Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-01-05

MEMO. eighty miles from the little garrison d. %
mona, and al ? o'clock OIL The morning OF Tue 1o.h
lie arrived All tal place with r.act! riilemeh i'o''i
The merican settlers in that valley. ne ehe-
my had not vel appeared; scoats were sem on. -
econnoilrc, and party ut twenty Tell III WIN q
squadron ii serent; dragons tan oi Ids''o
iofce which he'd crossed The tay) ataehtu "n'i
defeated il. killing aud wonndins hVe, "i'ho"'
harm 10 lhemselves-,he Mexican conmahlel'
De IA Tore, barely escaping, With me loss ~ n's
transport boas, and nine pieces u brass ar'li'elF
spidei.
The country norlh oil The bay OF San Francisco
being cleared OF The enemy, Col. Fremont ie,urn-
ed Ia Sanoma on The evening of the AN Of July
aud ON the morning Of The 5h called The people
Together, explained 10 them the condition oi things
ia the province, and recommended an lminellaie
declaration OF independence. The declaration
was made, and lie was selected 10 take The chiei
direction OF affairs.
The attack ON Castro was the next object. lie
was al Santa Clara, an entrenched posi- on The
UPPER or south si!e o! The bay nI San Francisco,
with 400 men and TWO pieces OF field artillery. =
A circuit of more than an hundred miles must
be trayersed 10 reach him. On the TIN oil July
The nursuit was commenced by BODY d l6J
mounted riaemcn, commanded BY Col. Fremont
in pcrson who, in three DAYS, arrived al line Anle-
lican settlements on The Rio Ge lis Americanos
Here he learnt that Castro had abandoned Santa
Clara, and was ielrea'ing south towards Culdad
de los Angeles, (ihe City OF The Angels The seat
II The governor general Of the Caliornias, and
distant four hundred miles. |, was instantly re-
solved On 10 pursue him 10 that place. Al The
moment oi departure, The gratifying Intelligence
was received that war with Mexico had COM
menced; that Monterey ha. been taken by our
naval force, and The fa2 ol The United States
there raised on The 7lh OF July; and that The feei
would cooperate in the pursuit OF Castro ana
his forces. The Hag Of independence was haued
down, and That oi the United States holsled
amidst the hearty greetings and to The great Joy
of the A mercan settlers and The iofces uhuei INT
command Of Co! Fremont
The combined pursuit was rapidly conlnucd,
and on .hc 18th Of Ausn>r, Com. Stockton ana
Col. Fremont, with detachment Of marines
from The sGua!,on an soinr fitlenra, entered The
Civ Of The Ansels-wiihuui resistance or obJec-
lion, the Goyelnor General, Pco, The Command
ami General, Castro, ard all The Mexican autho-
rites havin. fled and dispersed. Com. Stockton
took ro session ui the whole country a q coh.
quest Of Tie United States, and appointed Colonel
Fremont governor under the Jaw oil ha'iois' 70
assume The functions Of that fhce when ne shou'u
return 10 the squadron.
Thus. in The short space of sixty days from the
first decisive movement This conquest was achiev-
cd by small body oil men, 10 an ex'ent beyond
their own expectation; Tor the Mexican author,
ties proclaimed il a conquest, mol merely ol Inc
northern pari but Of the whole province OF The
Caiiiornias
The commanding general, Castro, on the Oh oil
! August from his camp al the Mesa, and nextdav
ION The road 10 Sonora" announced his Fe>nii 10
the people, together with the aclua fight and DIS
pe,son OF he former authorizes and at same
lime he officially communicated The tact Of HE
conquest to IN" Frcnch English and Spanish con-
su.s in Caiornia and, 10 crown The whric, The
official pa peis OF the Mexican government on the
! 18th oi October, il layirs he-e rffcia commu-
nicalions n, lore he pubic introduced them VITA
Inc emphatic declaration "Tae less n M Cai'for-
MAS Is coasunamaisd" The whole province WAS
yielded up 10 ;ne United states, and is now in
oar military occupancy. A small part OF The
troops sen, ont 70 subject this province will con.
si,uie II j. presumed, sufficient force % retain
/ our possession aid he remainder Will be disposal
bic ur ether ohlecs ol The waI.
