Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1847-02-17
GEN. TAYLOR'S LETTER.
FROM The N. Y. EXPRESS.

FROM The. NJ Y. EXPRESS.
We lay before our readers the following
letter, which tells its own story too well
to need any comment. 1t is but Just, how
ever, TO its heroic writer, whose courage
and Judgment are equalled only by his
honesty and modesty, to say that it was
written TO a near friend and relative, now
resident in this city, endeared to him by
very many years of personal intimacy, to
whom ne unbosoms all his purposes, OPT
mons and feelings, without the least re-
serve. We have more of this sort to COM
municate, and shall soon be able to show
that. in his defence against his own secret
personal enemies and selfish deiractors, as
we'll as against the armed enemies of his
country, the old hero of the Rio Grande is
ever Rough and Ready"
Head-Qrs. Army of Occupation, or Invasion,)
Monterey, Nov. 8. 1916. 5
My Dear *******-Your very kind
and acceptable letter of the 3lst August
reached me only a short
time since, for which beg leave TO tender
you my sincere thanks. A few con6den-
tlal remarkson certain public transactions
are here omitted.
After considerable apparent delay on
the part of the Quartermaster's Depart
ment, in getting steamboats, into the Rio
Grande adapted to its navigation, | sue
ceeded. towards the latter part of August,
in throwing forward to Camargo, "a town
situated on the San Juan river, miles
from its junction with the Rio Grande, on
the west side, nearly 500 miles from Bra
EOS island by water and 900 by land, and
40 from this place,) considerable depot
of provisions, ordnance, ammunition, and
forage, and then, having brought together
an important portion of my command,
determined on moving on this place. Ac-
cordingly, after collecting 100 pack
mnles, with their attendants and conduc-
tors, in the enemy's country, (the principal
means of transportation for our provisions,
baggage, &c. | left, on the 9Th Septem.
Der to join my advance, which had prece-
ded me few days to Serralvo, small
village rs miles on the route, which die
on the 9th, and, after waiting there few
friays for SoIIIs inf ttIs corps 10 get up, NOV
ed on and reached here on the 18th with
$3.50 men-270O regulars, the balance
volunteers. For what took place after
wards, must refer you to my several re.
ports, particularly TO my detailed one o
the 9th ult. do not believe the autho
rites at Washington are at all satisfied
with my conduct in regard to the terms o
capitulation entered into with the Mexican
commander, which you no doub have seer
as thew have been made public through
the official organ, and copied into various
other newspapers. | have this momen
received an answer Ito my despatch an
nouncing the surrender of Monterey, an
the circumstances attending the same,
from the Secretary of War, stating tina
" it was regretted by the President that
was not deemed advisable to insist on tn
terms had proposed In my first communi
cation to the Mexican commander, in re
gard to giving up the city"i adding tia
{" the circumstances which dictated, n
doubt justified the change"
Although the terms OF capitulation ma
, be considered too liberal on our part by tn
President and his advisers, as we'll as
many others at a distance, particularly b
those who do not understand the positio
!, which we occupied, otherwise they mgt
!. come to different conclusions in regard
f the matter. yet, on due reflection, Sc
!. nothing TO induce me to regret the cours
a pursued. The proposition on the pa
. of Gen. Ampudia, which had much to
in determining my course in the matte
y was based on the ground that our q
; vernment had proposed TO his to settle tt
y existing difficulties by negotiation, whic
= I knew was the case, without knowing Il
: result, which was then under considerable
by the proper authorities, and which
, (Gen. Ampudia) had no doubt would rest
- favorably, as the whole of his people we
" in favor of peace. If so, | consldere
:. the effusion of blood not only unnece
sary but improper. Their icrce was al
= considerably larger than ours; and fro
. the size and position of the place, v
: could not completely invest it; so that Il
= greater portion of their troops, if not &
! whnle, had they been disposed to do ;
= could any night have abandoned the eli
!. at once, entered the mountain passes, a
: effected their retreat-do what we woul
- Had we been put 10 the alternative of
or king the place by storm, (Which there
= no doubt we should have succeeded
" doing,) we should, in all probability, ha
: LOST fifty or hundred men in killed,
sides the wounded which wished 10 avo
as there appeared to. be prospect
- peace, even if a distant one. also WI
- ed to AVOID the destruction of women 9
Il children, which must have been W
ar great, had the stormlng process been
| sartadto Resides they had a very la