Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-08-18
Defence of Gen. Gaines.

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uioue and talented Governors OF louisiana Kcntuck,
Missoura and Alsbama and the ohyare Iesi,l,,pr. r -
iana cordially eo-operaed with in doing every thin
"hieh ierNent patriotism, military mind and high nor
courage could accomplish under the adverse
ses OF inc busy season OF planting only to comply wi,
General Taylors Requisnon but assurance doul
~ sure, by anticipating the regular acquisitions
expected from the Department OF war; hasten on to III
seat cfws TO enable Gen. Taylor to put down all opro
ton; and not only to conquer the Army by which he wa
surrounded under the able Mexican Cen Ars bu, also
meet and beat tho rumored forces Fastening to the Ri
Efande under the immediate command OF the new Pre,i
aent OF Mexico, estimated al fifteen thousand men,
Great numbers OF the enterrrns young OF tho int
nor consuicuns iar representation OF the military .l.n
and ehsary CT fourteen ii the West ami so,,b
ssuma'ed at ron forty thousand sixty thousand OF IN,
brave and the .S generally 10 be fOunIin he CITY n
New Orleans at all times between middle of Eoy,
Der ana the hrsi OF Apnl-but after ne
nod most Ut them being engaged agriculture, and
sonai uade-proosbly from eight nine ten,hs Of m.
whNie number usually etura t. tier homes by the 10Th al
APrl. lad the war commenced or Two soon.r
nave no doubt that twenty thoSssnd OF these superior
volunteers could have obtained in the cor> nj
hours. A. was, however, most vi tarse gallant toh
and ready yoeng men. including thousands wc soon ,r,
returned prepared tor seon had embarked on board tn,
hundreds o. magnificent that had departed om
the city IN March and the hrs week April And not
outstanding the g;eat eAetons of all IN, stat, and ~
sH'hohes wan tie most respectable ciEens Of all pro-
LESSONS, and OF ali political parties found that %
ring the hrst week days of May bot two sm, RAJ
tAions had been enrolled and made ready for servic.
AmoRg these we've many OF the most talented men of
LOIlsians Members OF the Legislature and other
bic Citizens, such had commanded Divisions R,is,Sss
and Regiments Ii under these adverse eir,pm,,,n
ee while reports were daily arriving from vsrou, par.
OF Mexico and Texas representing the moyeme nj of
fifteen thousand brave Mexican troops TO Matamo,,s
invited the Governors Of the great and patriotic q,
kentucky and Tennessee, Missouri. Alabama and w.,
ssspPi-noi indeed to order draft any par, os an.
Wilma OF their respective States, las am sur, ,i.L,
have done with perfect propneiy not under positive o.
dets TO the eonrutyO butte anticipate regular call which
was convinced they would speedily from IN. n.
Parnsnt Of War, for force equal to tina, which h.a
deemed 1t my duty TO invite into the U. s. Service for
the immediate sueeour OF General Taylor's Amy
TWAS upon the same principle that invited IN. y,.r,
Judge Lafayette Sanders, with other respectable
OF Louisiana and Mississippi raise Regiment, Of Non,
ed Gun Men, With this iOrmdabl, description Of force
Jcdge Sanders mad served with much when
youth, Tennessee Volunteer, egainst The BTi,sb "a
their Red Allies in the Greek Nation and in tbo .f =
New Orleans, under Jackson, IN 1914 and 1915 1, was
obvious to me, and had doubt but i, would b. ,o,
obvious 70 the Military advisers Of the President f,n a.
Southern States, tat the efficient deacrptio, 81 -
Tor immediate service in Mexico the approach of
msr would be the accnated and accinated borss.
TO be found only IN the South aud ouhern S,.a
made my arrangements for inviting into the Se,vic.
force sufficient not only succour Geaera TAYLOR il abs
as trusted he would BE- to maintain MS position until The
middle OF May, (Which doubuD but ala, n er.ho
hum TO pIoht by victory he might achieve by pro
following up the blow, or, overpoweed-and il wa, INV
solemn duty to keep IN view the possibility OF that sd
suit deemed Il proper in time 10 provide Io,.o "a
supplies sufficient to hold the enemy in check pp,iI So
thousand men, with corresponding could be
Iated upon the Ro Grande, to maintain our command Of
that frontier. As in the Of the defeat of Ger r.
oT's Army-the best instructed troops IN Americ, - -,
in EuroPe-not less than fifty thousand to seventvvs
thousand men would have been required 10 epair the d.
mages-the mere physical damares-that mus, ~. >.
suited from such disaster. The moral effect of spch
sasier would have been irreparabe during the pte.en,
century These conderatons added the eep and ire
,isube impression my mind expressed to Goyeor
Johnson, Gen Felix Houston, Gen. De Buys and Colonel
Grymes and hundreds Of other OF experience and "a
len) that Mexico could been so blind \. ., -
mence hosuues without some of hello frr, no,
European tends-and, consequently, that we might conn
finding the Sea Ports Of Texas very soon piacd nm
der strict blockade, and commerce at sea and b
ports Of LOUISIANA, and eastward thereof at least TO Key
West, menaeed by War Steamers with PaiIhan Gum,
With these impressions felt myself a. much in bono
aad IN duty bound to obtain ali the Mounted Gun Nsn H.
