Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-08-18
MISCELLANEOUS.
De f F. N C E

ID E FE N CE
OF 3Iajor- General EDMUND L. GAINES
read before the Court of Inquiry, coavemed u
Old Point Comfort, ON Monday, The ION dai
of August. 1876.
Il will be seen, that these two letters OF inslruc
ion. dated the 2Slh OF August and Goth OF Sep
enber l545, were written prior to the commence
ment Of hostiliies, aud apparently more with a
view TO The fact that A0siities had not commenced
a. anticipated by me, than 10 The reports upon
which | based by requisition. prior 10 and at The
oec,w point of Time al srtGh had anticipated an
,lac. The Mexican Government had declared
,n.ig determination 10 consider movement oil
United States troops upon the Western border oi
Texas as an act Of war, on our part, which they
threatened to repel. In addition 10 these threats,
| had received intelligence from various sources
sn,i;led 10 great consideration and respect, thai
lhsy we're concentrating considerable forces al
Msiamoras Under these circumstances, made
engagements to send to General Taylor batia-
ion OF artillery, and four regiments OF rifemen
and infantry. Although none but the artillery
wsre actually furnished TO General Taylor, yet |
hare been assured, through highly respectable
channels, that the apparent moral effect Of NY
ayowet purpose 10 send TO General Taylor four
Regiments, and if necessary to send on much
greaer force 10 repel The threatened attack, tend
81 10 check The movements OF the Mexicans, until
ale in the Autumn. II was under these circum-
Stances more than tour months prior to The actu
al concentration OF from three to four thousand
Mexican troops at or near Matamoras, that my
call Tor Volunteers had been dsapproyed; but
was al the same time Generated from the tmpItd-
,ios Of "e7,ms" Ye,, after The actual commence
menl OF hostililies, when assured that the ene-
my's forces had accumulated 10 the number
Of six TO eight ihousand-and when apprised
Of the fact that the principal part OF General
Tayors supplies were al Point Isabel, twenty
eight miles from his army, and protected only by
one company ofartillery, and about four hundred
.eams,e,s and other wovkingmen, presenting
case 'ia!ieatiag great and inlminent peril )" J
then unhes,aingly called for volunteers, under
the impression, that the peril which had then pre-
scn,ei ;-cif was so great aud 81 irnmiuen, a. to
leave no reasonable doubt that the President,
with fall knowledge OF all The circumstances oil
The rase, would have felt il TO be his duty TO re
sonio such aid. While under these ciTcumstan-
ess anticipated prompt and cordial appreciation
Of my conduct have had the deep modification
. be suddenly, and without any suggestion OF the
:suse, or the object Of my sudden movement, or
tered for the first time in my life. 10 turn my back
upon The enemy of the country, abandon my
proper command near the theatre Of war, and
wirhuu, delay repair TO the City of Washington
more than one thousand miles further than was
!om that theatre OF war-thus subjected TO de-
gra1ation, and heavy fines and penalties without
a trial. and without a crims-apd then advertised
in he supposed official paper The UNION" rs an
offender. riolaer of la,c and of orders. This Sc
cund Letter OF Instruction was written in reply 10
nv report OF the 10Th of September, explaining
Inc grounds OF my call Tor volunteers OF the pre-
cedng month, vindicaing my conduct from The
impu!ation Of having improperly "niedaIed" with
the command Of General Taylor, and showing
nv impression OF what the lac required me TO
io-thal military Law to which the President Of the
United States, as well every officer OF the Co.
vernmen,, is strictly amenable. From my letter
in question, will here quote few passages:
The first and highest duty Of every COM
nander is eordiaily and ferreaug 10 cooperate
rias eaci o.aer in carrying into effect Me great
Institutional principle Of onr creation as members
AZ an arma "to suppress instructions and rePst
,l-as,Oas In peace 10 prepare lor icar, and IN
r.r 10 meet and beat The inuadng foe. 10 all these
essential measures, we are in duty bound, hearth
" ami frrvenly 10 cooperate with each other, in
CARRYING the views Of the Government into effect
I. the least possible expense OF blood and tfea-
slren
III the duties assigned to General Taylor were
10 occupy his attention during the next seven
years. / should never meddlc with his command
!urlher than 10 give him all the Ag1t and slIensll
in nv power; and this is precisely what hive
always desired The Department OF War, and the
Generals placed over me, or such as happened lo
b. on duty near me, 10 extend ~ me; more espe-
cialiy when the casualties incident 10 war were
likely 10 embarrass me, or when any intelligence
,ouch,Gg The strength or movements ot The enemy
could he obtained and communicated 10 me. All
have ever wanted from my Government or my
Commanding General was light and strength. =
This is all have ever rentured 10 give 10 Gene
raj TAYLOR or 10 any other commander similarly
situated; Light 10 enable him 10 see the fOrces and
oss'aaes 10 be encountered, and strength 10 enable
him 10 overcome all such opposing forccs and o.
sasies." | add, all but one OF the commanders IN
oar Revolutionary Army, under the malrhless
Washington, cordially and feivenlly co-operated
with him, and with each other, during The whole
Of their unexampled struggle in The achievement
Of American Independence. That one defective
commander had acquired some tame 10 Canada,
AMI elsewhere, bu, in the vain hope OF obtaining
money and high rank in the British Army, he de-
bounced w Washington as an interloper, endeavored
10 starve him and his faithful soldiers, and force
!hem TO yield 10 their worse than savage foe: but
The moral power OF the people, their army and
beloved commander, prevailed over the eachery
OF Major General Benedict Arnold, and they lri-
umohed, while he, with his new associates, were
everywhere beaten and disgraced. No, so with
b. army of France. That army triumphed eve.
,yxhere while commanded BY Napoleon Bona.
pare, as long as It's commanders cordially anc
t'rsn.y co-operaied with each other. But ths
van, Of this spirit of cooperation on the part o
Field Marshal Grouchy, near the battle OF Wa
'erloo, gave 10 the allied forces under yelling
Ion the great triumph Of conqueriDg Napoleon
the conqueror OF Europe.
These extracts are taken from my letter OF the
ION OF September, 1915, reporting my reasons
Tor making arrangements in the preceding month
10 reinforce Gen. Taylor. In reply, | received
from the department Of War the Letter Of In
ssruc,ion OF the 3o,h Of tie same month, con-
tanning the masnanimous views OF The President,
here presented 10 the Court, assuring me thai
IL poaocr wt1h had exercised could 6eTesorted 10
only IN cases Of ertreme public peri. Buthat an
error Of judgement ,cih such molirss as The Presi.
de has i0iia pleasure conc dsd TO hare governed nv
conduct in thus caso cannot be regardedas "a crime
From this Letter of Instruction could not bu,
lnleriha,lhe stale charge OF my having been guilty
OIL unofhcer like conduct was groundless, as
was distinctly told 10 reply to my demand Tor ar
,esesliga,on OF my conduct before a Genera
eo0'l Martial, that the President "did no, per
t seI'e any necessity for ordering Court MARTA
"i'hat Official Act"
am sure have rejoiced as cordially as any
wan IN Inc country could, 10 find that there wa.
a. WA. VINE IN August, 1850 no immediate ne
,essny ior Calling GU, more than The Battalion Of
.9e troops recommended by me. was, never.
ia ssa convinced that the principle upon which
! mao aeteo was sound one. That The indiea.
Mons OF hoslll'ty on The part Of Mexico were OF
maj, uheliias character, which could leave no
E'u@ Of The ultimate necessity Of considerable