The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-11-21
NEW YORK. SUNDAY MORNING NOVEMBER o. N47.

gratitude to God for the signal triumphs which they
have recently achieved for their country ths
favoring providence Of the" Lord OF Hoeu. ana 70
render to His holy name our praise and THANKSGIVING
for the samewbich reasonable and bounden duty
let u.s. my brethren of the army consider with some
attention the nature and greatness Of the
which gratitude Is called forth Although 1t has
been questioned still be shown to be the duty OF
Christian people and more 80 Of the army OF Chris.
tiap land to offer thanksgiving to the Great Ruler OF
nations for the victories by which lie has crowned their
well for all other blessings OF His providence;
and If So who will the amount Of gratitude
due Him from country and It's army for the uniform
and great which have attended our arms st
large from the rst battle to the last and espe
ciay Of this portion Of forces from landing at
Vera Cruz to the termination Of the campaign by |
9Sr victorious entry into this capita, o. the nation
that to be depored aud involving terrible rssponsi
oiity on the governments who are parties TO It, is st
right at least side the means OF national dc.
fence aud prsservationof preventing the repetition Of
national wrongs by their punishment redressng in
juries inflicted and obtaining rights withheld Whss
therefore, people succeed in war wsgsd by the 60
ing to the Great Dspossr Of events from whom that
has proceededfor victory In war Is not only
sings considered in ITSELF but 1t is the only OF
gaining the object contended for and procuring an ho
ry It should however be borne in mind that the re-
sponsbity Of the before observedthat to
rests not on those who serve in the army but on the
constituted authorities OF the country whose orders
Is the soldiers duty TO obey and execute. lie should
to be sure In his private capacity desire and that
he may be called to do battle but In righteous
causs-rshtsous on the part Of his government sin
determination Of the authority Of the country him.
anG with and might to prosecute In his station
the 1t has declared or sanctioned. And without
reference to the origin Of this IL Is
duty as officers and soldiers vigorously to wage it.
conquer just and honorable pence its happy conclu
sion In the prosecution of this waged as It has
been with the most scrupuous regard part to the
laws Of warfare recognised by the cvsed and Christian
nations valor the part Of the soldier, whether In
on the other hand his schis1smsnts should BE- csle
brsted and his services by appropriate dstnc
ITEMS for he not only renders the most important ser
vice his country but In doing braves the greatest
dangers and pers his dearest possession-liis itself
My brethrenwe have of gratitude to God In the
reflection that belong through his providentia ap
pointments, to brave, we'll free race-and that
lie ha, inspired our commanders with wisdom and mill
tary skill to combine these elements OF individual power
In the achievement of exploits, which, they are the
proper subject of our own wonder, we may modestly
that we may be truly influenced by gratitude mutt
believe what We acknowledge In the Thanksgiving Of
the world He is, indeed the only Giver of all Vic
tory" and that not unto us-not unto us-but to the
Lord belongs the praise And assuredly II the hand
Of the Almighty Disposer Is to BIO recognized in
the affairs Of the world 1t would that 1t must be
In such signal and important events those We are nov
called upon to consider and be thankful for And all
but the utterly irrelgious will His favoring provi
dencs, msnfesty displayed In our behalf not indeed
that we infer from his approval of the OF
our country that he has taken side because
are better more deserving than our opponent; no.
for often does He his inscrutabe wisdom permit the
apparent wrong to succeed and the right to be defeated
Such inference Is not involved In our thRnksgvings
which have distinct and a.suioient object in our In
divdua delvsrance from great and imminent danger
from 1.-The arrow that heth by day"-from the pesti-
ence that walketh In darkness," and from tn. de-
struction that waseth at day that while thou
sand have fallen at our sde and ten Thousand at our
right hsnd He, in his mercy hath not permitted thu
ect the benefits conferred by these repeated victories
our army and country and the more unmerited are
| shApIA ha ifr.la
In considering how great things the good Lord Ia h
done for u.s." must regard the uniformity Of our
success What 10 true Of the whole Is especially
50 of this entire campaign, from the landing Of
army Vera Cruz up to the capture OF this city We
gagged in nsht but to conquer never attacked but to
defeat enemy All difficulties however great have
ell %sc Sv nstDr
or by the art of has been able resist
assault And remarkable STILL the pecuiarities Of
the climate aud have not presented their antc
pated obstacles and the very elements have been made
to minister TO our aid the fortune Of war; $50 caed)
been uninterruptedy with US browning with eminent
success ali our plans and battles communicating the
campaign In possession Of this capital Of Mexico
Say, then ye oppugnsrs Of Providence-ye advocates
of blind chance can aught but the admission pur.
pose In the mind OF the Great Dposer OF events who
holds the very winds in his ast account for such mar
God in all this let consider that In oil our principal
battles have been greatly outnumbered by the enc
nv who nevertheless, instead Of making attack, has
awaited 1t from and that too, In positions selected
fortified greatly to increase his power Of resis
at our daring with such dminutve forces to penetrate
far into the interior Of country Inhabited by at
80 far from the sea-board thereby encounterng the
great difficulty Of keeping open our communications
with the places whence our and supplies
ment have been increased, when they saw us, with
forces apparently Inadequate to the object abandon
that very communication, those reinforcemsns and
supplies and with . hsrdihood which can only find =
in the army Of CorteI trust to our stout hearts
S s%oons
amount to the wonder which possesses them, when
n despite Of ali these disadvantage added to def
cheney in heavy artiery-(.incs supplied from their
superabundance at Contreras and Churubusco0 we
forced our way into the very heart OF country 50
| to bid defiance to all skill and numbers Yet such
is the fact and when in the words Of the order
have performed those brilliant deeds shall have become
known, the world will be astonshed, and our own
We have cause to thank the Lord that operations
have been conducted under commander who
has felt and avowed his responsibility to God for the
duced by the vulgar reputation Of aghting bloody bat
Ties sought and gained victory by the application Of
own generalship fling the councils Of the enemy
by superior talent avang himself Of every advantage
which keen military sagacity could discover and saving
the victories in which they have been pered
Accordingly II cause Of grateful joy, that, with but
one exception our loss has been small In comparison
with that Of the enemy and with tho advantages gained
But while We award praise, high and merited, to the
gnershp and heroic courage displayed In the achieve.
mepts of army, let not forget that 1t God
who not only these abilities but by his assist
ing hand crowned the employment Of them with sue
The history Of In which 40 much b ascribed
the fortune Of war" verihes the saying Of the wis
man that the Is not to the swift the battle 4
the strong but time and chance happen to all ~ teach
inr us IL Is not in human wisdom might to
victory but time and chance, by which 10 meant th'
unseen hand OF the Almighty by interpreting crcum
stances prosperous adverse, gives success, where
1t could not have been expected and produces
defeat where frequently II could not have been looked
And this 10 wisely ordered that men 10 the en-
terprses of war as In other things may feel their de-
pendence on God for success and so be led to mpore
his aid, and render him grateful thanks ms we word
do for the victories they asorioe 10 ms goounesS
To feel this more by reference to particulars let US
but suppose the weather In the rain season wnen we
entered into this basin Of Mexico had been as wet as
Il proved unusually dry that the rain had fallen IN
torrents and flooded this low country A. the common
oase how could we have traversed this valley at all
mnch isss with our artillery and baggag What but
disaster in every form could have resulted! Had our