The national whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1847, 1847-05-15

anxious were the inhabitants at and near Pre-
sidio Rio Grande to give a good account Of
themselves, that they raised funds by subscrp-
ton and sent party of traders to San Antonio,
Texas, and purchased all the powder to be had
in that town, as early as the. 30ih of January. |
Mexican expresses were running in all parts
Of the country and every thing was on the
"qui vive" for the great day when Santa Ana
should give the word, which would set this
overwhelming machine in motion. Fifteen
hundred rancheros joined Urea in one day.
The inhabitants of all classes left the principal
towns where our troops were quartered and
those who had friends among the Americans,
besought them with tears in their eyes to leave
the country, saying that they "knew that their
threats would be cut il they remained" A
respectable Mexican said TO me, that he twas
not an alarmist. but that he knew Santa Ana
was advancing with an overwhelming force,
and that Notwithstanding he believed one Amer
lean soldier to be equal to three Mexcans, yet
he feared that il would be impossible for Gen.
Taylor TO withstand the shock"
Santa Ana's unparalleled march against San
Antonio, Texas, in 1886, did not exceed the
rapidly with which he moved the main body
Of his army from San Luis 10 Aqua Nueva.
So certain was he Of victory, that he only took
twelve days. provisions with him, saying to-
his men, "lhe immense granaries of the enemy
are before you; you have only to 60 and take
them" On they moved, full of life. full Of
they should carry every thing before them; and
Santa Ana himself looked forward TO the day
when he would enjoy reputation not inferior
to that Of Napoleon himself! Well may they
have rased the shout when the Americans had
abandoned their camp at Aqua Nueva! Well
may Santa Ana have said to his men Gin or
ders) "the northern barbarians, the despolers
| of soil, the desecrators Of your churches,
are Icing before you; onward! onward and
avenge your slaughtered countrymen." On
they rolled like an avalanche, carrying every
thing before them but what was their surprise
on arriving at the plain OF Buena Vista, to be-
hold the little "Sparlan band" standing cool,
firm, and steady, with that old veteran, as firm
as the Sierra Madre itself, at their head And
what furt hermore must have been Santa Ana's
establishment, when he received reply to his
command for an 'suneonditional surrender"
TO The effect that If he had fifty pieces of ar
tillery and a hundred thousand men to back
him, surrender was impossible, that if he
wanted the American army, he must come and
take them |" What must have been his NOR
| tifcation and chagrin, when, after two days.
hard fighting, hand to hand, lie found his army
cut to pieces, and his enemy standing firmer
than ever, ready TO renew the conflict on the
morrow He, The great Napoleon Of the West,
who had just returned from exile, who had
promised every thing to Mexico and her peo.
pie, found himself and his schemes thwarled
at the outset. His fall was so great, and his
defeat so signal, Gall things consdered) that |
4 can well account for his treating Major Bliss
in the cavalier manner he did, when, on the
morning of the 24th, that officer applied to
him for an exchange Of prisoners. His all was
SoHe! ECeTy tHTtS, 81 Id dS lie was CouCeIA-
ed, was lost! Not that he cared particularly
for Mexico or her people; but self was his idol,
and he found that "dearly beloved" self totally
ruined and crushed, and that, too, by a hand
full of undisciplined volunteers. But it will
never be forgotten that Zachary Taylor was
their General
Il is impossible to calculate the disaster that
would have befallen US if General Taylor had
not stood like firm old oak and brayed the
Storm as he did. Verify every thing American
would have been sacrificed, and few would
have been left to tell the disastrous tale.
A LOCKER ON IN MEXICO.