Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-06-12

my VI APIeSSeQ any WisR 10 Dc aSSlRneu w ",
until his preference was intimaed in his letter
of the 25lh nltimo, in reply 10 mine Of The same
date, and his claim set forth in that of The 9Th,
both which are among The papers herewith sub
milied. His wishes in this respect have not been
made known 10 me, further than they are expressed
in these two letters. | had no ntima,ion whale
yer that You intended 10 change, or thought OF re
considering the orders 10 Gen. Scott, committing
TO him the command of The army 10 operate
against Mexico, until had submitted 10 you
his letter TO me OF The 2lst ultimo. Ater
your examination Of tina, letter | received your
direction, changing your previous orders, and
communicated il to him in my letter OF the 10Th
OF May.
/ have The honor 10 be, with great respect,
your obedient servant. w. l.. MARCY.
To the President.
HEADQUARTERS OF Tue ARMY,
Washington, May 81, 1916.
Sir:-l have received no orders, as yet, assign
ing me 10 the immediate command OF the army
about 10 be raised 10 conquer a peace within Mex
leo; but have been told 10 hold myself in readi-
mes, for that service From that moment have
occupied myself necessarily, with the vast preli-
minary arrangements which can only De made
advantageously at this place. through the respec-
tive chiefs oil the general stati-the adJutant gene
raj, quartcrmaster general, commissary general
of subsistence, chefo( ordnance, and surgeon &c.
neral. have been much occupied also, in the
distribution OF the quotas Of volunteers needed
among the several States; in appsrlioning the
horse TO the foot 10 tho study OF the routes OF march
and water conyeyances for the several bodies OF
troops 10 the best points in the frontiers oil Mexico;
in the study 1.-THE northern interior, andlhe sonli-
ern routes of that republic; in looking TO the means
of transportation on the Rio Grande 10 and bcgond
that river; in determining the depos OF supplies OF
all sorts On this side, Sc, &c.
As these matters are respectively settled or
dcrs and instructions have been or will be given,
10 the chiefs Of The general staff al this place, and
the routes of march and water conveyancss TO-
gelher with the depos for supplies ofevery descrip-
ton, are finally TO be communicated 10 the IN
known commanders OF volunteers whose services
are 10 be accepted.
In the midst of these multtudinous and indies
pensabe occupations have learned from you that
much impotence is already felt, perhaps in high
quarters, that have not already put myself in
route for the Rio Grande; and now with fourteen
hours day OF preliminary work remaining on
my hands for many days, find myself compelled
10 stop that necessary work 10 guard myself
against, perhaps, utter condemnation in the quar-
tiers alluded TO- | am TOO old soldier, and have
had 100 much special experience, not 10 feel The
infinite importance OF securing myself against
danger ill will or pre-condemnaion) in my rsar
before advancing upon the public enemy.
Not an advantageous step can DO taken in for
ward march without the confidence that all is
we'll behind. II insecure in that quarter, no Ge-
neral can put his whole heart and mind into the
work 70 be done in front. / am, therefore, not a
little alarmed, nay, crippled in my energies, by
the knowledge Of the impalicncs in question, and
begto say fear no other danger.
| NV intentions have been, after making all pre-
| liminary arrangements here, TO pass down the
Ohio aud Mississippi, 10 see, or to assure myself
| BY correspondence, that the volunteers, on whom
we are mostly TO rely in the prosecution OF the
existing war, are rapidly assembling Tor the ser
vice; 10 learn the probable Inns Of their readiness
10 advance upon Mexico; 10 ascertain iflheir sup
plies oil every kind are ia place, or are likely 10
! he in place in sufficient time 10 hasten one and
! the other; to harmonic tho movements OF yo!un.
teers, and 10 modify their routes Gf necessary SO
that all, or at least sufficient nnmbef, shall ar
tier at the best periods, and as far as practicable
abou, the same time. All ,hatI have bulsketeicG
deem 10 be mol only useful 10 success bur inds-
| pansable As a soldier, make this assertion
| without the fear OF contradiction from any homes.
| and candid soldier.
