Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-02-04
FEBRUARY 4, 1917.

place of Importance on tho road to the city Of
Mexico, is three hundred milestone hundred
and forty badly watered, where no supplies of
any kind could be procured for men or horses.
have informed the War Department that 10000
efficient men would be necessary to insure sue
cess if we moved on that place,(a city contain
ing population of 10000, where the enemy
could bring together and sustain, besides the
citizens, an army of 50,000,) force, which
approhend, will hardly be collected by us, with
the train necessary to feed it, well as to trans
port other supplies, particularly ordnance and
munitions of war;
In regard to the armistice, which would have
expired, by limitations in few days, we los.
nothing by it, as VIC could not move even now,
had the enemy continued to occupy Satlllo (;
for, strange to say, the first wagon which has
reached me since the declaration of war, was
on the I'd inst, the same day on which | recev-
ed from Washington an acknowledgment CT my
despatch announcing the taking OF Monterey (;
and then received only 1876, so that have been,
since May last, completely crippled, and am still
so, for want of transportation. After rakng and
scraping the country for miles around Camargo'
collecting every pack mule and other means OF
transportation, | could bring here only $4,000
rations, Fifteen days suppyl with moderate
supply of ordnance, ammunition sc. to do which,
all tne corps Ilhu 10 lBdNt Dculuu IL pOlAloll VI
their camp equipage necessary for their comfort,
and in some instances, among the volunteers,
| their personal baggage. ! moved in such way
and with such limited means, that had | not sue
ceeded I should no doubt have been severely
reprimanded, if nothing worse. did SO to sus
tain the administration.
OF the two regiments of mounted men from
Tennessee and Kentucky, who left their respec
tive states to Join m, in June, the latter has
Just reached Camargo; the former had not go
to Matamoras at the latest dates from there
Admitting that they will be as long in returning
as in getting here, TO say nothing of the time
necessary to recruit their horses, and were 10 be
discharged in time to reach their homes, they
conld serve in Mexico but very short time
The foregoing remarks are not made with tht
view of finding fault with any one, but to poln
out the difficulties with which have had to con
tend.
Monterey, the capital of New Leon, is situatet
on the San Juan River, where it comes out o
the mountains, the city, (which contains pop
ulation of about twelve thousand) beng IN par
surrounded by them, at the head OF large an
beautiful valley The houses are of stone, in tn
Moorish stvle. with flat roofs, which, with thei
strongly inclosed yards and gardens in hg
stone walls, all looped for musketry, make ther
each fortress within itself 1t is the most I'M
portant place in Northern Mexico, Tor on the eas
side of the Sierra Madre.) commanding the onl
pass or road for carriages from this side, bctwee
it and the Gulf of Mexico, to the table lands
the Sierra, by OF through which the city of Me1
leo can be reached.
much fear shall have exhausted your pr
tience, before you get half through this long an
uninteresting letter. If so, you can only comm
it to the flames and think no moe about it, as
write in great haste, besides being interrupte
every five minutes so that you must make grei
allowances for blots interlineatlons and blunder
as well as want of connection in so many par
of the same.
Be SO good as TO present me most kindly
your excellent lady, and accept my sincere wis
cs for your continued health, prosperity al
fame.
remain, truly and sincerely,
Your friend,
II. TAYLOR.