Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1847-02-18
The Capitulation Of Monterey.

N1etNtt.. SANhk1o ~ y 0AAh.
Washington, Feb. Is, is47
The CAPITALIZATION Of Monterey.
70 d. E1iisr d ihs Uai.n !.
yieronsA, TAnausJpas. MExico, I
January s, let7.
Dear Sirs-Afler much speculation, and no
little misrepresentation about he capi,Ilatioa
81 Monterey, Psreeise b. our recent news
papers, that . discussion has arisen - IL who
is responsible Tor that transaction. Al one Of
the cemmissionefs who we're entrusted ~ Gen
Taylor yith the arrangement Of The terns up-
90 which the ciiy Of Monterey and lie foftif-
eatlsns shoeld be deliFered 10 sur forces. I
aave had frequent eeeasiea 70 recur % The
course thea adopted, aaa he considetations
which led 70 IL. Ay judgment after The fact
has fully sustsinsd my decisions s,Ithe date Of
the occutrsnce ) and feeling myself response
bic Ter The Instrument IS VIZ pre- pared I'd pre-
ssnted ITO eurcommandirg general, have
the ssiisfaeioa, after al subsequent events, 10
beliess that ihsterms We offered ware erpe.
dent, and honorabIe, and wiss. "A distinguish-
cd gentleman with uhomf scted on that CON-
mission, Gsv Henderson, says, 10 recently
dol stih like the terms, bat acted q enc OF The
c0mmissiOnsIs, together with Sen. Worth and
Col. Davis. 10 carry out Gee. Tsylor,s ipsiruc.
items. We ought aad could have made ihen
surrsadef d discretion, !" &c. &c.
From each position taksa id the above para.
graph dissent. The INSTRUCTIONS given bs
Gen. Taylor only presented his object, and
fixed . lint TO the powers Of his commission
ers hence, when points wsresrsised which on.
esedea our discretion. they we're referred 10
/ the eonmsndef; but miner points we're acted
on, and haslly submitted as . part Of our nego.
tiatiop. We fxsd The time within which The
Mexican forces should retire from Menierey
We agreed upon the lime We. would wait for
The decision Of the respective governments,
which reeeliect was less ~ thirty -four days
than tho Mexican commissiseers asked--,he
period adopted being that which, sccoraing 10
eur estimate, was required 10 bring up The rear
Of the army with Ihe ordnance andsuppises as.
cessary for further operations.
did not then, nor do new, believe We could
have made The enemy surrender 81 diseretiou.
He'd entertained the opinion Il would have
oeea given 10 the eommissisp. aud 10 The CON-
nanding general, and would have prscluded me
from signing 90 agreement which Pernitied Ire
garrison 10 retire with the hsnors Of war. II
% demohsirabie, from the position and known
proves OF ne Two armies, that We could drive
the enemy from the Town !; bat The town wa
---t~SeStN " ntt1t 6S M1lN tOftf lo1ItoQ the new
citadel remained in the hands or The enemy.-
Being Withsat sisge artillssy or entrepchinr
tools, We could only hope 10 carry this fort 81
Storm, after heavy less from. our army; which.
isolated In hostile country, now numbered
less than bali the forces Of the enemy. When
al this had been achieved, chat more could
We hare gained than By the cspitulationl
General Tayiors force wsk too smalIIto in
vestthe tewn. u was, therefore, alwsys ID the
power OF the ensmy 10 rstreat, bearing his
light arms. Our army-peorly provided, and
VITA very insufficient transpoststion-- No,
have overtaken. II they had pursued The ayipg
enemy. Hence the conclusio thai, Is il was
mol U eur power 10 capture the main body Of
ahe Mexican army, il IS unreasonable 70 sup.
pose their general would have surrsndsreSs 81
discretion. The moral eject Of tetiring under
The capiiulation was certainiy treIier than il
the enemy had retreated without our conse ri /
81 this course We secured The large supply or
ammuni,ioa be had collected ID Aoaierey--
whtcn, nad the assault been centinued, must
nave oeen exploded BY our shells. a. II was
prlnelpaiiy stored in "the Cathedral" which.
teiag ssepssed to be filed Win troops. was
the ssree,sl aim Of our pieces. The des,ruc.
ton which this expies.2n would have produced
must have involved the adyaace al hath di,is.
Ions OF our troops snd CON mend his "a the
coniemplation Of those whose arr unerts have
been dfawa from facts learned siace The CON.
mlssoners closed their negotiations. WIN
these intreduetoEJ remarks, send cory Of !,
msnaseriP, 70 my possession, which was ptepa.
iea e meet such nseessily as nout Z isls fsr -
e1Plaaaiion Of the views which srovcr,.sd ~
comuiss;onsrs III arrsnsiag the terms IL e..
Pitsla,isn, 70 justify the eemmakdinE general
should misrePresentstisn and calamny attsmni
- taFnish his weli-esrned reputation. and ferSI
ell tine 70 cone, TO fx the truth If m. tr.n.
aetlep.s Please publish this 10 vetsr 49,, 90
bslisse Ne year frisad &c.
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
lMsaersnds 81 ne frensaesioat Il eonn,r-
son UstA fhs eqpifnlafion q .Nonf.r,,
ePsfsi IF Haspi k.os, N.siso.
BY Invitation Of Gsnsr.E Amnnd;.
commanding The Msxieaa stsny. Csnsr,l
Taylor accompanied kySa nnnbes Il A..
officers. proceeded 90 The eth az Ser.
sensrr. 1916. 10 = houee desion,,.d
ihs place q which General A mnud;s -.
qassisd IN ieisrvi-w Ths barlies bs;rp
convened. Genessi 4ppaail snnounee5 |
A. olicisl information, ih.sIcSn n,,;.s;1..s.
from the United Slatss kad bken r,cs;,.5
by The govesamestoi Mekito: and ~,
The orders under which 81 IA pr.n,,.s |
10 offend shs city o. Moaiefey h,as,,.,
thsift foses 81 he scb,sqassf eh.pre 81 |
be ewa eessrumenl ibsfsfors ke ,.Lsd /.
ihsco1fsfsnes A hsisf eonstffS,;s. ~
swesn The esnrsndina esnsraas. vh.r,a |
ihsig sieus % - % orpssifs. NJ 1. go. |
Iiitlo foason 10 erosc, -. ...s1.rf. -