The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-06-19
NUMBER 81.

! Mexico had consented 10 recognize. Hero
was the second fault on our part.
The demur about receiving MIR. SlideH
led to the advance Of the army from Cor.
pus Christi to the Rio Grande-and to the
re appearance Of or Squadron 10 the Gulf
and of Vera Crpz. The army marching
along the sea coast, or rather the lagoon
| which separates tie mnin land from kta dc
Padre, crossing salt streams pat To il for
water, for wood, and for forage reached
the Rio Grande al;er several days hard
toIl-nt point opposite Matamoras. A.
bovc this town the Rio Grunde is deep
and rapid though not wide river-Jciow
having nearly reached the level Of the sca,
II IS mp0rali'eIy SID. gish. Al this ad
yanGed post, separated Gy desert from ITO
more cultivated region Of T,Xa4-Lcyord
The reach Of support-and Obliged to derive
all its munitions Of war and subsistence
from Poiut Isabel q poiut on the agoonb be
fore referred 10 near the southern end Of
ls!a de Padre) ard which could only he ap.
preached hy vessels If light draft of VA.
ter-thls American army, not 5000 sttonr
yet comprising lGe very elite Of the whole,
was stailorto--aHd tor whatl For no con-
ceiVable o. lHrt la, that It's flag nlght nou.
the flag Of Mt&co On the opposite shore
than tie cbul enge Of lis sentlnels IN a stlan.
ger tongue, might hourly and from hcurto
hour remind tie Mexicans that az invader
was ihere-.hat its morniIa dunn beat
ght stIr.ie from their slGm5er, with ap,
prchenstons Of coming war, the qnirt aud
peaceful citizens Of Ma,auoras. For of.
fence il was too weak even with all the
iool-hardlues5 aud presumption Of Members
Of Congress, who Tux OF driving England
cut Of Oregon with wagoner's ~hips-and
speak Of Me2icaa5 as an enemy quite be.
meath our vulor. For defence II had los.
all the advantage Of position. At Corpus
ChrlstI, with It's 'eit resting On the sea, or
lnlets from the sea ard therefore open to
succor and supplies with desert in its
front and on tie right which must be cross.
ed by any force that might be moved to at.
tack l;--and therefore leaving our troops
master, either to await, or anticipate such
auack-and with The whole population Of
Texas in the rear and a, hand in case Of
nced--cven 5000 well organized, well
quipped, aud well commanded Americans
might 10 locked upon as u force sufficient
to hold the country.
The advance Of tie army OF Gen Tay.
Tor to the Rio Grande was the third and
fatal error, fatal as we call il, in 90 event,
since it has already led to the slaughter OF
portion Of our officers and men, md TO
ub 10
ally than the loss, however depIorabIe, Of
brave ucn-the scattering Of that prestige
often more surely the presage aud pledge
Of victory than numbers or skIll-uf Amer.
lean snPef!o'ity-when opposed 10 Mex,
cans.
For all this the administration mus, DO
held responsible; aud. notwithstanding tho
fort already percepliJ'e in he remark of
thc Union Of Saturday, that Gen. Taylor
had been fer come months authorized to
call upon the Governors Of States for ussis.
tance-to throw the responsibility off their
shoulders Upon those Of that general officer
the country utH hold them responsible.
Congress will undoubtedly vote the men
and money and means that may be asked
lOI 10 vi US Ou' vi tue ulNlCu!'y WIN uoHor
and in triumph; and they will as certainly,
aud The people WILL exact a most strict and
fearful account from the President and his
Cabinet for oil wherein they hare failed in
their duty to their country-to the brave
men wantonly exposed TO such unequal for.
tunes--to humanity, and to the cause Of
Pence.
OF the tcnableness Of General Taylors
position until relief can come we offer nc
judgment, until further and more precise
advces-nor any as to the chances that the
sort of volunteer force, upon which In the
emergency we must rely, will prove efec-
tive. We hope for the best.