The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-02-13
THE MEXICAN WAR.
Interesting Document
RELATIVE TO THR
CAPITULATI0N OF MONTERREY.
&c. kr. &c.
&c. &r. &c.
THE cArIrULArIoS OF MONTEREY.
From the Washington Union.]
VicrosiA, TAMAuL'SAs, Nsx,oo,


From the Washington Union.]
VierosiA, TAMAuLyAs, Msx'oo, I
Afer much speculation and no little mis- epressnta.
ton about the cnpitulation OF Monere perceive by
our recent newspapers that discussion has arisen
to who respohsb for that transaction As of
the commissioners who entrusted by General Tay.
Tor wi the arrangement Of the terms upon which
city OF Monterey na 6cstons should be delivered
to our forces, have had frequent occasion recur
the course then adopted and the considerations which
led to II. My Judgment after tho fact has fully sns
tanned my dec, at the date OF the occurrences and
fseog irresponsible for the instrument az PIE
pared aud presented il tn our comma ding 0,nsrsi
nave the siaetion after all subseau events TO
believe that the terms offered were .xaedient aud
hono'able' and wise distinguished gentleman with
whom scted on that commision. Governor fiender.
sony sars, IN recently published ieter'' did not at
the time, nor 10 sill Ike he terms but acted one
Colonel Davis TO carry out General Taylor instruc
tons We 'ulht and could hsve made them surrender
Fiom each position taken in the above paragraph II
dissent rhe Instructions given by General Tsy lor only
presented hs object and fixed limit to the powers OF
his comm ssioDers hence, when points were raised
which exc,e led discretion, they referred to
the commeni"r; but minor points were acted on, and
finally srbn,;ted part OF our negotiation We Axe
the time witln whCh the Mex forces should retire
from Monterey. we agreed upon tho time would
which rssollcct was less by thirty dsys than the
Mexican commissioners asked-the period adopted
berg that which, according. to our es,@as, was
quir-d TO bring up ta Of our army, with the ord
nance and supplies necessary for further operations
did no. heo nor do now, believe that could
ertained The opinion il would have been given to the
commission, 10 the commanding general and would
have preciuded me from signing agreement which
united the garrison retire with the honors OF war
II Is demonstrale, from tho position and known pIowef
OF the two armies that we coula drive the enemy from
the town; but the town was nntenabe whilst the moin
tort called the new citsdeD remained 10 the hands OF the
enemy: Being without siege artillery or entrench-
ing tools could only hope TO carry this fort by Storm
after heavy loss from army; which, isolated in
hostile country numbered less than half the forces
OF the enemy When all This had been achieved, what
would
General Taylors force was too small to invest the
enemy to retreat, bearing his iiss. arms p Our army
poorly provided and with very insufficient trsnsports
dying enemy Hence the conclusion that q: il was moi
in power to capture the main body OF the Mexican
army is unreasonable to suppose their general would
have surrendered at discretion The moral effect Of
firing under the cspulaton certainly greater than
il the enemy had retreated without By this
had collected in had the assault been
continued must have been exploded by our shells it
was principally stored in ne Cathedral, which, being
supposed to bo filled with troops the especial aim Of
pieces The destruction which this explosion would
have produced must have the advance of both
divisions Of our troops and commend this to the
temptation OF those whose arguments have been drawn
from facts learned socs the Commissioners closed their
eg0atioDs With these Introductory remarks send
copy Of manuscript in my possession. which pre-
pared to such necessity exists for expla
nation OF the views which governed the
maDding general should and caumny
attempt to tarnsh his reputation, and for all
time come to f the truth OF the transaction Please
SC JEFFERSON DAVIS.
