New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-08-17
Letter from Cassius vi. Clay.
\. CITY OF MEXICO, July %, lei7.

To he Editors Of he Picasuae;
| have till now refrained from making any thing
public touching capture. The probability that !,
might become the subject OF legal Investigation seemed
10 inc To be sufficient reason among others for silence
But since the merits OF our surrender have become
the topic OF discussion any farther Difference to person
al delicacy becomes criminal injustice to those who
have right to claim Of mo. their immediate commander,
whatever protection my humble ability cen srord tne
therefore merge the mputaton OF egotsm and seites
ton 10 the higher necessity of dschaging duty to the
living who do not and the dead who cannot speak Tor
If the failure of our superior officers to exchange us
star three successful battles and the capture OF man
prisoners of Is necessary TO the public service To-
quhng the soldier TO surrender but In all cases
to lay down his life without regard to the inequality OF
numbers the resulting good OF the sacrnce then Win
out murmur submit 10 the sentence But ibis poll
cy becomes not general and Is not deemed usual and
necessary In war; then the part OF mJself and my
brave companions In arms, some OF whom have gone
from the oa,hsome prisons OF Mexico where praise nor
blame can never reach themI protest against as
deuuson without trial and penalty without crime
You term the surrender at Encarnacion an honora-
be capltuailon" Ii s The mass OF mankind Judge
of things by their apparent success or failure WIN
them victory Is glory and defeat dsersce But win
enlightened minds 10 better 20 deserve success thsn 10
win IL Yet psradoxicsl as 1t may seem say mat the
expedition TO Encarnacion not only deserved, Dut
achieved success.
Lieut. Col Field, Surgeon Roberts and Msj Gaines
will remember that the night preceding the sdven
ure II urged that The accommodating party should
consist Of large body with artillery sufficient 10 hold
the enemy Ia check till the arrival OF renforcements
or strong enough to retreat with It's face 10 the Zoe
Or else II should be ANAL body whose oss would not
DO materially felt by the army part OF whom We might
calculate from the superior speed OF the horses and
better address of the would return with the ndnss
OF the euemys position and force The last alternative
we were compelled 10 adopt the result tore
told. We found the enemy and sent back rord Of hrs
approach. Whether this reasoning be In accordance
with military science. no and how far the success OF
the glorious battle Of Buens Vista owing 20 this
timely warning leave sbler strsegsn than 10 deter
mine.
But why anticipate capture The country through
which they had pass was erase covered plain shut
In by mountains where there wes no growth OF wood
TO conceal us We were compelled TO go to liked and
well known places for water surrounded by Tsneheros
who ever ready and not slow 10 giving timely
Ercarnacon we had resolved, according TO the spar
tan maxim continually to change our camp 10 avoid
surprise and 10 move. necessary, twice night 70
prevent the pessantry's knowing our Whereabouts
That we csmped two nights successfully In kncsrna'
con the In part of our capture Yves ranef tne "
suit OF fortune than design on our part for We nsa On
the ped advanced len miles Ia the direction Of satio
Intending to attack two hundred men whom we learned
were stationed there but night storm ana aarknes'
coming on We compelled, having no guide, 20 re
turn sinst the protest of some and our previous
of action 10 The idea OF putting out pekel
guards In plain Of twenty miles diameter
by roads In all drcctions IL sosard. And had pcse'
guard given an alarm the night the result would have
been the same for we would have LETT our cattle al
morning till We the enemy and knew Their ioree
sevsny.one men and officers gil told. held Gen. MI
non and hres thousand regular and veteran roops as
numbered By himself at bay from dawn I'll noon OF The
sa5 dsv az January. Without half Is many rounds o.
shot as there were opposing foes without water without
provisions one hundred and Ten miles nom camp win
out thu reinotest probability Of reinforcement We unsni
m psy determined 10 eEaz "ths most honorable terms
Cspi,rsstop known nations, or cell cur hvcs lkt
So held the faith that honor "a the only necessary
HOilps Mexican Chief Of equal rank wiih our com
re- udsa - hostage. Msj Gaines and Cen hinoh con
claded TIE following terms of capitalization; \,
FI~ The most honorable treatment u prisoner VI
war known 20 bssions
sc-ad Pivssc property TO bc strictly respected.
.aTd Our hexiesn guide t. receive fsir ufal N tae
when We renoDssf r..s Tyior fought a Bsena
Vista IL Liberal ce.nIuts2ioe fesr and bad his
haads fnl-snd that we stood ess than one " JoTfy
OF the enemy under their gallant chief hazard
the assertion that 10 the history Of the Mexican War
there viii have been exhibition Of nobler gsllan,ry
shsn was displayed az the cspulsfon Of Encsrn.coa
Accept assurances .; ry lasiog gratitude that Won
have with hrs. Hams - 10 The Captive Knight en-
tered into prisoners sreis snd msgn&nimo1sly vind
Gated our clsms upon our eountrys justice. For al
that is sensraly deemed repunerafive IN falls 70
the lot OF others--but
TIE worm, the csnksr and the grief
Ever yoar ob't ssryI C.M.CLAY. B.
Late and lssercstins from Tampieo.
The schooner William and Elizabeth, Captain
Beach, arrived yesterday from Tar1pico. which
place she ielt ON the Soth ult Capt Beach has n
yored Us with the following intelligence / !;
Ne <so a <xe<{fSnw N M friauda ~ Lent IHo<f.