The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1847-07-09
BoMAARDMENT OF VERA CRUZ.

The slaughter ofwomen and children, and
OF neutral persons. at Vera Cruz is especial
Iy dwelt upon by the English pressj but this
was necessary incident to the siege, and
was novelty in warfare. Besides, With unu-
Sual clemency ample time was given for the
removal Of all such persons. The troops de-
barked on the 9th ofMarch. From that day
TO the 18th, when the investment was com
pleted, all needfpl opportunity for the es-
cape Of non-combatanis to the interior was
allowed After the investment and until
the 23, the day after the summons for a
surrender, they we're allowed to make their
way TO the neutral vessels. But they un-
wisely remained 10 await the fortune of
war, and Gen. Scott had no recourse conss
tent with his duty, but to commence the
bombardment. The application of foreign
consuls, on the night ofthe S4th, for truce,
that they might secure their salty, after ne
glectng the means that had been purposcly
left open TO them, it was impossible to ac-
cede 10, and if they suffered, it was the con-
sequence oftbeir own folly. General Scott,
in his correspondence with Morales and
Consuld has pla ced his justification on an
unalterable record, and we cannot doubt
tha, his conduct will be applauded by the
unbiased judgement Of posterity.
But many instances can be cited in mod
dern history to sustain him. The Philadsl-
phia Bulletin refers TO the memorable eXpr-
dtion of the English against Copenhagen,
when Denmark was neutral. 1t is not nee
essary TO determine, as the Bulletin does, the
lebateable question, whether the British
government was justified as it pretended, by
the secret articles of the treaty of 'rilsit, in
resortng TO tha, extraordinary measure, 1t
has never been doubted that had Denmark
been belieerent, the capture of Copenhagen
would have been justifable. But that siege
was attended by much more appalling ca
lami,es than the fall of Vera Cruz; for the
city was only constrained TO surrender, after
three days bombardment, by confagration
which the British mussiles produced, and
consumed one-eighih of the city.
In the celebrated siege of Saragossa. thai
city contained not only its own inhablantsy
but all immense multitude Of the neighbor-
ing peasantry; yet the French were never
blamed far assaulting it, Regardless of the
havoc which necessarily ensued, they threw
intd the crowded town ,hiIty-thousand can
shot, and sixteen thousand bombs When
the French troops entered, says Allison, "six
thousand dead bodies still lay unbur;ed in
the streets among the fragments of buildings,
or around the churches; half the houses
were in ruins; infants were striving in vain
\ to get nutriment from their dying mothers.
\ Fity-four thousand
hNWan being had perished during The siege
of whom only six thousand were killed by the
sword or fire Of the enemy; the awful plague
had carried OFF the rest" Such were the re-
suls ofthe siege of Saragossa, (for the break
ing out of the plague was as much conse-
quence as the deaths by fire and sword y and
it is acknowledged to be one Of the most
glorious events in the history of war. Crti-
cisms upon the siege of Vera Cruz become
ridiculous, when its attendant circumstances
are compared with such wholesale slaughter
as Napoleon ahd Wellington never hesilaied
to undetake, if it was necessary 10 accom-.
pl;sh military Richmond Times.