ArIilefy, Infantry ana Rlhemen, which invited into the
eryee OF the United States ever did in the ,,r %
1914 10 prepare for acton.
With these impressions / took measures 10 Mac, =,
Forts Jackson 81 Philip and other unprotected Forts and
Barracks Volunteer Battalion OF AriIIlery with .om.
companies OF lnantry-not Corps OF Arncersa as stat
ed IN the net OF imPuations aEtayed against ne-but in
seecng Volunteers Tor Garrison service think il the
dIy II every officer slways ., give a decided n1efsr.nr
% mechanics l5lacksmhs ana earpsn,er, ss ns
De aty9na5eousy employed IN tue Teparor construction
J'uca!"Ls Or CheVsuN ue Tize ald Floating Bst,sres
cooperate with Forts in tue protection OF our er,
Sea fo.s-wi;hout which they be Offended Eyar
now 81 wal with neghbOring power S.l tase lev,
pa
hold ourselves ready TO lock up the Navigation Of Inc NJ
sss pp nveT, and some OF ether inlet which ou0s
exposed, nla TOOK measures taem But tbe.e
si meulJncd compones, Ike Of the Mounted r. ~,
MeI which lad int the service nys, ,r,,yd -
no place ~ teis drsIIn did tn-y s IN. In ,t
States doiiH!. hSugn many OF mori;ufo, oluz.u,
VINO msde arrangements .or Talsiry these y1laab. c.
expended a sni assured. hunuFeos Of collars IN Re-:
iaudahe efJrr e. anticipate requsiuon which, nad
perhaps too confidently assured them mad reason 10
poet Their icryCnt desire render prompt and
a. II upf chi h..
Of tue Secretary uf War, dated the lsih received on the
goth Ut Nby, lo4O, from AdIuaLl General Jon.s sor,
ing M so couH'Urmanu cal for seyers Regiment, oi
Mounted "nn Men'--and Tor way tue General answers
very CEPcily"ss This eqIlsll,or Will interfere with ~
ifrangemo made by the War D,psrneut r. tive 70 tho
quota OF Vsraeers to be Gallo i,'o Ire setuc. Of the
General GoyCHIfneat from seve.sl S,aes updsI hc
new .aw" But he adds, The Yoiuhteer force called in
10 the service from Louisians, Alabama, &c on your uu
"ory' ana which you have previously epored arn in.
sructed 10 s1y meets the approval OF the Department.
Here is order countermand my call for aounted
6un Men, not because the call made without any spee
nc authority from the President Of the United Sates-not
because the emergency under which the call made did
not indicate great peril to the Counybu because my re-
QUESTION would interfere with the arrangements made by the
War Department. relative 10 the quota Of Volunteers nom
the severed Satounder the law for calls NOT vet made
but % be made at some future period.
Had General Taylors supplies been cut of and hi, Al,
my hard pressed by the Mexican Ofces, should have zone
TO his relief accompanied by Major Geuora Lewis sope
nor Division Of New Orleans Volunteers inclrdn, h .
Id
GoiyseKcelent Artillery; and have good reason 10 be-
Iove that both Houses Of the Louisiana Legislature would
have accompanied me In addition 20 this force snoud
have taken eli the Mounted GIn Men and oil other oons
IN service Or aitsinsbie by my invitation fits defeat
have before stated would have required sa tmes-pro
baby ten times the number OF men-and more than ten
times tho quantity and amount Of munitions OF War 10
enable 10 TO reesabish strength and moral power TO
bold the MeKcans in check than be needed hils
therefore such disaster At eli probable a. IL wae
then eieyed and do s believe IL better 10 have FIVE 10
ten Regiments too many, than 10 have go man short Of
the safe and reliable number necessary ensure victory
IN tho hrs great conflict The fret battle IN War be-
tween the most civilized Natons seldom fails TO result IN
panic Inc pau Of the yanqushsd Army and great in
crease oi moral proves the port Of the victor The
capture or defoaiof General TayIys Arm would probs
bly, have given toe present Government Of Mexico de-
gree Of military distinction 10 have called TO the frontier
hundred, u hundreds Of thousands Of the finest horse
men md svordsmen Of the Republic. n treason correct
10 these We've, was right in anticipating, and desiring
The hgh public unctiOnanos Of the Western States 10 anu
opa'o large coll iof Volunteers Had neglected to do co.
and waited weeks 10 obtain orders from tho War De-
parmcn and General Tsyofs Army had been in the
time defeated, should have been denounced as any thing
but on Efficient officer
In my letter Of the 24th Of septenbsr 1915 IN the D.