Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-06-13
TWENTY NINTH CONGRESS.
OFFICIAL MILITARY CORRESPONDENCE.


President of the United States to the Senate on
Monday, the Sth instant:
WASHINGTON, JUSE s, 1876.
To tie Senate Of The United States
communicate herewith report from the Secretary Of War,
transmitting the correspondence called for by the resolution Of
the Senate Of the 9Th Instant with Gen EpNuSD r. GAINES
and Gen WINFIELD ScorT Of the army of the United States
The report Of the Secretary of War; and the accompanying
correspondence with General Gaines all the inolma
ton my possession relation to calls for volunteers
militia the service of the United States .by any officer
Of the army without legal authority therefor and Of the
which have been adopted" 'n relation to such
officer troops called into service"
In addition the information contained in the report of the
Secretary War; and the accompanying correspondence with
Major General scorr the United States army upon the
subject of his taking the command of the army occupation on
the frontier Of Texas state that the day which
approved aud signed the the 18th of May 1896 entitled
providing for the prosecution of the existing be-
the United States and the Republic Of Mexico,
mucaed 10 General Scott through the Secretary of War;
and also personal interview with that officer my desire
that should take command of the army the Rio Gande
and of the volunteer forces, which informed him it my
intention forthwith call march that frontier, be
employed in the prosecution Of the against Mexico The
tender Of the command General Scott voluntary my
part and made without any request n,imaon the
subject from him. 1t made in consideration of his rank
commander inchie of the army My communications with
General Scott assigning him the command verbal, first
through the Secretary of War, and afterwards person
written order deemed to be General Scott as
scented the command, and the following day
had another interview with him and the Secretary of War IN
relation to the number and apporonmen the severa
States of the volunteer forces be called out for immediate
service the forces which be organized and held III
readiness, subject TO future call, should become necessary
and other military preparations and movements o be made with
view to the vigorous prosecution distinctly
nv
to command the army The against Mexico and
tnued settled and understood without other nten
my part until the Secretary OF War submitted to me
the letter of General Scott addressed him under date of the
2ls of May 1896 copy of which is herewith communicate
ed The Of that letter made proper, IN my udg
men change determination IN regard TO the command
of the army and Secretary of War; by my direction,
his letter OF the 18th of May 1916, copy of which also
herewith communicated for the reasons therein assigned,
formed General Scott that he relieved from the command
of the destined prosecute the against Mexico and
that he would remain the discharge of his duties Wash
ington The command of the army the frontier Of Mexico
has since been assigned General TAYLOR his breyet
rank of major general, recently conferred on him.
JAMES X. POLK. |
I'VE copy from the government paper of Tuesday the
Report the Secretary of War; and that portion Of the
respondence relating Gen. WINFIELD Scorr being the
only portion yet published in that paper.l
WAN DEPARTMENT, JUNK s, ls4G.
SIR In compliance with your direction, have the honor
transmit herewith such letters and documents in this
Department. enable you the resolution of the
Senate of the 9Th instant requesting iniormatonr,
relation unauthorized calls of volunteers and militia the
service Of the United States by officers of the army, &c
second the correspondence between the Secretary of War
and Major General Scott, the subject Of his taking the
command of the army OF occupation the frontiers of Texas
&c and third the correspondence between General Gaines
and the Government from the LIST of june ls45 the pre-
time upon subject of volunteers militia ordered
the frontiers of Texas.
The information requested the first and last branches of
the resolution mainly furnished by the correspondence here
with submitted between this Department and General Gaines
who the only officer of the army known have called for
volunteers militia without legal authority within the periods
specified The first unauthorized call by that officer made
the Governor of Louisiana the 18th of August lS45
companies of volunteer artillery, (about 200 men,
which mustered into service the 2lst Of that month";
and Immediately Texas report General Taylor
Corpus Christi As information of this call made
known TO the Department, Gen. Gaines reminded, in
addressed him, that authority make such
calls vested only in the President and that the
gency which would tolerate the assumption Of this
authority by military offcer IN command at distance from
the of Government anticipation Of the Presidents
ton, must be indicating great and imminent peril TO the
country peril great and imminent leave
sonabe doubt that the President with full knowledge Of all
the of the CASE would have felt be his duty
such aid As the call had been promptly
sponded and the troops their destination before the
Of Gen Gaines could be stayed Gen. Taylor d
rected receive and retain them service long his
judgment, the public exgency might require, although, by
direction Gen Gaines informed that his proceeding
approved by These volunteers discharged
and homo the expiration of their three months term
Of service.
No further calls appear have been made by Cen Gaines
for volunteers militia until early May of the present year,
when unauthorized requests, acquisitions in forms
and Of different import made by him for volunteer
force be in readiness, and others for Immediate
service the Of which is yet known
this Department but, far ascertaned is embraced in
which among the documents herewith furnished
understood that he has taken organize
troops independent Of his calls upon States through the
specve and the accompanying documents
that he had appointed various staff officers without instructions
legal authority. As information received Of
those proceedings prompt taken counerac
them, and this Of independent action.
portion OF those thus called service by acquisitions
the Governors Of Alabama Mississippi and Missouri, having
promptly responded TO the the Governors OF those States
informed that these calls upon them had been recognised
" 10 the ertt ofe numbers Furnished and sent 10 1era
To this extent and fuher has the conduct Of General
Gaines in making acquisitions calling into service and
ganzng troops been recognised and all beyond has been dis
tnctly approved
BY your direction orders have been issued relieving him
from the command Of the Western Division and requiring him
10 repair 10 this city.
The correspondence called for by the second branch Of the
resolution accompanies this communication. In relation
that part of il which asks Tor information whether any
der any tine given by the President of
War To Gen Scott 10 proceed to the Rio Grlnde, take
command Of The army" &c, have state that about the
time the law recognizing the existence Of between the
United States and Mexico and authorizing the raising voun
ee force oi $4,000 men, passed, had conversation
WIN MAJOR General Scott, and, by your direction informed
MN mat you Intended o put the army designed operate