In The foregoing remarks have presented 10
| YOUR consideration the destination and OPERATION
/ oi The public forces since the commencement oil
| The war with Mexico. When lis existence was
recognized hy Congress in May last. our emile
military force, then stationed al different points
in our widely extended country, did mol exceed
7,64O men. Our preparation for large ex?an-
sion Of The army and particularly Tor carrying
4
mlls, were. m many respects, qnire deficient -
Such as we're demanded TO NEE, The wants oil an
army suddenly augmented from 1,640 10 more
| than 81 OO0 men, 10 be sent forth on several dfie-
| rent and distant expeditions, could not at once be
| made.
The duties q. lhs Department have been
! since the commencement ii the war, arduous
| and embarrassing AID il, unremi"ed @ffJf's have
/ been G!leoi"d ~ dsrh.".e tnea 10 III. manner
b : ca.1s!.',d % facilitate tn operations 81 on
| ia;cts in tie led. 10 these lnIets hr.oncS the
merit o n successes which have ATTENDED Their
/ movements aud l!ic.e successes are not inconsi
derahe b. ihc operations Of he land and nava
forces. We are now in military possession II The
4 parmenl OF Tamaulipas. OF the right hank Of
/ he i.io Cir2uir toi 5 veral bundled miles from
! Is mouth, aat Of The department OF New Leon
| Coal u,;a AMI IN huahna aie, m ctec wreslcd
from n, co,.f! Il: ilrxcn; 40 Mexican aulhcri
| IT,, both civil ahi mi.ary, has been displaced in
New Mexico and lie Calliol Mas. and these large
and important provinces are in our quiet occupa
ton. Such are The achievements OF our arms
within the short period oi seven months from lie
commencement oi a war, suddenly forced upon
rs. when our force in the field was less than three
thousand effective men, with a hostile army o
double lis numerical Strength prepared 10 assai
it, and exulling in The confident hope OF decisive
victory.
But as our enemy is not yet disposed 10 Offer
or listen 10 AM terms for peace, II is necessary
that should present 10 you some views IN reia
ton to The further prosecution q the war.
Authority was given al the last session Of Con
cress 10 increase the rank and file o! The regiments
in the regular service To more than double In
former number. Prompt measures were lakel
10 procure recruits; but they have not been Al
tended with The desired effect. When filled up L
~. 10, pI -
probation, our regular force will be sixteen thou
sand nine hundred and ninety EIGHT officers an,
men: bu, il does moi now exceed len thousand tire
hundred The want OF better success in recruit
ing is, | apprehvnd, mainly 10 be ascribed 10 III
large number OF volunteers which has in IN
meantime been called out. The volunteer ser
vice is regarded generally by our citizens as pre-
terabe 10 that in the regular army; and As long a
volunteers are expected 10 be called for, will
difficult to I'LL The ranks OF regular regiments, IN
, less additional inducements are offered, or III
terms Of service modified. A small pecuniar
/ bounty given ii: the time OF enlistment or land a
|, The end Of the term OF service, would, il is be
; eved. have a most beneficial effect. Probahl
an equally favorable result would How from an
nexins A condition 10 The present period al ser
vice, allowing The recruit 10 be discharged at ID
end OF The present war. II is presumed there a.
MANY thousand patriotic citizens who woul
cheeriuliy enter The service 10! The war, il the
could return 10 he pursuits oil civil life al its clos,
Ii is not possible 10 70 eell with much pre-
, cision what number of troops The cxieencies /,
The war may require for the ensuing year. Tn
estimates presented to The Secretary OF the Urea
sury have been made upon The present establish
nenl Of The regular troops wholly filled up. Civ
inc total force OF sixteen thousand nine hun
dred and nneiy-eighl, exclusive Of enlisted mer
Of ordnance; upon ten additional regiments 10 b
raised 10 serve TO the end Of The war, which vii
amount 10 nine thousand three hundred an
eighty; and upon contingent force Of Ten thou
sand volunteers, 10 be organized under exisiin!
laws. and called into service il needed.
The volunteers who have encountered The enc
nv in the present campaign have more than in.
lifted The hi Oh expectations formed OF this descrip
lion of troops, but il is no disparaeement 10 iheU
10 say that regular force IS ~ be preferred ID
war 10 be prosecuted in a foreign country. Be
sides considerations OF economy are decidedly il
favor OF troops engaged 10 serve during The war