Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-04-15
Mfscollamy.
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ON THE EVENTS OF THE WAR.


ON THE EVENTS OF THE WAR.
Faoss THE LOUISVILLE Jou RIAL or MARCH 81.
The battle Of Buena Vista may be conse-
Grated TO fame, and poets may hymn rs 60
fses and zttune their harps TO sing the praise
oil The survivors and chant mourning requiems
over the graves OF the gallant dead, but mat
bloody field will also be consecraied 70 human
wo. Each one OF the thousands that were
maaysed 10 the fell spirit Of war had bis
friends, by whom his loss will be mourned.--
Many fathers there fell leaving helpless chill
dren 10 strugge with the stormy tides Of NE
w,thout protection of the parental arm. Ma
nv husbands there died, leaving trusting wives
10 lament in bitterness of soul their loss. Tie
dearly beloved sons o. hoary headed sres there
sighed lheis last breath away, 10 be mourned
awhile and soon 10 be followed TO the land Of
spirits by those TO whom their loss is irrepara-
| bic. When we reflect on the desolalion that
will be carried TO thousands Vt hrcsides; the
gloom that will hang like cloud over num-
berlsss homes lately bright with the hues Of
happiness; the tears Of orphans, the shr:eks OF
wives and mothers and sisters; the groans Of
fathers and sons and brothers; the wide spread
aud lasting grief that will result from The car
mage Of the field OF Buena Vista, what heart
can refuse its sympathy with the 5ereayed, or
refrain from curslng the infatuaton which
rendered such scenes OF blood necessary2-
Awful and deep is the responsibility Of those
rulers who bring on country the calamilies
of war, and from motives oil ambition, cause
the green fields Of this beautiful earth to be
rendened with human gore2
And what great purpose is to be advanced
by the iniquitous war which has already cost
this nation a vast expenditure of blood and
treasured What compensation is the country
10 gain by the waste oil SO much money, and
the quick deaths oil so many thousands of its
sons ON the battle field and the slow deaths.pf
so many other thousands by pesulence nd
diseased
If national glory can be reached only
through such mournlul scenes, ii is not pos
session to be coveted. Is our country 10 be
rendered more prosperous, our people better
and happier, by this cruel warl Are the arts
of civilization and the trumphs Of the peace
full spiri, of religion TO be promoted by the
carnage of Buena Vista2 No; for no such
purposes was this great calamity brought up
on our country. The war was begun TO ad-
vance the popularity Of certain detestable pol
iticians and unworthy aspirants for office,
and il has been continued for the digraceiul
purpose Of extending our territorial limits, al
ready too far extended for our population. II
the war were waged TO secure our liberties,
| or to shield our iiresdes from the rutheess in
yasion of the hired batallions Of foreign ty-
rants, it would then present some attractive
| feature to our counlrymen, and the tldln2s OF
each victory would be received with feelings
oil exultauon.
From the New York Express AprIs.
We have to lament the fall OF many young
and gallant spirits in this unfortunate, and, as
we have maintained, we think, uncalled for
and inexcusable war Beginning with the
storming of Matamoros, the sortie from Fort
Brown, the occupation ofPointlsabel, through
the bloody battles Of Palo Alto and Resaca de
la Palma, TO the taking Of Monterey, and ter
minatirg with the carnage on the held OF hue
ma Vista, the step Of that grim monster, war,
has been not alone over the stuff and stark
bodies of the slain, but over the broken bleed
ing hearts ola multitude Of survivors The
demon has marked his fell progress up TO
such poor achievements rs, with all this
sacrifice, we can boast of, as yet. by the
trophies of sundered ties, Of widowhood, of or
phanage, of flial and paternal and maternal
agony. The funeral cars have rolled, three
deep, through our streets, as we have sent
home our dead from the fields on which they
fell, to repose in their too early made graves
And vet the tide continues TO come up upon
us, far dwellers from that fearful scene Of
blood and death, IN sickenng surges, and SO
must flow on, until the policy Of an acciden-
tai administration Of our Government shall
have been successfully maintained in the ac-
QUESTION OF unneeded territory, and the salts
faction of some pecunary claims
Among the victims 10 this barbarous poll
cy, the fall of young LINCOLN, Of Massachu-
sets. strikes US with peculiar pain. We well
remember him, few years ago, in the beau
" of youth, in the dawnof his manhood, com
ing from the quiet retreats OF private life to
devote himself TO the cause and honor of his
country, From the FIRST there was about him
on entering his new profession, something
which seemed to stamp him with an assurance
| OF future distinction. And the promise has
been abundanlly realized. Devoted to the
discharge OF his duties on the peace establish
ment, he went iato active service, on the
breaking out of the war with Mexico, with
an obviously resoluie determination 10 dis
tinguish himself He soon had an opportu-
nity afforded him. On the day at Resaca de
la Palma he defended brother officer. in the
same command with himself, against the dead
ly attack. hand to hand, Of superiors, and gal
lantly and molly saved his comrades lie and
won lmpershable laurels by the firmness and
determination which he manifested upon that
irving occasion. The trusty leader of our
brave little army was not forgetful of an act
so memorable, and the honorable mention OF
the Young Lieutenant in the dispatches of
TAYLOR was followed by his immediate pro-
motion in the line. Nor was this ALL A yet
greater and prouder need was awarded him
in his transfer to General Taylor's own staff
as Assistant Adjutant General--an honor that
in itself was fame. II was like the aceolade
upon stricken field, which king, in the
old chvary, laid upon the neck OF the doer of
gallant deeds, and made him noble.
AT Buena Vista, on the 23d of February,
Lincoln, ii we can implicitly credit the detail,
as yet received ofthat action, most fully vim
dicated the high expectations, as brave and
daring soldier, which had been formed Of him.
The facts that General TAYLOR ION whose
staff he was) received ball through his coat,
that Adluiant General Bliss (wnose assistant
he was) was wounded, and that Lincoln fell,
combine 10 Prove that their post was at the
very point Of danger throughout the action
And so was the young Captains brief but