The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-10-20
From the New York Herald
OUR VOLUNTEER FORCE-oI1R MIrt
TARY CAPACITY.

lAhf
The brilliant victory that has been achieved in
The three days lighting, at Monterey. by our
regular and volunteer soldiers, i'm the face al n G,e
twice their number. and a foe, too. whose mar,;al
character has hitherto been misunderstood and
onderrated. IL we'll calculated Ia warm the heart
W me patriot nj hume, and produce respect and
reverence tor us amung foreigners,
|. IN the hist two battles that the United States
mas been engaged in since the last war with Great
ori'a'n' our little army of regulars, numbering
"hy some nlieen hundred. engaged with an ene-
my Numbering six thousand. and in the face of
Snrh tremendous odds. routed them al the poin,
oi The bayonet. and wan n victory that will
brighten the page of our cnnntry's history. In
the battle that has recenily taken place. our army
OF regulars and volunteers. numbering under civ
thousand, marched To within fourteen hundred
yards of the enemy's stronghold, and after a sue
cesSioh o' oa't'es that were fought with the great
est bravery and fierceness on both sides thew
completely defeated the enemy, that in numbers
were double, and in bravery almos, equal to Them;
selves.
w hen II is considered that the men who be-
haved themselves 50 CALAMITY on these occasions.
were drawn promiscuonsly from all parts of oor
extended country-were strangers TO each other
"i the time when they met at the rendezvous To
'aKe mp arms IN defence of their country's honor.
and never had heard the roar of cannon or The
t"S ~ Ot ttC IL OutlN vi UIY
we nave great reason 70 be proud of their prowess
w Tine OF danger. and the reliance we can place
IN our counirymens courage and ability 10 defend
10 me death the free institutions that their nat.
r'o'ic slres bequea,hed 10 them, whenever endan.
gered by foreign or domestic enemies.
European nations, and even the Mexicans.
themselves, ~forgelfnl Of the past deeds thai were
performed by our soldiers, aud the battles that
were won by them o7er the veterans of The aid
world, have nnrsed the idea, and EXPRESSED il nm
all occasions, that in time of danger we would he
an easy conquest, because no reliance conId be
p'aceu OR citizens who were unaccustomed Ia the
use ot arms, and who, from the yery nature q fonr
Institutions, would he unwilling to submit to Tho
'gor ana restraint OF military discipline. Such
reflections as these have been induced in nv far.
eigners, and the very name Of militia and yolun.
teer has been associated with mobs and rauoed
soldiers. Time, however, the great solver of all
problems. has solved this, and proved To The world
that American citizens, whether regulars or yolun-
'eeIs' "nen IN the service of their country, make
the best OF soldiers-spbmi with hearty good will
10 The regulations of the profession thew have
temporarily adopted. and are on all occasions
capable ct maintaining and defending the national
honor, and chastising its enemies. whether thew
be Mexicans OF Europeans.
what more triumphant proof could be had of
me lastly "f the predictions that have been oro-
mulgated by the English, regarding the material
OF our citizen soldiers, than the scenes that oc.
Cured in Monterey There our volunteers
covered themselves with glory. Invaders as they
were but IN a just cause they attacked The enc,
my oy MS hfeside-by his own hearth. which the
greatest coward living will defend to The last. and
IN spite OF The disadvantages of their position. thew
maintained a combat in the streets of thai CITY.
boldly resisted The destructive discharges of mus
kerry from their unseen and protected foe, and
hnaiiy. with the loss of many of their brave COM
fades, boldly carried the city and obtained a de-
cisive Victory. The enemy, in this case were
not composed of half civilized Seiks, who knew
no'nlhs' comparatively, of the modern improve
'nenis IN war, but of men who have proved them
selves in every respect capable of 6ghtinp. and
equal 10 our own troops. excep, in courage and
patriotism, and whose last hope was centred in the
result of The day.