Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-05-18
Melancholy Tidings!


We laid before our city readers, in an Extra
Sheet, last Saturday, the disastrous intelligence
received by that mornings mail from the South,
and which the reader will find in our columns
to-day. II appears that another detachment
Of our gallant troops has been cut of, almost
TO a man, by superior body of Mexicans, while
on the line of march to the relief Of their little
band Of comrades. cooped up al Point Isabel,
whose situation, isolated and remote from the
main body Of the army, we are constrained TO
fear from this evidence Of the difficulty of succor-
ing them, is even more Perilous and critical than
we had previously apprehended.
These repeated assaults upon the American
forces dissipate the doubt which bad previously
existed as to the real purpose of the Mexican
Commander in crossing the Rio Grande, and sa-
tisfy us of his deliberate purpose TO BEGIN THE
WAR long since threatened by the Mexican Exec
ntive-a threat which had bee treated with deri.
sion by all parties, as but another specimen of
that braggart spirit characteristic of the people
Of that country, and which il was supposed would
evaporate in words. Unfortunately, it had be.
come the fashion to regard the clustering Procla-
nations andrManifestoes Of Mexican Presidents
and Generals, with the contempt naturally felt for
those who, while they habtualy "sPeak daggers,"
are rather remarkable than otherwise for avoiding
contact with cold steel and 'villainous satPetre."
Hence, no doubt, the great mistake OF our own
Government, in detaching small a body Of
troops to the very borders of country, known to
be- if not hostile greatly eIasperated against us,
and with the obvious fact staring il in the face,
that. If they should be assaulted by a superior
L. l. IL.
difficulties in affording them timely and efficient
relief. But the idea that Army might need
assistance, was, some weeks ago, almost unlyer-
sally booted at preposterous and absurd. One
American, it seemed really to be thought, "could
chase thousand" Mexicans, and "two put ten
thousand to flight" Our Commanding General
doubtless, as well as bis officers and soldiers,
united in this unwise and dangerous depreciation
Of the prowess Of their adversary; for, ss letters
from the camp show, they were not only indifier-
ent to assault, but really seemed eager to mea-
sure swords with the foe, even though he might
outnumber them in the proportion of ten to one.
Fatal errorl and fatally, we fear, have they atom
cd for III II was an error, however, the conse-
uences Of which were foreseen by persons less in
faiuated, than those who have had the manage
ment and must shoulder the responsibility of this
disastrous ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and predicted by
those who now complain of its authors, and hold
them up to public censure and condemnation.
But, whatever may be the public judgment up.
ON the act CT thus exposing such Inefficient
force to the attack Of superior army, the indig-
nation of our people, from one end of the Union
10 the other, will not be less intense against the
people of Mexico. Their officers, tempted by the
opportunity of achieving an equvocal honor, by
subduing VASTLY inferior force, have madly drawn
the sword and lighted up the fires Of war. They
will long and bitterly rue their rash folly, when
the troops of the United States reinforced as hey
will speedily be by thousands Of volunteers, who
in all quarters rushing to the standard of their
country, shall pour like resstless torrent across
the frontier, animated by feelings of vengeance
against the murderes of their countrymen, and
inspired perhaps by the still nObler motive Of
deeming the finest country upon the face of the
globe from the mi srule which has blasted its pros
perity, and from the anarchy which has crushed
every germ of national freedom.
Great as has been public anxiety for some days
past to hear tidiDgs from the frontier it has be-
come still more intense since the receipt Of the
last gloomy intelligence. Notwithstanding the
evidently critical condition of Gen. Taylors force,
there seemed to be still Pervading confidence
that he would be able to keep his assaiants at
bay, even if he did not rout them, until reinforce.
menis should reach him in sufficient numbers to
enable him TO assume an offensive attitude. We
still entertain strong hope that he has been able
TO maintain his position; but il is not to be con.
cealed that he was in great danger of being cut
off, or compelled by famine to surrender-and
still greater that the feeble detachment at Point
Isabel, and probably some Of the detached com
panes of volunteers rushing to its aid, have shar-
ed a similar fate. We STILL however, hope for
the best. We confident that all will be done
that can be accomplished by consummate skill,
inaexible resolution and determined bravery. IL
they shall have persisted by the sword, however,
terrible will be the vengeance Of the infuriated
soldiers whose duty il will be to avenge their fall