Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-06-12
;. c.ISEs,s CALL FOR TROOPS
CORRESPONDENCE

CORRESPONDENCE
prTWEEN GEN. SCOTT AND IhE
VAR DEPARTMENT.
), 40 Senate Of the United States, on MONDAY,
~, Sin, the following Message was received
,om The President:
, - Senate ~ The United Statss;
communicate herewith report rom .u '.. DC
.a.y OF War transmitting lne .osiesi,ouuS ~
tsi'f.r by The resolution oil Inc SENATE VI TUG
Ian, with General Edmund 2. Games and
! W5nf.l Stoi., OF the Army oil the Y.
sa,e>. co,or, ar yy.r and rho
n,,anvinc correspondence with Gen. Games,
.,,,n ali the information in my possession IN
,i,n 10 calls for .vounieeIs or militia into
.,rv,ce Of the United States" "by any officer
~. army" without legal authority therefor"
IN me measures which have bsen adopted"
:. 81 non 10 such officer or troops so called into
s,Tice." .,.,.;a : 10
~. n The Secretary of War, and The accom-
Vim. r' correspondence with "Major General
a., II Inc Unted States army, upon the sub
). Il his taking the command OF the army OF
,,.,aa,ion on the frontier of Texas state,
-. an he same day on which | approved and
.,,.d me act of the 18th Of May, 1886, entitled
An &C, providing for the prosecution OF The eS-
;,,,o, war between the United States and the Re-
,rE'c ., Mexico" | communicated 10 General
~ through the Secretary OF War, and also in
,sr.onal interview with that officer, my desire
H., ne should take command Of the army on The
pio Grande, and OF the volunteer forces, which
',ror,ned him it was my intention forthwith TO
al gu, 10 march TO that frontier, 10 be employed
n me prosecution Of Inc war against Mexico
tn. tender of the command 10 General Scott was
/ ,o.p,.ry on my part, and was made without
,oy request or intimation on the subject from
I'm. il was made in consideration OF his rank
J, commanse.-;n chief OF the army. My COM
,nn,catons with General Scott, assigning him
/, command. we're verbal first through the Sc
.r.Isry of War, and afterwards in person.
N written order was deemed 10 be necessa.
: General Scott aSsented TO assume The COM
S,od and on ,he following day had ano-
a.f interview with him and Inc Secretary OIL
~, in relation to he number and apporlion-
.."t among the several States, of the volunteer
.',c.s 10 be called out for immediate service;
!. f,ress which were 10 be organized and held in
.,iiness subject 10 future call should il become
necessary; and other military preparations and
:, r.nents 10 be made with view 10 the vigor-
,,s nro.ecu,on Of the war. II was distinctly SET
I'd ami was we'll understood by General Scott,
IA, he was 10 command the army in the war
;y,ins, Mexico, aad 50 continued 10 be settled and
,a3erstood, wi,hou, any other intention on my
-,r un,,l The Secretary OF War submitted to me
- s,sr ofGen Scott, addressed 10 him under date
or,ae 2,s OF May 1876, copy Of which is here
rih communicated. The character oflhat letter
male i, proper, in my judgment TO change my de.
+ .srninat;un in regard 10 the command oil the army
an the Secretary Of War by my direction, in hi:
.u.r Of the 25,h OF May, 1916, a copy of which is
also herewith communicated, for the reasons
herein assigned informed General Scott that he
VA. relieved from the command the army, des
.ined 10 prosecute The war against Mexico, anC
nat he would remain in the discharge ofhis dutie.
4, Washington. The command Of the army or
ne frontier OF Mexico has since been assigned Il
Gen. TAYLOR, with his breve; rank OF Major Gene
RAJ. recently conferred upon him.
JAMES X. POLK.
WASHINGTON, June s, 1916.
II I'VE insert that portion of the correspondence
,eia,ing 10 Gen Winfield Scott, which is as fo
0ws:j
Il WAR DEPARTMENT, June 8, 1916.
4 Sir: In compliance with your direction, hav
II N. honor 10 transmit herewith such letters an
4 documents as are in this department, to enabl
sou ID answer the resolution OF the Sena tie OF tn
'sGasaSf es sr m n6n.. First mi il RE
Ina nio lie service Of The Hfea sss, BY an!
oi5.-r, Of The army, &c. Second, the CORES
noni.o.e between the Secretary of War ant
Malor General Scott, on the subec, OF his takin!
