The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-17
that place as low as they had La Bshia at the com
mencement Of the war"

J. Extracts from the Republic Of Rio Graals
y CONDITION oF THE Army or OCCUPATION, The
regulars and volunteers composing the army of DC.
cupaton enjoying luxuries which the unfortu.
nate citizens who are left behind would assuredly
envy them for were they in situation 10 snnreei
. ate them. During the last ten days the windows
OF heaven have been opened wide upon this section
OF country, both upon the "just and the unjust .
upon the American and Mexican sides Of the Rio
Grande. The tents Of the volunteers are made OF
cotton stuff, rather too fine TO sin homny through
but peculiarly ftied for shower bath purr,oses The
tents OF the regulars are nlDe-enths Of them rotten
and ragged. The stuff OF which they are made was
originally better suited for plantation use such as
negro clothing, &c, than for a canpaign Macy a
poor fellow, however, cannot boast OF dilapidated
tent OF the decayed material named, butts living un-
der shelter made Of his own blankeSs under which
he can with difficulty sit upright
The clothing and heddins cf4,osh rssulzFs and
volunteers have been half ruined during The short
period OF the rainy season which has already pass
ed. Very little complaint has been heard among
the men. They came here with the hope of being
actively employed. They have made sacrifices
enough (the younteers) 10 have paid hree-fold the
Expenses that could have been iseurred by the
government, had the most liberal provisions been
promptly made and executed for the health and eff
cheney ofthe army. The uniforms aud effects Of
the regulars have been destroyed, and il viii not we
think be an exaggeraion to say army supplies
enough have been ruined, for the want Of proper
shelter to have paid five times the cost Of all the
neeessaries withheld from our troopA The reaui-
siIion for tents, &c, was made by General Taylor
long ago. There Is no excuse for il having been
neglected. Again, there are no means at hand for
the transportation ofsupphea Wagons cannot well
pass between this place and Point Isabel aud there
Is not, at this moment, single boat In the govern.
ment service now running on the Rio Grdnde.
From the ZANE paper a, the above,
| Az A..
other day, letter from mother to her son, a vol
unteer In the army, and were so much enraptnreh
with its style that absolutely forced il from him
Tor publication. Its strains are 80 much like those
which aeIuated our revolutionary mothers, and the
affinity so great that we thought our readers could
not be served with anything they could relish more
The son had left without advising his mother OF the
fact Of his volunteering, until he had len for the seat
OF war, and she commences her letter follows:
| what shall say, my dear SOM You write me
that you have left lnr Texas. Had you written 10
me, Mother, shall Volunteerp could have said:
| No, Texas has cost too much already. The
bones Of my first born, for aught | know, are yet
unburied the plains Of GoIIad and grief for his
loss broke his fathers heart have hal enough Of
Texas But you are hghting for your o,cn country
have chosen your path, and God prosper you in Il |
and II a mothers prayers OF any avail, you will
pass unframed IN the thlckest Of the fight. where
have ne doubt you will be; nor do | wish il other.
n
remember H, rashness 10 not bravery; therefore,
be brave but prudent. II your country, and you
have a right-yea, are in duty bound to fight her
baties and say to you fight for your country,
right or wrong. That America will be ultimately
| victorious have no doubt; yet lave not so con-
tempuble an opinion OF Mexican valor as our news
paper editors have. There is good Spanish blood in
parts Of Mexico, and Span iards are not cowards as
the peninsula war will testify. NV
earnest prayers are for your welfare whatever your
lot may be; and that you may return unharmed, d
credit TO yourself and country, 10 ths.any hope Of
your devoted MOTHER =
From the same paper. June u.
The VOLUNTEER ARMr.-with ali due respect to
the regular service, we cannot withhold our appro-
bation ofthe course pursued by largs majority Of
the volunteer officers to wards their men. Knowing
no distinctions at home, and exercising a friendly
and social intercourse before entering the service Of
their country, 1t would he in bad taste when off
duty, were it attempted here Nor is it; for we
often see them in our streets locked arm in arm
and conversng in the most familiar strains-the
epauIeted coat and the cottonade acket--as though
they were now In the same position they occupied
when their patriotism prompted them to leave the
luXurles Of life for the hard and perlous duties of
soldier. We like discipline in a troop, and are of
opinion that it can be maintained whou, subjecting
the soldier to that rude species which IN some ser
vice is exercised.
! A gent eman who becomes a soldier when the lu
gle calls to arms, is generally possessed Df the finer
feelings Of nature, and word of kindly advice or
INSTRUCTION Is of more advantage to him than all the
oaths and epithets that emana.ed from the
| mouth Of ma. How the feelings Of such man
woud ne worked up and his energies dclIcnri by
having some cattle driving sort Of an o fleet oun|
placed N that position by. his own vote baw out to
him, 'Kcep up there, G. d you;" "if you can I
stand suagh,er than that IN put you on ba, rel;"
"Not another word out of you, d you, or III roll
you in a barrel" and such other vile and ungen-
tlemantly expressions as wound the feelings Of a
soldier, and places far, far beneath him the man
who uters them. As we said before, such cases
are seldom met with among the volunteers here, and
when they chance to be, only serves to render an
object of contempt both to the men and his brother
officers him who does it.
GENERAL La VEGA.-A correspondent Of the
Baltimore Patriot, writing from Matamoras, says:
al have it stated in some of the late papers
| that General La Vega was delivered to General
Taylor on the battlefield, by Colonel Twiggs
This is an error--certany Of no consequence after
his capture by the gallant May but as everything
connected with the treatment of this distinguished
prisoner on the field be more or less interesting
beg leave to correct the error and to state what be-
fe the gallant general after he conducted 10 Col
Twiggs, by order of Captain May.
| The artillery battalion "a regiment of foot) was
stationed the 9th at the outset of the chapparel
and was there formed in square " This battalion,
| which had suffered the day before more than any
other, except the 9th infantry, was placed in this
position for these reasons; to protect the train
against charge of the enemys cavalry, to repair
any disaster which might occur in the ordnance, and
to afford fresh troops for the pursuit, when the bat
tie was gained.
Col Twiggs sent for Col. Chlds who command
ed it, and turned the prisoner over to him, but
ChiIds, having dismounted, Gen. Vega was on
foot an order to his battali'n, that the pris-
oner should be received with the honor due his
rank. As soon as the prisoner issued from the
chapparal, the words "present arms were given
The square presented arms" in perfect silence, and
ns he approached not a smile of qualification or
word of exuation was seen or heard; ESQ much for
the delicacy of the common soldier, who had, per-
haps the day BEFORE lost his nearest friend by the
enemy's cannon shot) Gen. Vega seemed sur
prised at the salute courteously and slowly raised
his hat, and the square was brought 10 shoulder
Col. Childs then called from his position Captain
Magrlder who commanded one Of the companies
Of the squire. Capt. Magruder had known General
La Vega before, and immediately insisted upon his
mounting his Capt. M.'s) horse. No sooner was
This done than il became necessary for the battalion