The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-10
COMMUNICATION.
10 THE EDITOR OF THE UNION.
VICTORIA, TAMAuIpAs, MEXICO,
January q lS17

January g. ls47
DEAR SIR After much speculation and no little mis-
representation about the equalization OF Monterey, per-
ceive by our recent newspapers, that discussion has
arisen as 10 who responsible for that transaction As
one OF the commissioners who entrusted by General
Taylor with the arrangement OF the terms upon which
the city OF Monterey and its Notifications should be dev
cred to our forces have had frequent 10 recu
TO the course then adopted and the considerations which
led 10 H. My judgment after the fact has fully sustained
my decisions at the date of the and feeling
myself responsible for the instrument prepared and
presented IL to our commanding general have the salts
iacuon after all subsequent events TO believe that the
terms we offered were expedent and honorable and wise
distinguished gentleman with whom acted that COM
mission, Governor Henderson, says in recently pub
lshed letter, did not at the tme do still like the
terms put acted as OF the commissioners together
with General Worth and Colonel Davis to carry out
General 1ayors instructions. We ought and could have
made them surrender at discretion Re, &c.
From each position taken in the above paragraph dis
sent. The instructions given by General Taylor only
presented his object and fixed limit to the powers of
hs commissioners; hence, when points raised which
exceeded discretion they referred TO the com
mander; but MINOR points were acted on and finally sub
united as part OF negotiation. We fixed the time
within which the Mexican forces should retire from
Monterey We agreed upon the time would wait for
The decision OF the respective governments, which re-
collect less by thiriy-four days than the Mexican
commissioners asked--the period adopted being that
which, according to estimate required bring
up the rear OF our army with the ordnance and supplies
necessary Tor farther operations.
did not then, nor do | now, believe we could have
made the enemy surrender at discretion Had entertain
ed the opinion II would have been given 10 the commits
SON. and to the commanding general, and would have
precuded me from signing agreement which permitted
the garrison to retire with the honors of 1t is de-
monsuabe, IRON the position and known prowess OF the
two armies, that we could drive the enemy from the
towns but the town untenabe whilst the main fort
Called the CITADEL remained in the hands of the
could only hope 10 carry this fort by storm, after
heavy loss from our army; which, isolated in hostile
country, numbered less than half the forces of the
euemy When all this had been achieved what more
would have GAINED than by the caDituatiOn
General layors force was too small to invest the
town. 1t was, therefore, always in the power Of the
envy to retreat bearing his light arms Our army-poor-
~ provided, and with very insufficient transportation
could not have overaken if they had pursued the flying
enemy, Hence the clusion that as il not in
power to capture the main body of the Mexican army, it
is unreasonable to suppose their general would have
surrendered at discretion The moral effect of retiring
under the capuaton was certainly greater than if the
enemy had rereated without consent BY this
we secured the large supply OF ammunition nc had col
lected in Monterey-whch had the assault been
tnued must have been exploded by shells,
principally stored in the Cathedral" which, being sup
posed to be filled with troops, the especial aim of
our pieces The destruction which this explosion would
have produced must have involved the advance of both
divisions of troops; and commend this to the
temptation OF those whose arguments have been drawn
from facts learned since the commissioners closed their
EQUATIONS WIN these Introductory remarks, l send
copy OF manuscript in my possession, which pre-
pared to meet such necessity exists for expa-
nation of the views which governed the commissioners
arranging the of capiuation to Justify the
handing general, should Misrepresentation and caumny
attempt to arnsh his wellearned reputation and for all
time TO come fix the truth Of the transaction Please
puDsh tnls IN your paper ana believe me your friend,
&c, JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Memoranda Of the transactions in connerton ,cith the
edpidtton Of Monterey capital Of Nuera Leon, Mer-
By invitation of General Ampudia commanding the
Mexican army, General Taylor accompanied by num-
Der of his officers, proceeded the 2lth September,
1916 to house designated as the place at which Gene
raj Ampuda requested interview. The parties being
convened General AmDudia official InfOr-
nation, that commissioners from the United States had
been received by the OF Mexico and that the
orders under which he had prepared to defend the city OF
Monterey, had lost their force by the subsequent change
OF his own government therefore he asked the confer
ence. bnef conversation between the commanding
generals, showed their views to be opposite, to
leave little reason to expect amcabe arrangement be-
tween them.
such propositions General Ampula indicated One
OF General Ampudias party, | Think the governor of
the city, suggested the appointment of mixed COM
OF the United States army, General J. Pinckney Hen
derson of the Texan volunteers and Colonel Jefferson
Davis of the Mississippi rifemen on the part Of General
Taylor; and General J. Ma Ortega General p Requena
and Senior the Governor NJ Ma Lano the part OF Gen.
Ampuda, appointed.
General Taylor gave instructions to his commissioners
which, UNDERSTOOD for they brief and rbal,
will be best shown by the copy of the demand which the
United States commissioners prepared in the conference
room here Incorporated
Copy of demand by United States Commissioners.
IL AS the leSllnale result Oh the operations before this
place. and the present position of the contendng armies
demand the surrender OF the town. the arms and mu
ntions of war; and all other public property within the
place
al That the Mexican armed force retire beyond the
Rinconada, Linares, and San Fernando, the coast.
lll. The commanding general of the army of the United
States agrees that the Mexican officers their side
and private baggage and the troops be allowed to
retire under their officers without parole reasonable
time beng allowed to withdraw the forces
CIV. The immediate delivery of the main work, oc
cupied, 10 the army of the United States.
'V. To avoid collisions, and for mutual convenience
that the troops of the United States shall occupy the
town until the Mexican forces have been withdrawn
except for hospital purposes storehouses, &c.
"Vl. The commanding general OF the United States
agrees not to advance beyond the line specified in the
second section before the expiration OF eight weeks or
until the respective governments be heard from
The terms of the demand were refused by the Next
commissioners, who drew up counter proposition,
OF which only recollect that il contained permission
to the Mexican forces to retire with their arms. This
was urged OF sodiery pride, and an ordi
nary courtesy We had reached the limit of insruc-
TONS and the commission to report the disagreement
Upon returning to the reception room, after the fact
had been announced that the commissioners could not
agree upon terms, General Ampudia entered Mt length
upon the question, treating the point OF disagreement
which involved the honor OF his country, spoke of
his desire for settlement without further bloodshed and
said he did not about the pieces of artillery which
be had at the place General Taylor responded to the
wish TO avoid unnecessary boodshed 1t was agreed the
commission should reassemble and were instructed
to concede the small arms and supposed there would
be question about the artillery The Mexican COM
mssioners urged that, all other arms had been
recognised would be discredabe to the artillery if re-
CURED march without anything to represent their
ARM and stated in answer to inquiry, that they had
battery of light artillery, manPuvTed and equipped as