II he command OF the army of occupation on IN
trol,srs Of Texas &c. And third, The cores
pJa :snce 5elween General Gaines and the Govern
asn. from The Is, Of June, lS45, 10 the presen
.... npon me SUBJECT Of volunteers or militia or
,..ei 10 ne frontiers OF Texas
{ affirmation requested in the first and las
a.aa-;.es OF the resolution, is mainly fnrnsne
~ M correspondence herewith submitted Dc
wan his department and General Gaines, VIII
J, me only officer Of the army known 10 hav
.alei Tor volunteers or militia, without legal au
;aorI,y, within the periods specified. The ir:
unauthorized call BY that officer, was made OF
ae Governor OF Louisiana on the 18th ofAugust
lsi5, for Two companies Of volunteer artillery
about 200 men,) which were mustered into ser
ice on the 2is. of that month, and Immediately
sent 10 Texas, 10 report 10 General Taylor a
Corpas Christi. As soon as information Of thi
AL vas made known TO The department, Genera
Gaines was reminded, in communication ad
-essed 70 him, that authority 10 make such CALI
VS. vested only in the Presideni and that "th'
emergency which would tolerate or excuse III
assumption of this authority, by military 9TH
car IN command, al distance from The seat 0
Gu7srnmeni, in anticipation OF the PRESIDENT
action, must be one indicating great and immi
IN: Peril 20 the country-a peril so great ant
. inninen', as TO leave no reasonable doubt lha
: PRESIDENT, with full knowledge Of all III,
.fruns,ances OF the case, would have felt II 10 b
ia duty 10 resort to such aid" As the call hac
e.n promptly responded 10, and the troops sen
!. heir destination before the action OF Genera
ianos could be stayed, General Taylor was di
t,.d 10 receive and retain them in service, a
!: as, in his judgment, The public exisene.
2ht require, although, By your direction, Gene
: & lines was informed that his proceeding wa
~ approved By yon. These volunteers were dis
atsed, aud sent home on the expiration OF thei
Tree months Term Of service.
No further calls appear 10 have been made b,
Cen Gaines for volunteer, or militia, until eaIly
May Of the present year, wnen unaulhorizet
sqnesls, or acquisitions, in various forms aud 0
+ i-ren, import, were made By him Tor a volun
Ger force some to be in readiness, and others TO
IA nsdiaie entrance into service, the amount 0
which is not yet known al this Department, but
II - lar as ascertained, is embraced 10 stale
n shich is among the documents herewith furnish
d,
Iii. also understood that he has taken measure
4 ,orsanize troops independent OF his calls upol
safes through the respective Governors; ant
b. accompanying documents show tina, he ba'
;;2ynled varions staff officers without instruc
@ass or legal authority. AS soon as lnIorma
e. sas received OF those proceedings, promp
1sasures were taken 10 counlerac, hem, and L
'TesI this course of independent action. A por
ON of those thus called into service BY requisi
ions upon The Governors OF Alabama, Missis
N7pi and Missouri having promptly responded
% the same, the Governors of those States were
niormed that these calls upon them had been re-
cosnzed "io he eztsa Of he numbers furnished
sse sent 10 Ttras." To this extent, and no fur
asr, has the conduct of General Gaines, in max
70 acquisitions calling into service and organic
m troops, been recognised, and ali beyond ha,
s':a distinctly disapprovsd.
Sy your direction orders have been issued re.
a,;'es him from the comma nd of the Western
ass01, and requiring him 10 repair 10 this city
lie correspondence called for by the second
.arch OF the resolution accompanies this CON-
>lnlca,on. 10 relation 10 that part OF il which
ats loF Information "wheher any order was al
NJ W.Eume given by the President or Secretary of
.a'to Gen. Scott, to proceed to the Rio Grands,
70 take command Of the army" &c, have TO
.ss maj, about the time the law recognizing the
""@enee OF war between the United States and
aeiico, and au,horising the raising of volpn.
e. vi iorce of h(1 (l00 men uas naesad T l.J :.