The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-05-05
Tho EIcua nf Xera Cruz.

Mr. EpIroa A constant reader of your paper,
account Of its ready and full record Of military events
was both panied and surprised by the communication
Of correspondent Sc, OF Washington, dated April ~,
Isl7
Thi, communication Is unjust, alike to the accom-
pshed General and to the subordDates who success
fully carried out his plans He characteristics the siege
as involving 'neher skilful combinations nor scen
tc attack and in Confederation states that the city OF
Vera Cruz badly fortified and that We lost no eng-
neers tho most exposed nm In siege lie concludes by
saying, this affair OF Vera Cruz Is open to military
criticism, and will receive 1t both in this country and
Europe-and they the conductors of the siege
not complain hereafter IL shall be referred to,
to show how = mountain may be made out Of mole
HILL Such Mr. Editor is the sweeping condemnation
of An able general and sfu officers who forced out
their works aud compelled surrender 900 men, with
train Of artillery Of nearly 400 pieces all Of this with
the triaing loss Of IS Of tho army and Of the
navy surely this result, with such disproportionate
oss ought to be prima acie evidence Of science
and skill But &c" thinks otherwise Let it be my
deayor then to show that this operation skully
planned successfully executed, and taking up C'sh
challenge boldly TO commit 1t to the military criticism OF
this country and Europe
man exertion. evidences Of we'll conducted enter
prise shocked at the ease with which the city and
lie were taken forgetting that this ease and no loss
were the results Of rightly planned attack With any
other plan th. conquest would have been difficult and
bloody enough even Ter MIN .
ment A superficial examination will prove this The
Castle Of Juan de Ua, the great object Of the siege,
was armed with 2s guns, including Paixhans,an NOR
tars manageable to naval attack, and situated
sland 900 Yards from the main land 1t seemed equally
40 aQainst efforts OF regular siege WIN no power
TO ret at it, it APPEARED then that compelled to
resort to rigid blockade by sea and land in order to
starye the garrison cut But fortunately this fort
.trong In other respects had boon fatal neglected in
vital poi.t Within reach Of shells, IT had no bomb
proof shelters for it's guns The garrison too were ex-
posed TO the effect of shells IL was necessary then to
resort to n bornbardmcnt. A large number OF pieces
firing shot and shells sent down, tho plan being,
that the fire once opened, an uninterrupted shower
of shells should dismount their guns ruin the
quarters OF the men, and by its incessant action
prevent the repair of damages. Under this tremen-
dous Storm II confidently anticipated that the
castle fall in thirysix hours. Every one knows
that 1t necessary to push the siege for the uomo
at hand If the siege had anguished from scanty
artillery condemnation would have been too great for
u.s. for had Thousands Of guns In arsenals with
every facility for their transportation As far as can
ascertain designed to bring 40 morars with the pro-
per proportion Of preaching guns to the attack OF two
places mounting nearly 400 guns Who could have I'M
agned that this work mpregnable save to this kind OF
attack should have inHorously surrendered before
shot had been fired at it! Who would have imagined
that after months Of warning, the Mexicans should
have neglected victualling their CASTLE
SO much for the castle, MIR Editor Let US now turn
to the city.
In c.'s own words A battery OF seven morars and
few pieces placed in position TO batter the weak walls Of
the town, did the work Of devastation 40 thoroughly
that the garrison had nothing 10 do but surrender ~