The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-09
WAR DEPARTMENT,

washington Oly.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington Sept. IL, l645.
Sra: | am surprised TO learn, as do by your let
ter Of the Sd inst, that you consider my instructions
to Gen Taylor, Of the 23d ult virtual approval Of
your requsition for Louisiana volunteers | am
very that inference of that kind can be cor
rectly drawn from these instructions. The Presi-
dent has seen fit to instruct General Taylor to Do
what, without his instructions, he could not do-to
call on the governor of some Of the States in GER
tain emergencies for part OF the militia force Of
these States and you construe these instructions
seems, into virtual approval of your call without the
authority of the President, for Louisiana volunteers.
This conclusion appears to me to be palpably
neous Indeed the Instructions to Gen. Taylor, to my
mind warrant in ference the very of that
which you wish to draw from them.
The Presidents views in regard to your requsi-
ton upon the governor of Louisiana are contained
in my letter to you of the 18th ult.
1t is quite evident from your request, that should
approve of your instructions to Gen. Taylor to
tain Maj. Galy's command in service, &c, that you
misunderstood your position in regard to the COM
handing general in Texas His command is
trely independent Of you the orders and instructions
for his conduct emanate only from the government
here, and you directed to abstain from all inter
ference with him.
WI. MARCY,
.' Secretary of War.
Gen. EDMUND p. GAINES,
New Orleans, La.
HEApaUARrERs WESTERN DIvIsioN
New Orleans, Sept. 10, lS45.
Sir: have to acknowledge the honor Of your
letter of the 18th ultimo, containing your nstruc
tons regulating calls for militia to be employed IN
the service of the United States, which shall be i'm
plicitly observed and obeyed. ,g......
From the peculiarly admosltory tone of your let
al, -, NJ La, IL
prepared to prove that hare neper in The slightest de-
gree departed tro The r,es Of conduct ,ohieh your in
ar,teiions embrace regarding calls for mhiI pOiun
teers and am very sure that no evidence can be ad
duced to put in The ,orong, but such evidence
may be seen in the baseess assertions Of intoerant
party writers, while secretly, if not openly, endeav-
oring to put the government and every in apo of
offending tie country in the ,Urong Such writers as
marked the character Of the advocates of the Hart
ford convention in the year lSl4and su oh bastard
" writer's the one who officially denounced me
as AN iNrERLoPER, while he was officially endeavor
ing 10 starve my gallant army and myself for soil
citing the services of a regiment of brave Louisiana
volunteers, and flying with them to the rescue fthe
citizens of Florida, whose frontier was bleeding at
every pore and for beating the enemy and forcing
them to sue for peace before had time to 90
through the forms of what of our bureau heroes
deems TO be regular requisition. That bleeding
frontier happened to be part of my proper com
mand, where war had been commenced on the part
Of the enemy by the massacre of United States
officers soldiers, and citizens to the amount gilmore
than one hundred. TO-. YES. ...
General Taylor's brigade was, and still is, part
Of mp proper command being one of the brigades
Of my division; and it was and is my duty TO make
use of every proper means in my power 70 sustain
IT, by reinforcements and supplies of munitions OF
var as it was in the year 1914 in Canada, or in
1896 in Florida TO sustain the heroic volunteers of
New York Pennsylvania, and Louisiana, with the
United States regulars conhded TO my command
while in battle, or preparing for action against Il
British veteran army in Canada, or a savage foe IN
Florida. was and am in honor, and in duty, bound
to act upon precisely the same principle that il is
always the duty of commander of division far
distant from the seat Of government, to watch over
the safety, and promptly send reinforcements, sup.
plies, and intelligence, to succor and sustain any
guard or detachment sent off by his own orders, or
by order Of the government, for the attainment Of
any ordinary any extraordinary object or the per-
Torrance Of any duty oihin or ,riiho,n the United
States; not to hamper, embarrass, or weaken such
detached commander, but to tnighitn and strengthen
him, by promptly supplying him with everything
which the unavoidable casualties Of military move
ments, by land or by water, always produce; and
thus rendering the attainment Of the object in view
more easy and certain. This indeed would have
been my duty, il my command had been
limited TO the city Of New Orleans, This is
the duty Of every general officer Of experience
within or near the section of country embra-
cling the theatre Of action near the Inc of com
Tnunicaton between that theatre Of action and the
government. The first and highest duty Of every
commander is cordially and frpely 10 ooopfrate with
zach other in carrying into effect he great oonsi,u
iohal principle Of our creation as membsrs OF an
army "tO suppress insreciiol and rep,i inrason,''
peace 10 prepare for rar," and III ,rai 10 me-, aid
CONTINUED 10 psgs 1856.