Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-06-20
Tho Maior Generala.

GAINEs urON GAINES, AND GAINES UroN SCoTr
In the official correspondence between the
War Department and Gen. Gaines, occur some
passages in letter Of the latter which arc in.
tefestipg, first as they show Gen. Gaines opin.
ion Of himself, next his opinion of Gen. Scott
Gen. Scott, some time ago, gave il as his opin.
ion that Gen. Gaines was insane Gen. Gainc.
says Of himself:
| u have only TO add few words in regard tn
mysclf, Individually and professionally. Though
not young man. ihave no gray hairs bu, such
as have grown gray in the military service Of
my country. think ! am years younger than
Field Marshal Butcher was in his last brilliant
actions near Waterloo. have not been sick
| or an hour, so as TO be unable to march at the
rate Of twenty miles in one day, or to ride at
the rate of forty miles in one day OF any time
in the prcscnt year NOR have !. during the last
twenty.f years, been confined to my room OF
tent by disease OF any kind, more than AT the
rate o: one dsy in yeur. or three days in nry
| one year. And moreover, having made use of
every effort in my power to avail myself Of all
the modern discoveries and improvements in the
art OF wars and more especially such discove.
r'es and improvements as steam power, applied
to railroads, and to every description of floa,ng
batteries. sad o,he: means applicable to the at.
tack and defence of seaports, and the military
posts upoM our inlets, lakes aid rivers, think
myself possessed Of as much personal efficiency
and more mental ability 10 command the pro.
posed expedition 10 the City of Mexico, and
thence. If necessary, to California and the 18th.
mus Of Panama, of both, than ! possessed n the
summer Of the year 1Sl4, in Canada, al the
head Of division, TO meet and triumph over
veteran British army Of near double my numbers
commanded by 1ieutenan nj. General Of Wei.
lngton school, an officer of higher rank than
we have ever had in our services since the last
dnysof our beloved Washington.
| wac sixty.eight years oI sce on the Goth Of
March last. end am the only United States sol.
dicr now living who ever won battle at the
head ofs division over British army. Under
these circumstances, cloim as a right the
command Of the proposed expedition consisting
as it mus, consist, principally oI REGULARS and
volunteers belonging 10 the geographical limits
| Of my division.
Having good reason to believe that my claims
will be opposed by Major G-neral Winfield
Scott. an officer who has been Tor n,nny years
my junior. who am sure has labored for more
than quarter of a century pas.. with far more
zeal TO cover me with calu'nny and defeat my
| tfm's TO he employed in any service likely Ia
rcdo''nd to the safety aid glory of my country.
than he has ever labored to provide for the ma
tional defence ant to dcfeai The inpading foe
I have determined TO submit my cluim to the
! President of :he United States and the Secre,a.
~ ofWur. confidently trusting to their known
wisdom and justice for decision which will
prove to the army and nation iha, the rights OF
the mnprefendiny soldier, always found upon
The frontier when menaced by wars. will be as
much respected as those Of tho political incii
clan, long accustomed to cringc and crouch in
and about the poii'ical Metropolis. sacrificing
the interest and honor OF the service AT ihr
shrine Of that morbid thirst for The Presidency
which has unhappily for long time past turn.
ed the heads of many worthy chiefs Of ciiques
from their appropriate pursuits to the great an.
noysnce of,hs good people Of the Union. and
the neglect of the best intercsts-a thirst for
high office which has in some eliques ragged even
more in favor Of the British views Of abolitiohis,n
than for placing our own seaports in a state of
defence against the assault Of British war
steamers.
! III am deemed TO be wrong In these Views,
| ought to BE-, and expect 10 h- brought mot b..
tore court Of inqwiry-nof a board Of olfccrs-
but) before general court martial. II the
President, or Secretary OF War deems the to
be wrong, I challenged legal inves,igation-
to be charged and tried before general court
mariiai-but il | am deemed To be right, res.
pec,iu'ly solicit a compliance with my views
and suggestions regarding the proposed cxped-
ton, and in favor OF my system OF national de-
| fence ..
The ridiculous quarrels which have existed
between these two generals about seniority OF
rank, and the petu.ance and pique exhibited by
Gen. Scott when directed by the President to
take command OF the army in Mexico, prove
that the Presidents judgment WAS correct in
giving the duty OF chsstising the Mexcans to
the gallan, Taylor; whose plain. prompt straight.
forward manner of dong his duty without ques-
tioning the motives Of his superior officers, COM
mends him TO the admiration ofhs country. Had
General Scott displayed halt the haste to carry
into effect the Presidents orders as he did 10
desPatchipg the plate Of soup he refers to in
one of his letters. he would have sustained his