The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-10-15
Our Volunteer Force-Our Military
Cnpacity.

The brilliant victory that has been achieved in
the three days fighting, at Monterey, by our regular
and volunteer soldiers, in the face Of foe twice
their number, and foe too, whose martial cha
racter has hitherto been misunderstood and
moderated, is well calculated to warm the heart
of the patriot at home, and produce respect and
reverence for us among foreigners.
In the first two battles that the United States
he's been engaged in since the last war with Great
Britain, our little army of regulars, numbering
only some fifteen hundred, engaged with an en-
envy numbering six thousand, and in the face Of
such tremendous odds, routed them at the point
of the bayonet, and won victory that will
brighten the page of our country's history. In
tbe battle that has recently taken place, our army
of regulars and volunteers, numbering under six
thousand, marched to within fourteen hundred
yards Of the enemy's stronghold, and after sue.
cesson of battles that fought with the great
est bravery and fereeness on both sides, they
completely defeated the enemy, that in numbers
were double, and in. bravery almost equal to them
selves.
When 1t is considered that the men who behav-
ed themselves so calamity on these occasions,
were drawn promiscuousy from all parts of our
extended country-were strangers to each other
take up arms in defence of their country honor,
and never had heard the roar Of cannon or the
rafting of fire arms except on the Fourth of
July, we have great reason to be proud of their
proves in time of danger, and the reliance we
can place in our countrymen's courage and abli-
y to defend to the death the free institutions that
their patriotic sires bequeathed to them, when
ever endangered by foreign or domestic enemies
.,I he
themselves, forgetful of the past deeds that were
performed by our soldiers, and the battles that
were won by them over the veterans of the old
world, have nursed the idea, and expressed il on
all occasions, that in time ofdanger we would be
an easy conquest, because no reliance could be
placed on citizens who were unaccustom-
ed to the use of arms, and who, from the very
nature of our Institutions, would be unwilling to
submit to the rigor and restraint of military dis
cipline. Such reflections as these have been in
dulged in by foreigners, and the very name OF
militia and volunteer has beer associated with
mobs and ragged soldiers. Time, however, the
great solver Of all problems, has solved this, and
proved to the world that American citizens, whe-
Their regulars or volunteers, when in the service
of their country, make the best of solders-sub-
init with hearty good will to the regulations of
the profession they have temporarily adopted,
and are on all occasions capable of maintaining
and defending the national honor, and chastisng
it's enemies, whether they be Mexicans or Euro
peans.
VIVA. more triumphant proof could be had of
the falsity Of the predictions that have been
promulgated by the English, regarding the ma
tuid of our citizen soldiers, than the scenes that
occurred in Monterey There our volunteers
covered themselves with glory. Invaders as they
we're, but in just cause, they attacked the enc.
my by his fireside-by his own hearth, which the
greatest coward living will defend to the last,
and in spite of the disadvantages of their
position, they maintained combat in
the streets of that city, boldly resisted the de-
structve discharges of musketry from their un-
seen and protected foe, and finally, with the loss
Of many of their brave comrades, boldly carried
the city and obtained decisive victory. The
enemy, in this case, were not composed of hall
civilized Seiks, who knew nothing, comparatively,
OF the modern Improvements in war, but of men
VINO have proved themselves in every respect
capable OF lighting, and equal to our own troops,
except IN courage and patriotism, and whose last
nope was centres IN the result Of the day.
SALUTE IN hoNoR OF THE REGENT Vrcropv - On
Tuesday AZ noon, there was n salu,e of ono hmm.
bred guns fred from the Boston comr,on - ~
nor Of the battle Of Monterey.
Elections.
PsILADEIPHIA.--A small vote was polsd owing "a ,h