Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-09-12
From tAs National IafeiiiEezesr.
Ern,u fhe Seat nj vvar

From the seat OF War.
We have beea favored BY a gentleman Of this city with
tAc following intefesung copy ofa Letter from an Officer Of
the Army. who has been with Con. TAYLsRs Command
f~s n It's fret enirsnee into Texas;
MArAxoRAs. August IL, 1876. -
DrAR Sn. The maia body Of the army having sdvan-
cd to Camargo, l am le!t here TO follow on in a few DAYS
with some Of the rear parties. This leaves a few iGle hours
on my hsrdl, and II will be interesting. Tor me TO occupy
them with n narration OF facts and fancies that come with
in my observation or that pass through my bsain. l only
hope that it will be equally interesting fr you and those
around you to read these random thoughts. strung together
in a random manner.
have seen many letter.. dispatches, eommunic atoms.
SC, from Washington, and also letters from this place to
the press OF the United States. having the Meriesn troops,
Affairs, county. and people as topics; but all that I have
seen has impressed me unfavorably as regards the knowl-
edge received by the one class of wri,ors, and that intend
ed To be conveyed by the other. Somo,h,ne. therefore, GU
these subjects may be interesting. My information and
opinions | derived in the follow ing manner. Shortly s-
ter our arrival at this place ! received the Generals permits.
sion TO take a room an town. My next door neishsor,
Don . . . Is a tir representative OF the most w, rthy
class of MexicAns-weN educated, well acquainted with
the history and statistics OF his own country ana thosa Of
the United States; s,the same time, without energy am
torpnse, OF industry; bigotsd as u Csthslic, yet opposed 10
the priests; ss a republican opposed TO all the recent mill.
tary Governments, aud as n patriot opposed to the Ameri-
cans l was called upon almost daily TO protect his family
irota the uneeremonious visits or the rude treatment OF
the volunteers, 50 that an intimacy was soon established
between us; he was pleased 70 see me in his house, he
and hts wife and sister to0k pains To teach me The laneuar,
and We were soon on the most amicable relations ma a.,
abled to interest each other in conversation. From The
Mexieans one meets in the street nothing is TO be learned
except probably some isolated fact. They are polite and
cold. Eater their houses, which you can seldom do with
out intrusion, and you are treated with a still more cod
ciVIlity. From the American and IRISH merchants could
learn but htue OF the true character OF the people. They
are better acquainted with the state OF trade, and reosraph
zeal facts, and with the mere present temper and opinion of
inc people. But IN this family l learned that feelings exis,
and opinions are Entertained which | neither saw nor heard
elsewhere. For more than two months have been int
mate with this family, and have been daily visiter. and |
have always found them contistent-warm impulsi,e feel
ings, weak Judgment, and weak character.
The province VI Texas extended. say they, To The Nm
Gees, aud the conquest OF Texas extended no ,uIthar-
On the east bank ot the Rio Graude. and As far in the in,.-
nor as the AIrayon Colorado, Mexican families resided
Mexican customs and Mexican laws prevailed. Texas
presumed to lay claim 10 the Rio Grandc, and bv force of
arms The United States possessed themselyo. Of the eoun-
Try. Tbs they say was ungeneroas, unjust, aud mean: A.
a powerful people dida wrong TO u weaker one, under m.
cloak u: u shallow claim. The presence OF our tr,,ns M
on the Rio Gsande they looked on as an invasion Of t,sir
country. and TO Ias feeling Of injury was added one OF bit.
tcrness when their amy was defeated. This feeling in
ereases - we Penetrais the county, when We get among
a finer and more Intelligent race OF nsu. Asa nation thew
are peculiarly given TO hope Tor something better. They
are satisfied TO see things as they are; they eau sec no wav
by which they are 10 be improved, and arc unwilling TO
make an exertion TO improve them; and vet they hope and
sincerely expect that things will turn out better. They
do not believe, yet, but that their troops are superior TO
our regulars; and, rs tor the volunteers they consider
them as useless, being undisciplined. They expl.i,
the defeat OF the Resaca" in dileren, ways; the
Ampudia men say that Arsta cold the army: other.
say that Ampudia acted o. a traitor. There il. no
doub; but that Ampuuia demorslzed the army much
by his sediuous talk, both TO officers and men. They
believe that their cavalry Is the best in tho weird: ali
that they want IS good horses provided with these. thew
Will be enabled to break any squsre or line OF infantry. In
their own fights, the cavalry nde over the infantry. They
believe, moreover, that in Mays charge the whole merit
was due 10 the horses-ihat they ran away with the riders
aud carried them much further than was intended. In want
OF other arguments, they fall back upon the history Of their
revolution, when rude and undiseiplined masses drove from
this county the regular troops OF Spain. Their frat posi-
ton is TO doubt If We will be successful against equal mum.
bers, and they calculate with certainty on our falling before
superior forces. Second, that the great Disadvantages W.
will labor under whenin the interior Of the couary, far reno.
we'd from our supplies, that these difficulties will defeat IL
without the agency Of Mexican troops. Third, that though
they may be beaten, still they will not be conquered; they
will have but TO Continue the war three years, when We
must be defeated by our own expenses. That these opin-
ions are held is proved m other ways. We can get the ser.
vices and the property OF these people for money, but we
have not got their good will.
