The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-08

too old soldier, and have had too much special ex-
perence, not TO feel the infinite importance Of see-
ring myself against danger ll will pre-eondemDa-
don) In my rear before advancing upon the public
enemy.
Not an advantageous step can be taken in for
ward march without the confidence that all rs well
behind. II insecure In that quarter, no general can
put his whole heart and mind into the work TO be
done In front am, there fore, not little alarmed
nay, crippled in my energies, by the knowledge OF
the impadence in question, and | beg to say fear
no other danger.
My intentions have been, after making all preim.
mary arrangements here to pass down the Ohio and
Mississippi, to sec TO assure myself by cores
pondence, that the volunteers, on whom we are
mostly TO rely In the prosecution of the existing war,
are rapidly assembling for the service; TO learn the
probable time of their readiness 10 advance upon
MeXeoi TO ascertain II their supplies OF every kind
are IN place. are likely TO be in place in sufficient
tmej To hasten one and the other to harmonic the
movements Of volunteers, and to modify their routes
Of necessarily so that ALL or at least sufficient num-
Der, shall arrive at the indicated points in the Mexi-
can frontier al the best periods and far as prac-
ticabe, about the same time, All that | have but
sksehsd deem to be not only useful to success but
indispensable. As soldier make this assertion
without the fear Of contradiction from any honest and
candid soldier.
Against the adj eapiandan condemnation Of all
other persons, whoever may be designated for the
high command IN question, there can be no reliance
lin his absence) other than the active candid and
steady support Of his government. II cannot
have that sure basis 10 upon il will be infinite
y better for the country (not to speak Of my per.
sonal security that some other commander Of the
new army against Mexico should be selected No
matter who he may be. he shall at least, be Judged
and supported by me, in this Office and everywhere
else, as | would desire, II personally in that COM
mand, to be myself judged and supported.
My explicit meaning is, that ] do not desire TO
place myself IN the most perilous OF all positions
fire upon MY rsIyf from Washington, and he fire in
front from me -hsrieanS.
Ii was distinctly admitted, and laid down as a ba
sis, in the interviews had the honor to hold with
the President and yourself on the subject that a
special army Of some thirty thousand troops, regu-
lars, and twelve months volunteers would be neces-
sary for the march against, and the conquest Of a
peace in, Mexico. ! adhere to that opinion. IL is
foreseen, with tolerable certainty, that we shall
not have, IN many months, more than seven thou
sand or quite so many) regulars, applicable
to that service The remaining numbers are TO be
made up IN volunteer horse and foot | suppose
Of these, taken together, about 1000 have been
actually called for. There Is yet good time think
to make the additions suggested in one OF the tables
had the honor to submit last night.
The question follows: By what time can an army
of about 10000, as above be brought TO act from
the different points agreed upon in the interviews
alluded to upon MeXico'
More than half Of the 1000 regulars remain to be
recruited. hope they may be obtained and taken
TO the Rio Grande though raw or unlnstructed by
the hrst OF September next. Can two-thrdS, even
a half Of the volunteer horse be got to that river
much before that time greatly doubt the posblI.
ty-wlthout the shadow Of doubt about the patri-
Oism or zeal Of the citizens who have been special
y called upon. The foot volunteers, aided by wa
ter tran pOrtatlon, believed to be impossible with
the horse) may, probably, reach all the points for
commencing operations a week two earlier. But
II horse be necessary element 10 success land two
thirds, II not three-fourths, OF the Mexican army
are understood to be in the saddle,) what utility
would there be in forcing the foot much ahead Of
the horse This ought TO be a matter Of arrange
ment, left to the commander Of the special army as
information may open upon him IN his progress to
the Mexican frontier, the heads of columns or
within easy corresponding distance with most of
them. The particular question here then recurs
Can the morse regiment from Kentucky, uhe most
distant from MeXco) or that from Tennessee (say
10 days nearer) reach the Rio Grande by land be It
rsmembered) much before the day list Of September)
before mentioned? | have learned personally from
the Jealous and intelligent AID utant General dad
ey) OF Kentucky, that that most distant horse reg
ment cannot be assembled (say) at Frankfort on the
Bowlinggleen, earlier han the latter part of June
Thence II will probably be obliged to march ria
Memphis, Fulton on the Red river, San Antonio
de Bexar, &c, line of some 200 miles. The
routes Of the Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi
horse will be respectively, say 400, 600, and 700
miles shorter, but even the middle or Tennessee
horse regiment cannot, allowing not day for in
struction at Its rendezvous, the route, reach
the Rio Grande, before according to all computa-
tons we can make here) the middle OF August.
| think, considering that we cannot hope TO have
more than 800 regular cavalry on the lower Rio
Grande, no commander would be willing to enter
Ill - n IN
regiments Of horse, and all that have been called
from points nearer to the field of expected opera
tons. | may now state fact which seems to be
conclusive as to the period best for taking up lines
of operations from and beyond the lower Rio
Grande.
All the information that can be obtained here
represents that the rainy season on and south
of the Rio Grande, begins about June, and
terminates about the lst of September; that
during that season, the hoof Of the horse and the
mule becomes softened Though shod) and diseased so
as to disable the animal for travel and work. Again:
1t Is at the end OF the rainy season, and for some
weeks LATER that IN the northern provinces Of Mexi-
CO, men and horses would have the best chance to
obtain drinking water; the horses the best grazing,
and the commissarles the best beef and mutton for
men.
But another reason has been mentioned why
should leave the preliminary work to be done here,
and abandon the tweve-months volunteers TO find
their way as they may to the Mexican frontier-vz:
the number OF patriotic Loulsianians who have
poured, and are pouring in, upon Brevet Brigadier
General Taylor, at Point Isabel or opposite to Mat.
amoras.
Those meritorous volunteers can, under the cir
cumstances have legally engaged for three months
only. They could have had no knowledge of the
volunteer act of May 10, 1916, without which no
enrolment for more than three months would be
binding upon them After that term, without a for
NAL reenroment, under the recent act for the long.
er period, not an officer or man could be legally
held to service or tried for any offence whatever.
They evidently fastened to the scene of danger
to succour our little army there; to save it from
what they no doubt deemed probable surren-
der or destruction. Many of the Louisianians
may be ready to become twelve. months vol
unteers, and to be organized legally as such.
As three-months men they could hardly, even in the
absence Of hostile forces march Monterey before
becoming entitled to (no doubD an honorable dis
charge Before the time for that discharge, it may
certainly be we-if numbers of them do not volun-
teer under the recent actto send the quotas Of foot
called for from the lower Mississippi, to aid Gen.
Taylor in defending his positions, and perhaps la
king new ones on the other side Of the Rio Grande: