Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-10-20
THE BATTLEs OF MONTEREY.

We extract from the Baltimore American the
following Interesting sketch by a military Officer.
Ii CONVEYS the gratifying and valuable fact, that
the mericans are "good" at all sorts of fighting
|, would seem as though the present campaign
against Mexico had given 10 our army experience
OF all the modes of warfare. AT Palo Alto The
combat was one Of artillery mainly, upon an open
nlain, which afforded every advantage 10 the
cavalry of the enemy, and where The formation
of squares which converts each regiment into a
field fortihcation, had 10 be resoried 10 by Gen.
TAYLOR and where, loo the flying batteries which,
in our cities, had been looked upon rather as a
part OF The pageantry Of war, proved their value.
The battle OF Palo Alto was a battle at arms
length The battle of Resaca, on the contrary,
was breast 10 breast conflict, where every .inew
was strained 10 give lall 10 the adversary, and
which, though involving art and skill depended
principally upon sheer courage and main strength.
There the bayonet did its work and told lis story.
There was here none Of the platoon firing and
parade maneuvres of The preceding day. The
contest was in The woods. The general conflict
involved dozen minor actions, all tending 10 The
victorious result. Here cavalry acted success.
| fully against artillery, which, though sometimes
| done, as al Waterloo, is mode al warfare Of
unfrequent occurrence and only resored 10 where
| the General knows his men, and can combine the
| different arms OF The service-hofse and oot-to
| produce the desired result The character a The
| Two battles OF the 9Th and 9Th Of May was essential
" diverse Still more diverse was the part which
| fell 10 the LOT OF that portion OF The army lef al
| Fort Brown With not enough of ammunition
| 10 give 10 his men that active employment which,
| in battle, overcomes personal apprehension, by
mere physical excitement, the commanding Off
Ger Of Fort Brown had 10 rely upon that passive
courage which few but veteran troops possess
| While the batteries Of Matamoras were filled
| with men, who, in comparative safety, fired al
| the Americans as though they were shooting at
mark, The soldiers Of Fort Brown, instead Of The
rammer and sponge, the handspikes and lns.oek
we're using the shovel and pick, or idly watching
the flight OF shells aimed, and well aimed too for
their destruction. This was III I'd species OIL The
great genus battle. A fourth followed in The
march 10 Monterey Here the contest was not
| with the MeXicans-but was contest almost as
destructive, in which toll and fatigue had 10 be
overcome, under a hot sun, in an inhospitable
country, and where the very absence OF an enc
nv TO fight with was, considering the character
of the army-a large part being volunleers-n
| itself an obstacle and disbursement. But this
march. this fight against time and climate, noun
tain and plain, river and morass, was of incacu-
liable value looking to ultimate results. II turn
ed the militia into regulars II taught every
man of them that The soldier, 10 be good one,
must give up his independence; that victory must
depend upon obedience; that without This there is
no personal safety. II taught them that however
individual valor might have done OF old, in mo-
dern warfare, bush-fghIing excepted, success de-
pended upon converting masses into individuals,
whose will was The mind of the officer that di-
recled them. The march 10 Monterey aughtthe
volunteers the value Of the Irregular" phrase OF
nshouder 10 shoulder" and that used by the
Scotch regiments al The able Of Fontenoy-" stick
,beui,her. front and rear" When Gen. Taylor
therefore encamped al the Walnut Springs, three
miles from Monterey, his six thousand men may
have been counted upon as an afmY otfegulars.
Al Monterey the character OF The conflict was
AGAIN changed. II was no longer The pitched bal.
lie of the open plain, or the tumulluous melee OF
forest fight or The passive resistance OF besiesed
men or the patient endurance of toilsome march.
The object was now attack the attack OF city
among mountains, commanded by surrounding
eminences, all of which were fortified, while the
city itself was built after fashion that made each
house breastwork. Means guile different from
those which were successful al Palo Alto and Re-
SAGA de la Palma had TO be employed. Inc ORA.
ooon here was poweress-the flying artillery oil
bnt occasional service Heavy artillery and in
fantry we're the arms OF service TO be relied on
The shell, the heavy ball. the bullet, and the bayo-
net The means upon which the victory was 10 de-
mend. Fortunately, the American commander
was equal to The new emergency, and had Win
him an army fully competent 10 The execution d
his designs.
II is moi our purpose 10 repeat the accounts oil
the battles of Monterey. There are one or two
matters. however, that seem 10 authorize a re-
mark, even al so great distance as we are from
the scene OF action the principal oil which IS 'ne