There Is another circumstance that will make our militia
~ success unavailable: the want OF stiffness in the nation.
Ii they had 4 commerce for this war 10 destroy; If they had
an internal industry which il would Interrupt, or If the peo.
pie possessed luxuries and comforts Of which they wsuld
be deprived, there would then be something TO operate
agsinst, and by which VIC could move the people. We
could then be as the whiTiwind in the fores.-leave the de-
ISOLATION oil war around Us. But, constituted a Mexirnf.
our visitation will be US the tempest in the prairie: for a
moment we will ag.Iate the grass that is in our track, but
leave no impression behind US. The country is without
commerce, industry, 90 institutions; the people are without
comforts, and are armed with the panop!y Of vanity and
pride which 70 bullet-proof. They have but to step aside
and let the storm pass, b.ding their time TO act. And should
itnot come, they will sul smile competency us they re-
fleet that this tempest, which has done them no harm. has al
least been expensive TO iheir enemies.
Nothing can be more uEcongenisl TO their feelings Than
the idea OF annexation, or Of living under American laws.
They recognise the superiority oil oug institutions; they see
that property Is protected, that industry is promoted, that
our people are not the snort of yearly revolutions. nor vic
TINS TO the exsciOns Of n ruthless and starving soldiery-
They wish that their Institutions andlaws could be the same.
and that they could have the same chance of being a han
Ply and industrious people; but they want it among them
selves. But, with annexation 10 the United States, they
see not their a~magauon with our people, but their ow .
extinction. They see ,Aeir religion sunk from the high DO
siuyn itnow holds; they will have strange laws and strange
customs thrust upon them; hey will see their lands pas.
from their hands through some deficiency Of title, of which
they are now happily ignorant; they will have the wild rest.
less population from Texas and the valley of the Nissis,p.
Pi for %neishbors, whose contempt for all law is supreme,
ana whose disregard OF the decencics Of life, and Of pro-
perry, and OF lite itself, IS notorious. No, il Is better for
us TO wait, say thoyi time may improve our Government
or we may be enabled 10 set up one for ourselves. Al any
rate, whatever disorders we have we must submit To-: We
have still our own religion, our own people, our own lands
and cur own laws and customs, and no advantage which
we nigh, gain from annexation 10 tho United States can
Compensate US Tor the lOss OF these. Such IS the spirit and
feeling as expressed by themselves, and as IL is demonstrates
by their acts. How will this affect our military operatons7
We mast e1Pecito fad no party in our favor, no Rraluitou.
information or assistance every thing reluctantly given.
even for high prcCs; whereas the Mexican General will be
informed OF all PARTICULARS relative to Us which lac msy de.
sire to know. They will offer no resistance to our progress,
and probably will cause US but lItio annoyance to our sup
ply trains and our forging parties for, although imbued
with feelings Of bitterness and hate. they still want the
courage and %onierpTizo OF the Spanish guerilla to make
them formidable. Should, however, decisions present
themselves where there would be but little rsk. and GER
tsinty Of escape, and booty 10 b. acquired, they would MOI
laii to make the tnsl; and II succtssigl, would make 1t q
bloody triumph Shoud disaster happen to US. then would
they bo nbout " like yultures.
So much for the inhabitants Of Elslom Mexico. Now
for the army Of the Republic. ] think not much Of ID,
geneal-ship Of Mega, Ampudia, or Afsia. Each Of thos,
Generals recognized the war as begun by our enteinl
the country, whilst we would not 80 consider il until W,
had received some act Of hostility from the Mcrican troops
This situation Of things they know; they had aI the advsn
t5gc TO make their dispositions on their eide Of the river
and Of striking the FIRST blow; yet tho only adur,ago the,
gathered from his was tho capture Of Thomton's parry
Moreover, thcfsystem Of espionage waspcdcct. NOtun.
passed 100 our camp but was known b. the Mexican Gene
oraI' even Of Th1mton's approach he was informed, on,
an ambnscade prepared accordingly. Since the capture o
Ansta's papers We have seen tho reports VI hs spies
With regard 10 numbers, &c they are always correct; with
regard to description Of position or works they exhibit grea
ignofuncc, showing that thee spies nrc people of some Gun
ming aud enterprise, but without military intelligence. /
is unnecessary 10 10Y now what combination might hay,
been adopted, which appeared 10 be better then those Ars