The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-08-10

We confess that we have read, with no little asonsh
ment, the following article from the last "New York
Courier" We publish the whole article, that il may
speak for ITSELF otherwise il is SO extraordinary and so
unguarded in its positions that we might be suspected
Of garbng its contents, and msrepresentng its charac-
Ter The wonder u.s. that any editor of the least discretion
should have pursued such course First, it is pleased
attribute certain instructions to the War Department
whouan satisfactory authority; and arguing upon the
superstition that the War Department has been guilty of
error it employs language calculated to convict Cen
e Scott OF what il considers the grossest bunders 1t
admits that if General Scott had not been so instructed
he would have been guilty of great folly-nay of
ay-to have taken this course OF his own accord and
that but for this bunder he might have taken the city of
Mexico, and made peace
The question, therefore, u.s. Who has been guilty Of
this egregious blunder which the 'sNew York Courier
desctbes' The Courier says that the Secretary of
War is guilty. that ''the discharge of (Scotts) army
made the ridiculous plea that they were entitled
be discharged in time TO reach their homes before the
expiration of their terms of services and that this deci
sion made by Mr. Secretary Marcy in February
last and it charges us, therefore, with missatement in
ascrbng this act to General Scott and not to the admin
istraon
We have no disposition to censure Gen. Scott We
will not examine the force of the which induced
him discharge the volunteers before the expiration OF
their service We will not apply to him the language
which the New York Courier alphabetically employs
We will not draw the differences which that paper makes
nor will anmadver upon the olly" or "insanty" of
which the Courier supposes him to have been guilty this
Case in its hypothesis fails But we venture to re-
peat, that the Courier is mistaken; that Mr. Secretary
Marcy expressed such decision to Gen Scott gave
February at any time before the General had issued
his general orders of May 9TH, for the discharge of the
volunteers Gen Scott was no doubt at first anxious to
retain them, and he threw cold water upon the wishes
of the volunteers But when he advanced to Jalapa,
his views appear to have changed and the 4th of May
he issued the following general orders, which we take
from the print before
GENERAL. OnDERs,1 HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY
No lS5 JALApA, May H. 1SH
Extracts Of recent of Congress- published in the
general ORDERS No. H. dated War Department March
n S7 provide for and invite the tender of 'the
OF such of the volunteers in Mexico who may at the
termination of the present term, voluntarily engage to
during the with Mexico"
The general order containing those reached the
General in-chef at this place nine days ago. and was
Immediately sent TO the headquarters the volunteers for
prompt circulation among the regiments present; and ap
peaed to- viz: the Tennessee cavalry the Sd and h lii
infantry, the LIST and ID Tennessee infantry the eor
ga infantry. and the Alabama infantry, whose several
of service WILL it is understood, expire four ve
six weeks.
The General-in-chief regrets learn through great
number oundonbted channels that, in all probability
in ten of those regiments will be inclined to vol
for the This REORGANIZATION offers, in his
OPINION ground for reproachconsidering the long,
duou faithful and gallant services of those corps-how
deeply all will regret the consequent and unavoidable
delay in the of this early and honor
able peace for the Generaln-chef cannot, humanity
and good faith, rcgmens-enled, in few weeks,
honorable discharge--to advance further from the
in the pursuit OF the enemy and thereby throw them
upon the necessity of returning embark Vera Cruz
at the known to be- at that place, the fatal to
Accordingly the regiments Of old volunteers and the in
dependent company of Kentucky volunteers serving with
this army will stand ready the OF the large train
from below, to march to Vera Cruz and thence to embark
for New Orleans where they will be sevealy and honora
bly, mustered of the service of the United States, and
paid of by the proper officers on duty there
This order will be those officers; and the governor
and of Vera Cruz, who has been instructed
have the necessary transports ready by the early arrival of
the returning troops.
There nothing in the foregoing intended interfere
with the invitation presented by Congress and the Pres
dent ACCOMPLISHMENTS the part the old volunteers On
contrary the adeny hopes that many
panes will be formed of those old troops, and
for continued SERVICE according to that invita-
ton He will gladly accept them tor the war; and cause
hcm embodied into baalions, to be temporarily at
ached to the weaker regiments of the regular army
lcated in Presidents orders No IL, above recited
Horses of the Tennessee cavalry well as officers
horses generally if desired by their owners, who may de-
cline revounteerng, will be paid for by the Quarermas
er's Department here, fair valuation The dis
position may be made of saddles and bdle needed for
fine public service
The four regiments of volunteers present. will be
formed into brigade under Brig Gen. Qutman, who will
designate of the four for aapa, and another for Perote
constitute parts of the garrons of those places lie will
receive orders, for tue of his march, at
general headquarters.
Major Gen. Patterson rendered for the moment super
numerary with this army, will accompany the returning
volunteers his late gallant division and render them such
assistance on the way he well knows how give, He
will report, person, Washington, by letter. from
New Orleans for further orders from the War Department
This distinguished general officer will please accept the
thanks the for the gallant, able and eff
support uniformly received from the second in rank
of this army.
BY command ofAIai. Gen. Scott
(Sgned,) II. l.. SCOTT, A. A. A. G.
In this general ORDER General Scott assigns the reasons
which prompted him to discharge the volunteers. The
world will Judge of their propriey and force. But 1t was
done al his instance after feeling much socitude at
the he should adopt but not under the insruc-
Or "nsanity" in the caseif the city of Mexico had not
been taken Immediately after the battle of Cerro Gordo
and ga permanent peace conquered before the LIST OF
July asn-let it not be laid the door of the Secre
tary of War But such is the antipathy which the Cou
rler feels towards the administration, that 1t does not
l.. O I'D -,