
the present encampment, on the main land, at Cor
pus Christi. From st. Josephs Island to Corpus
Christi is about thirty miles, and the route is ovel
water, varying In depth from three and halt to nj
teen eighteen feet. The Courier des Efats Uh
their breeches and waded from the island to lh'
main land. ThisSnight do very well for French
men or New York editors, but the unsophisticated
people out West would call It pretty tall tcading
Corpus Christi is the great point at which the arm,
of occupation" is now rapidly concentrating.
few days more, and five thousand choice troops will
be assembled on that spot Should circumstances
require II, their numbers will be swelled by tnou-
sands OF volunteers from Texas and the Valley oi
the Mississippi and an army may yet proceed from
this encampment, and enter upon another conquest
of Mexico"
II surely cannot be the object of our government
to commence the war Ii war Is to come, let Mexico
begin it, and then let her look out for the blow thai
will follow. Gen. Taylor is undoubtedly told thai
ne must not be the .aggressor lie has difficult
duty. to perform. He Is In a wild country, with
Mexicans on one side and Texans on the other
He make roads, establish posts, and build forts
on our ne,c frontier. While he is preparing to re
pei blow from the one, it is equally his duty to Sc,
that there is no improper interference on the part o
the other 1t war is to come, 1t will not be proclaim
ed from the capital Of Mexico but it will be com
menced on the banks OF the Rio Grande 1t be-
comes the duty of the American General, then, to
prevent all lawess depredation-to restrain all law
less bands-to allow no crossing OF the line by un
authorized desperadoes, no burning OF houses, nc
stealing of horses, no cutting OF throats, no
hanging. For the performance OF so dlfficulI
a duty our government has, it is said, selected
one Of its ablest generals-an officer of judgment,
courage and experience. They are placing at his
disposal the flower OF our army, and are surrounding
him by those choice spirits, which are every where
to be found among our educated and gallant young
officers. They stripping our coast OF troops.
leaving only, here and there, an old fogy with few
young officers and the skeleton OF company, to ac
as sort OF police guard about our forifcatlons :
Let them now authorize the General IN the field. IN
case of emergency to call for volunteers and militia
from Texas and all will be we'll Ifvounteers and
militia are required let them come from Texas first.
and if necessary, from the Mississippi valley after
wards Let them be called for by the General who
conducts the campaign, and not by an old aarmist
in the city of New Orleans 1t will never do TO trust
to the discretion of General Gaines lie is too much
like Father Rltchie, +" ardent as a southern sun can
make him." He is one OF your hair-trlgger old gen
temen, who whenever there Is the least excitement,
goes OFT hafcocked, as matter OF course Like
old dragoon charger, he hears war in every bnge
note-he snuffs 1t in the breeze from atar-prckIne
up his ears, gives snort and, with head and tai
erect Join the distant ranks, and hopes to
make yet another charge He has ever had the dis.
position to defend his country-he was once. no
doubt, gallant and Caitdble officer; but that
"a long time ago" lie ought now to seek thai
quiet and repose necessary to age and the decline
of life. 1t is too late for him to minge in tn.
strife of contendng armies, and to lead on those dar
ing spirits, whose prowess must In the last resort,
decide the fate of nations Cannot the Executive
hold him in check, and prevent his doing mischief
This Is all that the reople Can expect: The country
certainly will notook to him, at this late day, as the
leader of its armies-lt has younger men. Would il
not be well for ourlegislators to provide something
like pension or retired list for our old and worn
officers who fave done the state good service
Would 1t not be we'll to provide some arrangement
which won d enable them tot retire in comfort,
leave thelrplaces be file dlby young and efficient
men! A single lnjudiclons and unnecessary call foi
militia wlllcOst the cou.. try more money than wouo
support Gen Gaines and all his old associates, on
retired list, during the remainder OF their lives Be
sides, IL will do the country good 10 have
young men drawn from their business pursuits b,
such ill-tlmed calls.
Nv brot er Squatter would be as much astonished
10 Latch nuhlIs nod in NeV Nnr.
would be TO find himself landed plump upon the
moon Send me half dozen Heralds, and wll
i've him one, and circulate the others among tn,
fighting boys in Texas.
From New Orleans Bulletin, Aug. 23l
The continued heathiness of climate during the
present be considered happy circumstance
assumed. II is seldom that a summer is experienced
entirely free from the malignant diseases pecu
liar to southern llttude If the season had happened
resemble many, indeed majority OF such as have
preceded, serious mpedment might have been in the
way to hinder our government in the march of troop'
and the forwarding of supplies and munitions to th.
scene of expected hostes in Texas. When the vel
low fever breaks out in New Orleans the pestlence
very apt to spread to adjacent points on tie Gulf Coast
Mobile and Galveston seldom escape, indeed any
other port on the seaboard with which frequent CON-
muncation is kept up In the event OF the prevalence
of fever here them it would hardly have been possible
to troops to Western Texas in large bodies
without exposure to the conagion The spread OF this
plague in army might have been inevitable and it
may readily be imagined how dreadful must have been
its ravages among crowd of unacclimated men, many
of whom were for the first time exposed to Southern
sun Our continued exemption, therefore, from ep.
demc, may well be regarded a theme for uncommon
felication. better summer tor military operations
could not have been selected if the right of picking
choosing of twenty past had rendered
our Government And it may be said that the move.
of troops is attended with little risk from sick.
ness now as il would have been in the depth of winter
The salubrty Of the climate is amos.who parallel foi
the month Of August and there every Indication thai
the WILL to its close, continue TO the same
auspicous aspect
From the New Orleans Republican, Aug %
At the present time, in the OF few days on,
naval force in the Gulf will be somewhat formidable
When all arrive there will be fifteen sail of vessels O,
war there, under our national flag, viz
The fTigate Potomac;. 81 guns
Sloop-ofwar st. Mary, y,...............22
/" Saratoga, ................2 ~
ralmOutn. =. ~ /"
~
=.
BIg-oi.war Somers, s,..................I2