Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-23
NATIONAL INTELLlGENCER.
MAJOR GEN. SCOTT, U. S. Army.

find it copied the following very tribute by
the Hartford Times "a journal also Democratic in
its politics) TO the military merit of the General
Commanding the Army of the United States:
"THE ComMAspER OF THE FoncEs.-It seems to US that
the merit Of Gen. ScorT in gaining the late astounding vco
res before Mexico, has yet received its fitting tribute
from the public press. His political opinions
y debar him from receiving the suages of the Demo
cratic party for the chief magsacy OF the Union But this
circumstance cannot prevent from seeing that this great SOL
dier has deserved exceedingly well of the Republic and
quired very strong title the ervent gratitude of his
trymen. Perhaps indeed, whose hairs already
svered in the service of his country the due appreciation and
acknowledgment of that prove acceptable
reward than the highest office that could be conferred upon
him. AT all events the least that be done is to award
just honor and praise in snted nggardy measure,
those who have other remuneration TO expect for their
brave deeds The battles of Contrero and Chuubusco
tainy rank among the most brilliant military achievements of
the age. little band of eleven thousand audacious
ders have defeated with immense slaughter, army of
thirty thousand troops, drawn up in position of their
choosing their SOIL defend their affairs and heah,
in the very heart of their country But alone the
ndomtabe vao of troops which distinguished these bat
ties They equal degree marked with all the Skill
science, and foresight of a mastery strategy.
In turning the rocky and almost mpregnabe passes Of
Penon and Mexcacngo fortified with terrific batteries, upon
which the enemy had expended the labor of MONTHS Gen.
Scott displayed the most generashp II was not
the avoiding evadDg these formidable posts which
sttued its 1t was, that his cool and pracsed eye dis
cened at glance that passage could be cut through dense
forests and tangled dee and heaps of huge rock where the
dreamed that such exploit conceivable
Ii repetition of the skul otfanking
by which he had before spared much valuable life at Ceo
Gordo-a which rendered all the aboous prepa
raon and dences Of the enemy useless and which Santa
Anna himself pronounced mastery and worthy of Ma
poleon IL has been the crownlng merit OF Scott that while
be every where victorious he has also every where
husbanded his forces Daring and intrepid the last degree
where those qualities called for, he has time
been careful wanony waste the lives of his troops
stormngs reckless assaults Under almost
other general his handful Of troops would long
have melted away from repeated collisions with inert but
whemng masses. With a humanity less conspicuous
than his bravery, Scott has always abstaned from any nds
crminae slaughter of sanguinary and merciless
foe. Ii great thing TO have mastered the
nowned fortress of San Juan de Uuaa second Gibraltar
with lng loss of life. The victory Santa Anna
Cero Godo, the well the magnitude of
the achievement daring and mastery exploit Ii
also great hinga sight, in fact full of moral grandeur
when four thousand hundred taered and wayworn sol
ders under his command entered the magnificent city of Pu
eba and with all the confidence of conquerors stacked their
and laid themselves down to sleep the great square,
surrounded by hostile population of eighty thousand
But, last q all, and admirable than ALL has been
the with which he has nursed and kept together his little
band OF eleven thousand and the almost fabulous auacty
and still incredible with which he has pushed
hem step by STEP the very heart of civilized nation of
millions, and to the gates of capital of 200 900 souls
the renowned seat of Legendary and mythc magnfcence
and the most ancient and best built city the continent If
modern warfare has any parallel for this great feat Of arms
we know not where TO look for it.
The successive tumphs of Vera Cruz Of Cerro Gordo
of Pueha and of Mexico, undmmed they have hitherto
been by reverse have unquesonaby raised the repu
aton Of the commander to very great height and placed
to the least fully level with that Of the greatest Gen
erals Of his time Nor there denying that those vcto
ries have been of such order that while they elevate the
successful leader they also at least equal degree, exa
the character and extend the of his country Hence
cannot bring selves make apology what APP
pears 10 as notice Of General ScorT the Of his
being Wing. Of gratitude for his distinguished
services IN this would not permit US to say less The
fame OF victorious general cannot justly be held to belong
any party. II Is the property Of the whole natlon
Since the above article was put in type, the par
tculars OF the late desperate and bloody conflict of
arms in Mexico have reached US and upon that
news we find in the Baltimore American of yester-
day the following commentary, which commands
our entire appreciation, as we dare say 1t will that
Of every reader Of this paper
FROM TIN BALTIMORE AMERICAN or OCTOBER %.
TuE VICTORIES IN MErIco.-The records of the gallant
achievements troops in Mexico add luse the
martial history Of the Republic. From the landing Vera
Cruz to the entrance Of army into the city Of Mexico
series Of brilliant exploits has marked every step Of their way
If the retreat Of &ESoPHoS with thousand men, from the
heart Of enemys country, is regarded with admiration,
and mentioned in history Of those extraordinary things
which genius and enterprise accomplish when favored y
fortune, what must be said Of the advance of army little
exceeding ten thousand into the valley Of Mexico into the
capital Of the enemy country three hundred miles
coast, sormng s way 1t marched, defeating armies far
exceeding il III numbers and enenched in strong forica-
lions, and holding its position VIGOROUSLY ia city of one
hundred and eighty thousand inhabitants the midst Of
dense and hostile population around
The Army which has done this composed too in part
of volunteer soldiers who have the first tune
Of who hurried from the peaceful avoatons Of life to en-
counter The pe and hardshPs Of war, with PREPARATION
no habtua discipline expecting to receive their FIRST lessons
in military affairs upon the field Of battle. Noble scholars
indeed have they proved themselves 10 be The soldiers
one campaign, they already, able cope with
the veterans Of any service.
The m1scry gcneralshp Of the COMMANDMENT chief has
exhibited the admirable combinations OF discretion and
daring this whole Of bold INVASION Of deter
mined perseverance, and heroic achievements The laures
Of Chippewa which crowned the youthful brow Of ScorT
renewed and eshencd by those pucked from the
OF Mexico Long they flourish the brightness Of their
yerdure
The iocaance Of General Scorr when be entered the city
OF Mexico, as testified by the letters Of resident foreigners
who bad witnessed the sackug OF European cities when
tered by an excited and victorious sodery characteristic
OF the most exalted kind, rejecting indispensable honor upon
The commander who ordered and upon the trOo that