Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-06-13
HEADQUARTERS OF THE Army,

Major General WINFIELD ScorT,
Commanding General, DC. DC.
HEADaUARTERs THE Army,
WASHINGTON, MAY 27, 1916.
SIR had the honor to receive you letter of yesterday
my Office, at 8 o'clock at night.
As you do say that had shown explanatory note
you of the previous night May 25 the President may
beg you to lay the fair copy hcrewh) before him In this
copy have inserted in brackets material word-'' friends"
accidentally omitted in the hurry Of writing and also de-
veopmen of my meaning in another place. in red ink and in
brackets.
Allow to ecapituae Of the principal facts in my
present o me) unfortunate misunderstanding with the War
Department.
About the 18th instant both you and the President ex-
pressed the DESIRE very explicitly, that should conduct
extensive SCALE with the forces about to be rased the
conquest of peace with Mexico considered myself honor
ed by the intended appointment and that my expressions
the occasion, which need not here repeat, may be
membered.
have said in my letter you the LIST instant 81 have
received no ordersas yet assigning me TO the immediate
maId OF the army about to be rased &c No officer of the
army navy dispatched by any Executive dis
ant important service without ,ten instructions orders
Government have received such paper and have
heard that such paper had been drawn up
even In preparation tor 1t evident then, that without
written Instructions orders could not have left my habi
ua duties here independent of the preliminary arrangements
for the formidable movements contemplated against Mexico
On the 18th instant hearing that Mexican troops had pass
ed the Rio Gande, and of the capture of Capt Thonton
detachment addressed letter TO Gen. Taylor copy of
which annex and beg ii also with this letter may be laid
before President The letter to Gen. Taylor was twice
sent to you before 1t dispatched and your instance
was changed (by the omission of paragaph) TO the exact
shape of this copy
Its last paragraph is in these words do not now expect
To reach the Rio Gande much ahead Of the heavy reinforce
mens alluded TO above, 10 assume the immediate
mand in that quarter before my arrival
Iquote this paragraph show that did expect be
sent to the Rio Grade, and did not suspect the
intention Of the President yourself, send hither
u
twenty odd thousand volunteers besides few additional
regulars.
Though had occasion you twice thrice in the
time, heard complaint from you and received no
correction of that misapprchcnsio in fact had fallen
into anybcfoe the evening of the Goth instant when you
spoke of the impotence manifested my occupations Cor
delay here which complaint caused my letter you Of the
next morning. May 2lst.
Ii seemed, therefore, evident to me- the e that your
complaint had been caused by the ouofdoor camos to
which have since alluded.
Three hours before received your letter of the 18th instant
conveying the dspeasue OF the Executive and without the
least expectation of receiving such letter. had sent in to
you my report note of the day. (he 25th which
concluded With this declaration
81 think my preliminary and necessary occupation may
I've ended here III (say) three days when promising
that after the great and brilliant victories Of the gallant Tay
or o which have recently heard should be ashamed
To supersede him before the arrival OF competent reinforce
ments penetrate the interior of Mexico, and conquer
peace-I shall be ready for any instructions orders with
which the President may honor me"
ana on that (tne night OF the AFTER
receiving the Of the President through your letter.
concluded my prompt explanatory reply thus
Whether shall he the pleasure of the President to send
me to the Rio Gande, (Which would prcer) to retain
me here can only equally ready TO do my duty
in either position, with all my zeal and all my ability"
still hope, when the President shall have read that expa
naory letter and the foregoing exposition OF facts aenvey
he may be willing his original purpose and accord
my senior rank the preference which have ceased
to entertain, and which should have pressed with ncessan
zeal but for the appehensons heretofore expressed and
which your letters have nearly if not quite, removed.
therefore beg to claim that command whenever the President
may deem proper to give the Observation-Disclosures to-
day at any other better time he may be pleased desg
nate.
10 your rejoinder of yesterday MAY 26h) which
have acknowledged above, quote from letter of
nation the words you also Of other causes Of
uneasness have against the Department" &c. &c.
Your notice of this complaint, my part, is so liberal
not to say knd-ha am bound to be frank and explicit
TO of those had upon my mind, in hastily pen
ming those words these facts Bgader General Wool
called to this place. by letter Of your writing to
mard under Of the detached columns against Mexico
according understanding between the President, you,
and me- to that effect | General Wool FIRST, the day Of
his arrival MAY l7h and communicated ohn the purpose
of his being called TO this place In day two learned
from General Wool that, Notwithstanding my intmation, he
had been told by you he might be ultimately assigned
that command because, perhaps other Generals might be
authorized and appointed for the army and called into
vice from the States. That information gave serious
apprehensions for General Wool myself until saw in
the morning of the 20h bill reported in the Senate your
immediate instance kneU) the day BEFORE providing for
two major generals and four bgader generals to he added
to the regular military establishment besides giving the
President the power of selecting State generals for the
nand Of the fifty thousand volunteers then thought saw
strong probability that both General Wool and myself would
be superseded least the against Merico, by two OF
the regular generals Of respective grades be
pointed generally understood, from civil political
life. II then that my appehensons became serious,
may be my letter you Of the following day, (ay
2lst and in many Of my subsequent acts From that
ment (before my letter Of the 2s) have had but little
doubt down last night that if that bill became
Meeting it with the clamors against to which | have
alluded should not be sent against Mexico.
will now however, hope for better fortune and appeal
ing TO the justice of the President and the rights rank
have the honor to remain, your obcdent servant
WINFIELD SCOTT
p >. add to the papers, herewith copy Of Colonel
Buffers explanatory mites Of rough sketch made by him of
northern Mexico, which may be valuable The Colonel in
the notes. Is not so full the r0y he and General
j. IT, Mason in conversation with me. beg again to
refer to them personally. W. s.
Hon. WV. l.. MARCY, SECRETARY Of War
HEADQUARTERS THE Amy,
WAsmNGroS, MaYlls, 1916.
Sra We have report from you later than the 26th ult,
and but little through unofficial late the morning
OF the 18th Of course, Notwithstanding high confidence
m you and your little army anxious to hear urter
from you All the that be expected under the
circumstances is confidently relied upon