Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-06-18
Mexico and the Mexicans.
BY HON. wADDY THOMPSON.

BY HUN. WADDY THOMPSON,
81 The most interesting topic, perhaps,
In relation to the Mexicans, is their mi
lita:y character, their resources, their
discipline, and their notions on the
pending disturbances; and the author
having touched these points rather as
abstract questions than as probable for
immediate use in action, is less likely
to be tinged with any prejudices than
if he wrote with an eye to certain and
speedy contention.
That which is in all respects the grea-
test nuisance, and the most insupera-
bic barrier TO the progress of Mexico,
(says Mr.. 'rhompson,D is the army
They will tell you that it amounts to
forty thousand men but they have ne
yer had half that number. ! have 40
doubt that the accounts at the Depart
ment of War exhibit nearly the num-
Der stated, but large proportion of
them are men of STANDARDIZATION names
fraudulently inserted for the benefit Of
the officers who pay them. They are
paid every day, or rather, that is the
law; but the pay is just as fictitious as
the muster rolls.
They have more than two hundred
generals, most Of them without COM
mands. Every officer who commands
regiment has the title of general, and
is distinguished from generals who
have no commands by the addition of
General efectivo.' The rate of pay
is not very different from that of oar
own army. Each officer and soldier,
however, is his own commissary, no
rations being issued; and they are well
satisfied ifthey receive enough of their
pay to procure their scanty rations,
which was very rarely the case, except
with Santa Annals favorite troops,
whom he always kept about his per-
son, and this made it their interest to
sustain him. In one Of, the last con-
versations which l had with him,
told him that the army would remain
faithful to him just SO long as he could
pay them, and no longer, and that
did not see how it was possible for him
to pay them much longer.
The result proved the truth of both
predictions, and that, have no doubt,
was the cause of the revolution which
overthrow him. II was not alone with
the Frence sansculottes that ia liberte
ct la peine' lisa cry of fearful potency
Shortly before left Mexico, an Officer
in the army came to the city and settled
his accounts with the War Department
and received a certificate that twenty
6 five hundred dollars were due him.
After hawking it about amongst the
brokers, be sold the claim for hundred
) and twenty five dollars, which was five
cents on the dollar.
8 They say they are obliged to have :
standing army, and that they can onl,
enforce their laws sby the grace of Coo
and gunpowder.' This may be true
but | doubt it. But if this be, is Their,
any military man who will deny tina
1--WE thousand soldiers, we'll paid, fed
and disciplined, would be more ef6cien
than fifty thousand such as they have
It has been the policy of all great com
manders not TO take doubtful and I'm
disciplined troops into the field of bat
tie. ! do not hesitate TO say that if
were IN command Of an army of 10,
900 well disciplined troops, and wer
going into battle, and were offered 10,
600 more of Mexican troops, that
would not take them. Napier, in HI
History Of the Peninsula War, desert
bing some battle, uses this expression
The English army was strengthened
or rather aoeakened by twenty lhousan
unGisciplied Spanish troops The in
equality between disciplined and undis
ciplihed troops is estimated by militar
men as one 10 FIVE. This inequality
much greater with large masses, and