Msmorands Of the trsns4etions eonntsion Nth the
eapituta,fon cf Monterey. cspiIsi Of Nuspa Leon
BY invitation Of General Ampuda, commanding the
Meai,sn army, General Tsylo accompanied by nun
1876 house designated the place at which Gene.
raj AmpudiA requested interview. The parties being
convened General Ampuda announced o6ioial ,nfor
nation that commissioners from the United states had
been received by the OF Mexco and that the
Monterey hsd lost tue force by the subsequent change
OF his own government therefore he asked the confer
briaf conversation between the commanding
generals showed THEN views to be 80 opposite 4,
little reason to expects amicsble arrangement be-
tween them
General Taylor said he would not delay to receive
propositions General Ampuda indicsisd One
General Ampuda's psrty, think, the governor OF the
city, suggested the appointment Of g'ixsd commissi
this scceded to, and General w. q. Worth, of the
United states army, General Pinckney Henderson, OF
the rexnn volunteers and Colonel Jefferson Davis. Of
he Mississippi rhemeD the part Of Gene 81 Isy lor
and General Ma. Urtsgs General P R.quena, and
senior the Governor NJ Ma Llsno the part NJ General
Anpuda. were appointed.
General Fay lor gave instruction, TO his rommiss sners
which, unds stood, for they were briet anc verbal
viii b. best shown by tho copy Of tho demand which the
United ates commissioners prepared the conference
roon here IN .orporaed;
COPY Of demonfby United States Csmmissioners
A. tue legitimate result Of operations before this
place ana the position OF the conenJDB armies
dem and the surrender OF the town the and
nons u war snd ell ether puplc property within the
That the Mexican armsl force retire beyond the
hinconola, Linare., and san Fernando, the coast
rhe commanding general OF the army Ut the United
arms anu private Baggage ana the troop be allowed 10
fsiire .sr their .h:es without parole, reasonable
time beng allowed 10 withdraw tho forces.
1 Tie immediate delivery OF the main work now oc
cupied, 10 tho army Of the United ststes.
To avoid collisions, and Tor mutual convenience,
until the Mexican forces have been Withdrawn,
except Tor hospital purposes storehouses, K,
The commanding general Of the United States
agrees not tn advance beyond the line specified Ia the
second section before the expiration Of eight weeks
until the respective governments oen be heard from
commissioner no drew up counter proposition, Of
which only recollect that contained permission to
tho Mexican forcos 10 retire with their srms This
was nj rod as matter OF soliery PRIDE and as an ord
nary courtey We had reached the lint OF our Insttuc
lions, aud the commission roee torepor the disagree
meBt
Upon returning to the reception room, after this fact
had been announced that the commissioners could not
agree upon terms General Ampudia entered at length
upon the question: treating the point Of dssg
one which involved the honor of his country spoke Of
his desire tor settlement without further bloodshed.
and ssd he did about the pieces OF artillery
which he haa at the place General Taylor responded
TO the wish TO avoid unnecessary bioodshed IL was
agreed tho commission shoul reasonable and we we've
instructed I, concede the small arms and supposed
would be no question about the artillery The
Mexican commissioners now urged that as all other
arms had been Missed il would be discredsbc to
the ateiy frequnej TO march out without any thing to
represent and stated in answer to inquiry
that they had battery oil light artillery manoeuvred and
equipped 90 such. The commission again rose, and re
ported the disagreement on the point Of artillery
Gen. Taylor nearing that more demanded than the
middle GROUND, upo hch IN spirit OF generosity he
had eed to place the capitnlaon announced the con
ference end; anu rose IN a manner which showed
hrs deermi Doiicn TO talk more As he crossed the
room leave IT, ono OF the Mexican commissioners ad
dressed him. and some conversation which dad not hear
ensued GenWorh asked Emission Of Gen Tay lor and
sddre ssed remarks TO Gen. Ampuda the spirit Of
which that whchh be manifested throughout the nego
a,ion generosity and lenency and desire spare
the urher fusion OF blood Tho commission reassembled
and tho points capula ion agreed upon After
short we again repsired TO the room in which
we had parted from the Mexican commissioners; they
tsrdy In joining u.s. ami slow IN executing the in
strumeDt Of c8piulston Tue 7th sh and 9th articles
were added during this session Al late hour the Eng
lisa original was handed 10 Gen Tay Tor Tor his
ton; the spanish original having been seat 10 General
Anpudia Cen Tsyior signed and delivered to me the
uaa liiadf 4