Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-02-03
Letter. from the Army.
pOsdsaes Of the N. q Nee.
HIAD QUAkrtRs u S. Amy on IsvAs,os, D
Fsetoria, MsEieo, Jan. S. lSl7

down here prevented me- aud put II off with IN. view OF
sending from Monte Morales a, which place. unforu-
naicly, General Taylor of his express before 20,
| IN.
Gen. Taylor aud all his officers feeling perfect conf
dsnee Ia the ability OF Gen But maintain his position
at Salno against force. and Judging that the Black
Fort Monterey would Keep all safe that quarter the
busle was sounded early tho morning OF the 23d, to
take up the line OF march Tor this place. aud
aud o'clock the columns motion, all being
surod that nothing but tho defeat OF forces would
cause them To rctfaco their The rest Moaday
aud Tuesday, Of great advantage both TO men and
horses, but the effect OF the forced march from Morales
quite apparent.
Col. Harvey of the Dragons did not start with u.s.
lilo was ordered the morning OF the march proceed
TO Saullo. and take command OF all the mounted
Guiding Dragons and Arkansas and Kentucky cavalry.
After ~ days march over lovely aud picturesque
country aud To- the right o the Sierra Madrc mountsns
aud within few miles o them, reached Victoria
ierday, losing large number OF mules and horses tho
| road. from disease and oVcr-work.
Al Monte Morales overlook the supply train OF Capt
Sbleg, and train ct wagons Just from Camago, with
provisions. From this place Col May with topogt aphi-
Gel engineer aud companies at dragOons left
the road proceeded along the foot OF the
certain of there passes that advised
OF. pass found between bnatcs aud Morales,
with great difficulty the command through it. by lead
ns their horses as It Is reported ~ that but
glc horse could make any head Some ct those who
were with the expedition the being
most magnificent that WAS beheld On side
pass mere Is sad 10 De pcfpendicui1t ascent OF GOO
'Ou feet, with the rock Iuing nLt foot the
way up. aRd the opposite side Of il up the same
he gh though with gradual slope. The scenery all around
looked wild IA the eNtcmcst OF the term.
the language al one o the Dragons OF the peaks OF
the mountain looked high that the Mexican eagle has
not the courage 10 bad its there After examining
the pass and the Of the country beyond IT, COM
mand began To rersce their steps, aud the body by
pursuing the same course they did ut INST safely back
ON this side ol the mountains. The guard however
not Fortunate aad but the Lieut. and
got through What misfortune bcicl them, aud how 1t
happened had best be given publicity the sigma
OF Capt May, he has promised 20 hand il 10 me be-
fore closing my letter. lie has placed the Lieutenant un-
der arrest aud IS very much mortified at the loss OF his
At Lnarcs. found the government OF Mexico had
$500 IN funds there, and demanded from the Al
calde by General Taylor That funetonay that the
money had been taken away by officer, but
he su ordered TO produce, aud he complied by paying
$1,000 himself, aud muleng the merchants OF the town
out OF the residue We had paid very $1,000
people for forage mules aud horses, and little IL eefsras
most OF which presume came back IN the $500 Every
night the march, Immediately opposite our encampmeni
tire was lighted IN the mountains, and have doubt
oil but that they intended signals show
Whereabouts ON the road.
Victoria is altogether pretty place. and larger than
any town have seen except Monterey General Ouitnans
command have been here since the 29h were the first
Americans To enter the The Baltimore baitslon
IN the advance and their flag which ch-s,ened IN
The Mexican cavalry were moving before Gen. Quitmsn
for two days before he gon They the hacienda
OF Sanen Graca IN the morning and troops In
the evening ltwas Tho way the Cahallero rancho
There about hundred here IN MI. aud some of
them left the the evening OF the 2Sh and tho te
mandet the morning but they the noun
iains by after they had oncamped, and all the Lutte
tackes saddled up purcue them but rirht came
and twas Of avail They knew very well that there
was no cavalry along, and hence their daring showing
themselves.
The rear OF Gen. TwcGs' division had not got out of
town yesterday the rver. before the advance
guard Of Gen Patterson had entered the plzza lie left
miles th side Of Maamoros the 9th aud must
have marched fast did get soon.
He was not that the place occupied by our
troops and desired plant the first American standard IN
Victoria. His command consists OF the Tennessee cavalry
the 81 and Ala Illinois infantry two companies OF ARTILLERY
of and m he Htvfst.
panied by supply ain which with the company wagons
made near three hundred.
