Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-09-12


the Mesiean' themselves. They nsvsrlesd their men; aud
there IL not exsdnx between the officers and men that
feeling OF brotherhood which is found in our service. Tie
soldiers are active rather than strong, and are capable Of
grAienduraneea and great exeruon. Their usual rate OF
uefching - thirty miles per day, aud a forced march is so
mies. Ampucia came frvm Monterey TO CamErgo, n dis
lance OF one hundred and eighty miles, in -four days. IL
will take US hitesn. 1 think. IL detrsets from our merit To
disPafsge an enemy; bot I really cannot call the Mexicsns
good troops, OF say that they have done good lighting. Al
fn!o ALTO they stood and took our arnlery FIRE very well;
they were too brave TO run back, but not brave enough
TO 60 forward. Twice was tho charge sound
Cd and Tho objects tiled TO spur the men on with their
swords. They would not 20 forward. but they would stand
suu. At the Ressca they never showed anything like the
sPint OF our men the only instances that l could learn OF
their making anything like a spirited resistance was whom
they were Tour to one OF the sssailants. These soldiers
live upon the simplest kind of food corn and letked beef
Will supply all their wants, and this they wan; only in small
qusnuues. think We have little TO fear from the Mexican
army in tho held-to 70 right at them in front, flank, and
rear VITA a vigorous Impulse, will always decide the day in
our isvor. irrespective OF numbers and unless the obs,a-
cies arc very strong, such would be the best course even
when they are found behind Notifications. The people
here place great store by the mountain passes between Mon.
tcfey and SaliIo; from what l can learn, these can all be
m'neo' ehd Tue top once ours. OF course the base must
become so. The Mexican army wall do best l think, TO
make use OF Its superior activity TO cut eli foraging parties
ana interrupt our communications. This course they may
eventually adopt. but their vanity will lead them hrst 10
give US another uial Of strength.
Now in regard to Mexican affairs. this day saw n let.
Ter IN the hands OF q merchant of this place frcm a friend
OF his IN Mexico, dated the 22d ultimo. The writer re-
presents tho Affairs OF tho Republic il a truly pitiable situ-
N'NSHs " SbSfVVJ II nc Treasury and a ncrcC revolution
raging IN Jalseo, which AZ will require all the energies Of
toe Government 10 suppress. Parndos was still in Mexico.
afraid to move. A change had taken place in the Cabinet,
and souio OF uereIa's cabinet given situations; this, the
writer argued, indicated n peaceful policy towards tho Uni-
ted States. The people here, who have felt most the
seonrse OF war, are willing Tor peace II the Nusess is the
boundary, but not otherwise; and | do not think that the
people OF the iniencr will agree to any terms which the
United States would probably propose, until the country
becomes = perfect carRstie.
The Rio Grande Is IN fine boating order. Ne hay.
now aboai twenty steamers on the rivsr. and daily they
pass this place loaded with troops and provisions. From
the mouth 10 Carmsrgo taxes six VI eight days, but some OF
the boats have come from Camargo 10 this place IN TWEEN
ty-tout h0ufs-the distance Is estimated at three hundred
miles by the nysr and about one hundred by land. The
General will leave Camargo by tas lst or September, pro
badly. THIS advance army will number about 1000 troops:
5000 regulars and 5000 yoluuteers. with touf bauer,so i
iout pieces each. ad a siege train Of two twelve. Founders
aud two I~entytour FOUNDER howitTers. Hays regiment
ot mounted Texans, which Is now on an expedition ,u-
wards San Fernando. will join US on the road somewhere, |
think. expect that the rest Vt tho troops will not be push.
ed forward until Z Is seen what the county can afford in
the way OF supplies. My impression is that the troops at
Monterey Will 'eure on our approach; there are bat 1000,
aud they are OF Arsia's old army. Should we ind this
body there, we may expect, 'hatsupPort will soon be along,
and you may sson expect 10 hear OF another fight. wish
II could be so liked that we might employ Il train only for
our ammunition aud medical stores, and throw ourselves
into the country ana make At subsisl Us; otherwise We must
reach San LUIS Potosi before we can QUIT lhi, line of .nn-
ply for a shorter one by Tampieo: this long line. with spch
an enemy as we have, frshtens me.
Our regulars are the best troops in the world, they proba.
bly, have not the polish Of the regulars OF the European NJ
mics, bu', IN all the essential OF discipline. they cannot h.
surpassed. Iher came 10 Texas without a murmur, endu.
red the ennui and discomfort OF camp at Corpus Christi. and
made the fauguing match from that place TO the Rio
GraHde, all in good spirits, but without any partieul,r an.
thusIaSm. They worked hard at Fort Brown, and worked
willingly. They eooly sustained the fight OF the 9Th. and
during the light OF the 9Th was the first time thatI ever saw
them show the least feeling OF excitement. But this soon
died away. They entered Matamoras, but without an air
OF Triumph that would insult the feelings OF the Mexieans
The people here have for the regulars a respect, almos, an
afscuon-ihe same at Reynoss, which place visited =
lncy may enter the houses, but thew nav stfict regard ia ,b.
conyennonahnes OF good breeding. know OF families
who encouraged the visits Of the regulars, for the purpose Of
having them as guardians against tine volunteers. The in
stances OF drunkenness in the stro els by regulars have been
lew, those Of breaches Of the peace fewer sull. These
two lights have done great things for the NOR ale OF our men.
Ihey DO not boast and brag OF what they have done,
but they think much Of IL, and feel proud and grateful that
the people OF the United States should sneak so
highly OF At. Congress can do much at the present time
TO benefit our army. Let those medals be struck thai were
spoken Of let the men wear the same rs the officers and
let each regiment be authorized by an act of Congress 10
have on It's banners the names of the fights. This will
serve 10 give a tone and 4 Talying point OF feeling in our
service which 1t has long wanted. With our regulars |
would trust myself any where, relying firmly on their for.
bearance, their discretion, their Goodness and frmnsss.
must say that the volunteers have made no favorable inn |
preston on my mind. The majority came evidently i'm |
pressed with the feeling that n state of war is a state of
license. They have destroyed the property. insulted the
women, and maltreaied the mon Of tho country, and con-
veried Ma,amoras into a theatre OF drunkenness and
braw!s' with swsggering and swearing actors. The Off
Gers seem 10 have no control over them. They cav they
came TO light and not TO work; and they manifest n thou. |
sand such agreeable traits of character. How thew will
be IN Z hsai, ! cannotsay; but ! expect they will be good
for one imPa!sive charge, and that is all We will want,
think. Inc majority OF them are sick OF soldering nj. |
ready. l know that the six thousand from Louisian. were.
the majority went home not only swearing never to volun-
uEieeT again, but 10 insist upon the United States having n
regular army large enough to do their occasional Jobs Of
lighting. The good behavior OF our soldiers, and the
kind 'reaimentthey receive from their oficers, struck these
men. very ioreibly, as it contastad very strongly with the
conduct oI their own troops and their own officers.
\ nese hot en provinces intend PronOuneing for an
independent republic Is soon as our forces are securely
posted between Mexico and themselves. Thi, I beliove. for
l have il from some engaged in the affair.
/ am, cir, your obediont servant, ssrsss.s