Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-01-17
THE "ARMY OF OBSERVATION"

We sorry to hear, through different channels,
very unpleasant reports of the more than uncom-
Portable condition of the attachments OF the Army
now concentrated and stationed at Corpus Christi
The particulars stated in the following extracts from
the New York Sun, taken from an editorial notice
of the matter, offer picture SO deporable and re-
voting that we cannot but hope that il is greatly
overcharged. Ii one-fourth of il only be true,
however, it is high time that that encampment was
broken up:
Sew of the men or officers look we'll All murmur at
being compelled to remain boiHteous bay, poorly equip
ped, without campfres, without protection hardly wood
enough for cooking and third of the army on the sick list
Bad this is both position and accommodation is
nothing to the moral depraviy which exists the neghbo-
hood OF the camp which gives foetase of what may he
expected from war correspondent Of the New Orleans
Tropc says that every arrival of troops porting from
all parts of the Union promptly followed by arrival
some portions Of that vast horde Of quor-sellng harpee
which bring up the of army, and ceer ready to
prey upon the poor soldier Nor. than thirty shops
constructed of fraiI materials have been erected An the
outlaws, thieves and murdeers from the United States
10 have found homes these temporary structures Their
savage yes and horrd oahs and mpecaons be heard
at all hours OF the night Their bacchanaan reves usually
terminate In bloody ARRAY, in which these rufians show
their intimate acquaintance with and revolven
To the phlanthops sight be more truly distressing
than that of tho boated and marked visages of these
men, they s,essly lounge by day through purcus
his modern pandemonium, concocng their hesh plans for
the night But, not content with combining their mureous
attacks to their own worthy fraternity, they have recently
laid their ruthless hands the soldiers soldier of the
duh Artillery shot dead by Of these outlaws The
murderer escaped simply because efficient measures
taken for his apprehension, Two days after soldier Of the
I'd Artillery found dead in pond, about quarter of
mile from the encampment with the ndsputabe marks Of
violence upon his body No whatever have been used
to discover the end who perpetra;ed this deed Several
soldiers known have money their possession have been
enced into the shops, then dgged with Internal
potion and robbed Of their dearly bought savings whilst in
state OF stupor soldier left the encampment few days
since with hundred dollars in his pocket his hard earnings
Tor two years, and missing for several days he
length found in the Chappara, almost entirely dcnuded
minus his hundred dollars and still stupid from the effects Of
the drug which had been given him"
The Sun (which we should hardly venture to
quote IN favor OF pacific policy were it not an
opponent of the Whigs) takes advantage of the oc-
sion to moralize as followeh:
IF this is fair picture of few regiments (Iess than
four thousand men) quarteed in Texas what would be
the demoazing effect under such officers of an army OF
two hundred thousand men spread on the Northern and
2 Southern frontiers J,
"Al kinds of vice, all kinds of crime the decentralization
of youth and age hardened indifference to results san
culinary and vindictive temper love of bros quarrels
and bloodshed, gambling ad EJiiu, and drinking to ruin
and destruction, follow in the train of war; War is the
great ally OF deposm and crime, and the deaHest eneag
progressire democracy Its all very well for Members Of
Congress- who leave quiet home and find themselves peace
ably and comfortably sitting good fire in the splendid
Capitol OF Washngon talking in the Indifferent man
ner OF war advocating it inviting il, member did from
Missouri who said he and his two sons would like to have
tie hgh'ing Fighting for what A principle which can
be honoraby adjusted by pacific negotiation. Can the mind
OF man discover patry Of war; less moral
less humane for killing our fellow creatures and ha
Harding the lives of our own fellow citizens ?"