Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-11-19
The War andi.S Management.

tint error If we persevere there is danger this army
will be destroyed 1t is critically stu ited; every
action increases its hazard and untold geld will not
meet its necessary expenses, If be pushed much fur
ther. If the idea Of pushing from Monterey to MeXl-
co were ever cntertlined, 1t was madness No militia
ry school boy would ever have advised such plan.
The distance is about 800 miles, through IA country OF
defes and passes, inhabited by numerous, resolute
and armed enemy, defending his home and his firesIde
an enemy who, from what we have already SEEM is
not afraid to die in defence of his soil Every inch OF
ground would be disputed, every plss be defended
every kind OF supply kept out OF our reach. Our rear
would have to be a continued Inc Of ratification not
more distant from each other than days match,
garrison would have to be kept in every town to con
troll its population, and powerful escorts be maintained
upon the road to protect The passing trains of supplies
Now add these to the army in notion and then see to
what numbers they will amount. We will say moth
ing about expense, this really defes calculation. So
OO0 men, in garrsons on the road in escorts of prov5
ion trains in garrsons for towns and in the embed ed
army is the least that should be allowed for an expe-
diton to the city Of Mexico by the way of Monterey-
and supposng the army able to nuke an average of
J five niles day-more than has been able to make
yet, and much more than it would be able to make in
its adVance-t would require lG0 days to reach the
Capital But few fights would much protract the
time and one serious disaster would make indefinite
We say nothing about supplies for such an army,
and their coSt-thls last would be enormous and We
doubt even the Practcabty of supplying an army on
such long line and through such country, at any
cost As to supplies fro the country, how are they
to be obtained. The country does not possess them
1t has no commercial towns with magazines 0; food.
There said to be Abundance of cattle, but these must
be caught Shall the army stop to forage for its duly
food? The enemy will not furnish t-that would be
treason. He will more probably drive the cattle off
The government authorities would see that this were
Il host ,hns h,,t
and scanty SUPPLYING army ever did can depend
upon it. Everything will have to be brought from the
Rio del Norte on Wagons and mules.
But 20 to Saltlllo it is said. And why to Saltillo?
Cui bono? what would be gained by it, Another fight,
another useless waste Of Ilo and 60 Mills farther from
our Camargo depot. But to 90 to Snltlo the march
ING army should not be less than 10000 the lnteme-
diate garrison not less than 1000 the escorts supply
trains not less than I0O0 the glrr to watch Mont
Grey not less than C0C0 the escorts from Monterey to
Canmrgo not less than lGC0 the intermediate garrsons
on the road from Monterey to Clnlrgo not less than
500 the garrison at Camargo &c., that at MatGmoras
1000. So that to make the expedition to Sal
to will require about l7,0C0 men. All Of whom will
lave to be supplied with food and ammunition. The
difficulties which Lave arefd y attended the transport
taton of supplies from Clmargo to Monterey, furnishes
data which should not be neglected.
We talk about Rancho, without rejecting what a
Rancho is. A mere farming establishment, few OF
them very large. Suppose we encounter one conve-
nently situated, with abundance of title in the woods
who are to collect these, who knows where they are
and how to drive them up. to throw the asso and
catch them? The people who know are our enemies
will they aid to conquer their country? They have moi
yet done So ann dare not if they would. We have MS
yet seen no disposition to befrend us. ltw uld be un
natural for such disposition to exist, and folly It
count upon it. Whit is then TO be done? SmlIl for
aging priis would be destroyed. Shall the whole
ARMY stop and forage? Then what becomes of the
progress of the campaign? Again we refer to the
progress from Camargo to Monterey.
Moreover Gait are fresh meat, and fresh meat mus
be daily supply. How can any army, when did any
army, get on which had to forage for its d'ily food?
An impression seems to exist that all army has
to do is to fight But should not the reflection be made
thlt men cannot march and ght without foud and am
munton?
But if ever the notion Of moving upon Mexico from
Monterey entertained, and thlt it was we have NJ
doubt it is said to be Abandoned and the presen
plan is to move upon San Luis Pntosi by land frou
Monterey in one direction and by land from Tampc
in another This appears to us to be about as vii
and imp acticdble scheme the reputed move froI
Monterey upon Mexico
san Lus is an inland town, about 100 miles fror
Tampjco, where the landing upon the Gulf coast wi
have to be made, Ii is also about 315 miles from Monte
rey. 1t Is said to contain $1,000 inhabitants, who
OF the town, furnish 10000 fighting men, ant cou
readily furnish an efficient force of in 10. of SOC
fighting men. Such town threatened, will not be III
provided with means obedience, nor will it be unwl
ling, we presume, to defend Itself.
The plan Ilis the appearance Of whit military me
,al "con bmed movement" but it evidently admits
no combined action ana shows most clearly an uttt
want of knowledge, of all essential elements of con
bned movement. Who ever heard or read of a cou
bned movement involving 375 miles on side, al
l6U on the other through an enemy's country al
without the possibility of one column making know
its progress to the other.
As all the regular forces are at Monterey and Il
vicinity the attack and progress from Tanpico mu
be mlde entirely by volunteers and as there
no combination Of action between the two armies eaC
must be adequate to protect itself and to do the who
work.
The landing ut Tampco is one of the worst upt
the Gulf coast full OF danger, and will probably be
tended with serious accident. There is nothing
capture at Tlnpco barren co st, void OF settlement
But we will suppose the landing to be made. The
troops have then to mlrch about 100 miles o me
mule plth to attack town containing $4,000 nhab
ants. Every species of supply must be carried WI
them, of AMMUNITION and food, on pack Mules or if
be practicable, in Wagons, as until San LUIS be TAX
nothing can be obtained from the country. The ell
my will have accurate knowledge Of the progress
each army, and will be able to meet each without te
from the otner. Their troops will be upon an equal
with our vprn!eers, and even better in being nc
suOUfdlnAte as the sentiment Of subordlnatlon to eli
SEES and to authority is not obliterated IN Mexico
with US. The troops will probably have one sew
conflict on their march, and then another to capt.
the town. Every thing depends upon how they "
BEEHIVE on these Occasions, and on this point we v
indulge in no other remark than that there must
great uncertainty Of success.
-, The expedition should not consist of less than
= ,hoIi cd with less tha IN
the rear, rold and supply trains and about 1000 to
NUN at Tlmpico or Altlmirl or suitably divided
both Such an expedition with raw troops would
called by some bold measure; we should be dispo
to GILL it an extre nelly rash one, in which pr~bablt
are strong against its success.