Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-05-28

The Picayune publishes 4 letter from Mr.
Kendall, one OF lis editors from which we make
the following eylrac, in regard 10 subject upon
which there has been much misapprehension:
JALApA, Mexico, May s, lS47.
Many of the newspapers are finding fault with
Gen. Scott for reducing Gen. Taylor's strength
so materially in the early part of last winter, but
10 my thinking they do The former injustice. II
may not be generally known, ye; still believe
il 10 be strictly true, that when President Polk de-
cided TO change the base of operations from the
Rio Grande To Vera Cruz, il was arranged al
Washington city that Gen. Scott should place
Gen. Taylor on the defence, and strictly So until
the new volunteers should reach him; and be-
leye il 10 be equally true, that Gen. Scott, in
| Withdrawing troops from Gen. Taylor, indicated
the whole plan, and distinctly placed The latter
on the defensive, according 10 The plan arranged
and approved al The seat OF Government
Well, what was The lesult2 Gen. Taylor in
his defensive position, was assailed by Santa An
ma, and with an Immense force. Grant, now,
wha, no man denies, that Gen. L. gained bril-.
liant. most glorious victory-bestow upon him
all The laudalon that language can express, for
richly does he deserve it-yel still il must be adj
millrd by every body that the result fell precise
" ,ciihin the plan arranged at Washington, 50
far as Gen. Taylor on the Rio Grande frontier
was concerned. Nothing has occurred on that
line to discredit the judgment, by whomsocyerex-
ercised, By which The hero Of The Resaca and Of
Monterey was placed on the defensive, and by
which he was enabled 10 add another glorious
triumph 10 The American arms. The emergen-
cy was certainly greater than any one anlicipa-
ted when Gen. Worth's division was taken from
him, yet The result shows how well ne was able 10
cope with il.
On the other base, also, there has been The mo>l
complete and brilliant success. Vera Cruz and The
noted castle of San Juan de Ulua have been cap
lured, through an application Of The science nj lror,
by which the most important results have beer
surely and securely accomplished. The strong
hold, too. of Cerro GorLo has been slormed and
taken, Santa Anna has been twice d:rcomitted
and oyerhrown when he vainly hoped that victo-
nv was within his grasp. The whole plan has
succeeded then, both on The Rio Grande base ami
on The new base Of Vera Cruz; and what ground
there is OF censure anywhere, either in the dspo-
siiun or withdrawal oi troops, is more than |
can discover.
Let us examine lillle-!et any one now 90
back and consider the probabilities when Gen
TayloI's force was weakened. II was then uni
versay known that Gen. Scott was 10 assail We
IA Cruz an undertaking requiring veteran and
tTleu troops. Ills COMMUNICATIONS W oeHciai
Taylor fully declared his objecl 10 be the reduc-
ton of Vera Cruz those communications BY The
murder Of the unfortunate Lieut.. Richey, fell in
10 the hands OF The enemy, and what then was
naturally expected? That Santa Anna would
move up in full force TO dive Gen. Taylor from
an unimrorlant part OF Mexico7 Not al all
The universal, or the almost universal expecIa-
ton was thar he would move a body OF his besl
troops rapidly down 10 The protection Of the pin-
cipal jewel in the deIences oil The Mexican Re-
public He had it in his power 10 move either
way, and who could tell in what direction he
would himself moves He chose, rs the sequel
shows, 10 leave Vera Cruz 10 lis fate, fearing the
regular troops drawn from The Rio Grandc from,
lier by Gen. Scott, and TO TALL upon Gen. Taylor
with The hope OF Obtaining cheap victory
This contingency, though not probable, was sill
supposed possible from the first, and The result Of
the battle of Ruena Vista, as before observed
was entirely within the calculations made al
Washington in The fall OF '46, which Gen. Scott
merely carried out with his best Judgement
There is really, then, no ground OF complaint in
any quarter, but honor is due 10 all who have
brought about the success which has crowned The
whole plan.