Against the al cap.andum condemnation Of all
! other persons, whoever NAV be designated or The
high command in question, there can be no re-
lance lin his absence) other than the active can.
did and steady support OF his Government. II |
cannot have that sure basis 10 rest upon, it will
be infinitely better for The country (not 10 speak
Of my personal security that some other CON-
| mander of the new army against Mexico should
| be selected. No matter who ne may be, he shall
al least be judged and supported by me, in this
Office and everywhere else, as | would desire, il
personally in that ommand, 10 be myself Judged
| and supported.
| My explicit meaning 10, that do mol desire 10
place myself in that most perilouS OF all posi-
| tions-a fire upon my rear from Washington, and
| fire IN front from, he Mssicansi
| 1t was distinctly admitted, and laid down as a
| basis, in the interviews had the honor 10 hold
with the President and yourself on The subject,
| that a special army OF some thirty thousand
troops, regulars, and twelve months volunteers
would be necessary for the march against and
the conquest of peace in, Mexico | adhere 10
| tina, opinion. II is ioreseen With toerable GER
| tainty, that we shall not have, in many months,
more than seven thousand (if quite so many
| regulars, applicable to that service. The re-
| manning numbers are 10 be made up in volun-
,eer horse and foot suppose OF these, taken
together, about 1900 have besn actually called
for. There is yet good time ! think TO make
| the additions suggested 10 one OF the tables had
| the honor 10 submit last night.
| The question follows: BY what time can an
army Of about 10000, as above, be brought 10 acl
from the different points agreed upon in the inter-
| views alluded TO upon Mexico2
| More than half Of The 1000 regulars remain
10 be recruited hope they may be obtained and
taken TO the Rio GIande, though raw or unin-
slrucled, by the first Of September next. Can
twothiIds, or even halt, oil the volunteer horse
be got 10 that river much before that tme7
greatly doubt the possibility without the shadow
OF doubt about The patriotism orZea! OF the citi-
| zsDs who have besn specially called upon. The
foo, volunteers, aidsdb by aterlransporstion, (be-
lieved to be impossible with the horss,) may, pro-
badly, reach all The points for commencing ope-
ratons week or two earlier. But if horse be a
necessary element 10 success, and two-lhirds, il
no. three-iourths, ofthe Mexican army are under
stood 10 be in the saddle, what utility would there
| be in forcing the foot much ahoad OF the horse
| This oughtto be matter OF arrangement, left TO
| the commander OF the special army, as inforrna-
| ton may open upon him in his progreSst0the Mex
lean frontier near the heads Of columns, or within
| easy corresponding distance with most Of them
The particular question here then recurs, Can The
horse regiment from Kentucky, (the most distant
from Mexieo,j or that from Tennessee, (say 10
days nsa,er,) reach The Rio Grande IN land be
it remembered, } much before the day (lst OF Sep
tembey.) before mentioned have learned per-
sonaly from the Jealous and intelligent Adjutaut
General Dudley of Kentucky, thatth most dis
tant horse regiment cannot be assembled (say) at
Frankfort on the Bewlins-sreen, earlier than the
latter part Of June.
Thence, it will probably be obliged TO march
MIA Memphis, Fulton, on the Red River, San An
tonic de Be1ar, &c, line of somo l, 200 miles
The routes OF the Tennessee, Arkansas, and
Mississippi horse, will be, respectively, say 400,
600, and 700 miles shorter; but even the middle or
Tennessee horse regiment cannot, allowing no;
day for instruction at its rendezvous, or on the
route, reach the Rio Grande before (according 10
all computations we can make here) the middle Of
August.
think, considering that we cannot hope TO
have more than 800 regular cavalry on the lower
Bio Grands, no commander would be willing TO
enter Mexico wilhou, both the Kentucky and Ten
nesses regiments Of horse, and all that have been
called from points nearer to the field OF expected
operations. l may now stale a fact which
seems 10 be conclusive as to the period best for
taking up lines Of operations from and beyond