Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-09-19
JUSTICE TO THE ARMY.

Il ~ HE hnMi.
The following article in the Courier and Enqui-
rer does Justice to the men who took part in one oil
the battles on the Rio Grande, and right glad we
TO publish 1T:
j BATTLES RIO GRANDE THE FLORIDA WAR.
The praises Of the nation the thanks Of legislative bodies
have been freely given, the most gratifying terms, to the
army under Gen. Taylor for the brilliant victories the Rio
Grande But is worthy Of note that the training of the
Florida very useful in preparing that army for
cess The Baltimore Patriot of the 9th May contained
very beautiful complimentary article the subject of the
" Battles of the Rio Grande, which included this paragraph
In thirty odd years of peace in thirty odd years of drill
ling, marchng and COMMUNICATING. &C. which had passed
since the late there had nothing occurred there was no
chance offered to soldiers to prove that the blood Of Sew
enty Six had not degenerated in their veins"
The worthy editor had forgotten that humble war; the, Flo
da which the majority Of the people considered to this
day upon dollars and CENTS war to exhaust
the Treasury, than against verabe foe, Now we hazard
the assertion that in portion Of history did the officers
and soldiers of American army exhibit haihood
nrude, enterprise, and valo than in that war; which has
generally been such theme for unjust reproach Without
the hope Of glory, without the powerful stimulus which the
sympaes Of the nation impa with consciousness that in
large portions Of the Republic not only perfect apathy would
I've exhibited The signal success but the ympahes Of
Of the VICTORIES those who engaged in that had little
animate them but Of duty and professional PRIDE
The service by almost every regiment in Florida
has been Of benefit in moving the 'cankers of long
peace and in nung the troops marches, hardshps, and
the collision with savage foe-n teaching them celebrity of
movement and the habit of operating with light baggage and
small transportation. large portion indeed, of the
in Florida made without tents, and wading swamps
where pack mule could penetrate, that the
mes of transD a
swamps, under the protection Of guard, until the troops
should They have been known be absent thus for
days. carrying their backs officers and men, prov
for that period On such scout blessed with the
sight of enemy, il would be in the shape of ambus
cade, when wading through deep swamp, the Seminole
firing upon our advance and then decampng
In ordinary Indian warfare, the task of the General
drive the foe from section of the country another adj
joining. Such the province Of early Western
Of General Wayne in his campaign against the Northwest
Indians and of General Jackson in the Creek and Semi
mole campaigns General Jackson thought orsooh, because
he had succeeded in 1917 driving the semnoes from Geor
ga and Alabama into Florida beyond the Suwannec, would
be easy matter in 1885 to bring them to terms Florida
But there the task quite different one, viz to compel
them the Gulf distant SOIL pluck them
up by the and transplant them Arkansas. No difficulty
experienced in dpossessng the enemy Of any
section Of Florida but they would eappear elsewhere
However it is not purpose in this communication to de-
end all the plans and of those who conducted
the but to do justice to the body of the officers and the
rank and e Let be remembered that the victories of
PALo Afro and REsAcA palma ,cere Don, IN great
part, by the officers and The Uh0 long
cading the slcamps of Florida. II pleasure for them
meet foe who dry land and in fair field
Long accustomed 10 enemy who would ambuscade and
seek instant safety in flight refreshing album
dant shower after long drought to meet visible foe, drawn
out in battle array, and who would stand up to his work II
that Okeeho bee where General Taylor apor
ton of his weIearned aure the Semnoles made of
stand than BEFORE except when surrounding very nfe
force but then the struggle not of character
satisfactory soldier, who, above all, loves enemy who
will wait for the bayonet
The operations of the Florida upon the character of the
troops favorable discipline and instruction in tactics
il imported much practical knowledge and Injured all to habits
Of hardhood and Notwithstanding the belief Of
Of people, will add that part Of that
failed to show that though embarked upon thankess ngo
thy OF '76. We know that fashion
say the This sometimes due partisan abuse
from the opposition. But often the Administration in power
would join in the itself Witness the
ming Of Court of Inquiry at Frederick, Maryland in the fall
of 1896, try General Scott for closing the
weeks when the whole power Of the United States did
close in six years The ables public documents the
subject Of the war; calculating its difficulties and defending
conduct Of the troops the speeches of Mr. Benton
the annual reports Of Mr.. Ponse. But the language Of
cries Of II listened to- they entered and passed
out at the other, forgotten in day People pointed the
Texan battle of San Jacino furnishing the only offset
what they termed the Florida dgraces and the only
dence that the military qualities Of had degenera
ted II has been the good fortune of the army the very
borders Of Texas ITSELF to disspate forever this error years
subsequent the battle Of San Jacinto
We have written thus much, believing that il is the most
natural thing the world compare which have
CURED in the latitude opposite sides Of the Gulf Of
Mexico, and that army will be very DESTROYS that the
vestgaon shall be close and scruinrng possible,