The simultaneous arrival Of the divisions made quite
show, aud everything around wore martial appearance.
The people OF the town. less reserved, lees than
usual into the streets. and their Windows great
numbers and looked as though they thought iho thing
up with Mexico, columns marched through the
square. Neither division knew the whereabouts OF the
other, and their arrival at the anci-
pated.
To feed al the horscs and men that arc now here
will require uRtng eNertUus the part OF the Quarter
Masters, and thor assistants. The greatest difficulty will
be IN providing pr The horses although up 10 ts Tine
have had no difficulty obtaining forage from enemy
for which noW pay them priceGO corn and
poportiuuae cor fodder. TINS the price We
paid the TOut from Monterey, and thus con-
tnuod II here But the demand w swallow Up what
Is IA the vicinity, and then will have look from
Of the depJts the Gull. Should We remain here
for any considerable length OF time, would be advisable
land supplies Soto La Mauns port at the mouth Of
the OF the name, IS 10 miles from This place
But II IS not probable that we shall remain here, for the
MeNicans will w. and At not going Al
ter them convenience well economy demands
that should be nearer tic sea board.
Gen Scott has sgnied Gen. Taylor his intention of
taking command OF this Of the army aId think no
will 1t Tampco, when ho gets ready and from
there the only prominent place presented in my minis
eye" Vera Cruz 1t has been talked Of very much by
Gen. Taylor lately and OF las officers he dream,
OF IT, believe told You before, that hc slId 10 the Gc-
neral Government that they would send IL N COCO troops
10 THmpco he would march 10 that place with 1000 Ut
those the field. and would after add ng them to,r.
tter and attack the city n Vera Cruz II our
troops Do not 60 there, where will they beyond the ST.
ennc Madroi Tho movement down here argues forciby
enough to that march % San LUIS POtos by the way
O Sau!lO, hos been abaudoncd; aud we have recently
learned that almost, quite impOs bic approach
tai place with wagons and artillery tis quarter. In
fact, here, san Luis POtO not talked of all and
cry person is Of opinion that the contemplated expedition
To that place has been entirely abandoned. We have
been advised hero that the Mcycan', foyins Vera
Cruz have dug large number OF bitches in the town.
and the at the outer edge represented being H.
feet deep with the same width. IL understand Geni
Tayoi's idea OF attacking the town, aud have heard
number Of officers speak Of it, be done entirely by
Storm taking with him the Of crossing the bitches
As ho Is willing 10 stake the ilures he IN May ard
September last the result have confidence enough IN
the To wish him undertake IT, alone, or the RICH,
or left bower with Gen. Scott.
Gen. SCOTS arrival IN this country does give BIZ any
/ manner Of means general satiactiuu not that a
man IS unpopular with the army. bur that a desire PFC
walls 10 see the man who commenced the and who
has 81 fortunately carried thus far, make finish Of H.
should have been pleased 20 have him the head u
oiiTs at tho starr, believe he would have had the ar.
my Deef appointed ihan u was. but u has succeed
cd 10 admirably, with all the Inconvenience attendant
am willing now TO Trust It to the end under the gu
dance. In the fir, place, Gen Scott would have demanded
aud received m0fo before leaving the Rio Grande
well pIoyisoncd and equipped every particular
| lie would have made the government furnish suck
| things Ne were necessary, would no have moved
until lie had received them. General Taylor tie
/ other hand, knowing that his troops could not be
VIII ppcd and not wishing 10 get lDgcrhcads with the
powers nt Washington, preferred the eadon to tho
paper bullets moved when the Tine arrived 60 do tho best
hc could Gen Scott would have been loss obcden 10 the
dictates OF the soothing concatory system pointed
by President Polk, and would have taken the response.
billy Of discriminating. Having the he would have
followed up his victories, and following them up. would
have caused the enemy 10 cry quarter long this. !
would not for the world be understood saying or hn.
ting anything prcudcnl to Con. Taylor by the compa-
fisOn, Tor he has only whipped the enemy wherever
&c found tcn. but has attempted do far more diff
it taskthat u carrying tho views Of the Admins
ration and only think Gen. Scott would have done bot
her because believe he would have acted as his own
! cdons Of policy dictated.
January 9th, 1917.