Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-07-09
General TaylOr's Good Things

that are ascribed to him, we must give the gen
tlcmen who have put them in his mouth credit
for an admirable perception of what is becoming
in the mouth of a great commander A collec-
ton of all his reputed sayings in times OF emer-
rencv would be as fine an d" ana" as there is in
print any where. His abrupt close of the con-
ference with Ampudia, for instance, when treat
ing for the surrender of Monterey, is as much to
the purpose and as full of meaning as any thing
in Welington's dispatches" Sir, l hold you,
and your town, and your army. in the hollow OF
my hand, and you know it. The conference is
closed-in thirty minutes you shall hear from
my batteries"
Of course General Taylor would not have
said this to gallant and respected enemy. lie
would have spoken in very different vein to a
brave and gallant general, who had maintained
his position long it could be maintained,
and now. having satisfied the demands of honor
and duty to their full extent. was ready with
the frankncss of soldier and a gentleman, to
accept the necessity of his position. But to
Ampudia, neither brave nor gallant and whiting
over a capituaton which he knew to be inevita-
bic, the response was as fitting as it was we'll
timed and effective.
There was, on the other hand, a delicious
touch of humor in the old generals acknowl-
edgmcnt to the " boys" who laughed at him for
lodging. In the thick of the fight at Buena
Vista, when the balls were flying considerable, >
General Taylor saw some of his men duckng
their heads as the missiles whzzed by, and call
ed out, " No lodging. gentlemen; soldiers never
dodge" But in a few moments twenty.four
FOUNDER came humming near the old gentle
mans nose that he Involuntary dnckcd his own
head-whereat some of the "boys'' snickered
right out" dodge the balls, gentlemen" ex.
claimed Old Zach, as grave as mustard pot !;
dodge the balls, gentlemen, but don't runs
4. In the same style was his quiet remark at
Rcsaca de la Palma, where the balls made lively
music too. One of them cut off piece of his
coat-tal whcreupon he dry remarked to one
who was near him, These balls are getting
excited"
But the best thing he is said to have said was
also at Buena Vista. 1t was not only quaint
but grand there was a sort of heroic largcncss
about it, in conception and expression, than
which we know of nothing that more fills the
minds eye. 1t was when the last, desperate,
almost overwhelming charge was made upon
Capt. Bragg's battery. The Captain saw the
mighty cohort coming, with an anxious gaze.
sor there was no infantry at hand to sustain him.
Placing his pieces in position. he hurried to the
General. who was not far off, to represent that
his little band would be ridden over and to beg
for a reinforcement 8 L have no reinforcement
to give you," answered the general, " but Maj
Bliss and will support you
Major Bliss and accordingly put spurs
to their horses and took post beside the cannon.
We all know what the result was.-N, y. Cour,
An UNPUBLISHED LETTER OF GE NERAL TAY-
LoR.-The following is n portion of Il letter
from gentleman in Pensacola to the New Or
leans Bulletin. The writer 1t Appears, hoa soon
a letter from General Taylor of just about the
same date as the old heros famous letter to the
Secretary of War which the nation is SO anxious
to see:
Superb as the battle Of Bucna Vista was in
all its details skilful as was the selection of
the ground devoted AS was those who laid down
their lives en- face to the enemy; distinguished
as was every man who bore arms that day; yet
all these glores fade in comparison with the de-
termination of that calm old man, who was cal
led upon to decide between a retreat and as
sured security within the walls Of Monterey or
Il battle with four times the number he could
bring into the field.
He reasoned thus here are 5000 men left to
hold Saltillo and our positions at Angostura,
with the alternative of retreat upon Monterey,
where there are provisions for six months Cir
cumstances justify retreat. There are prece.
dents for it, and the order of General Scott. II
the army retreats the consequences are certain.
1t will be safe in Monterey until reinforcemcnts
can reach it, but before these rcntorcements
can arrive the numerous enemy. falling by our
TANKS, will occupy the Rio Grande from Cam
3 argo to the Brazos destroying the garrisons and
magazines, and cutting off the communications
This result will be most disastrous 1t is newt.
able. II the army remains in its present posi-.
ton, there is a chance of success, and suppos.
ing it happily realized, every thing is saved
, But the chances are in favor OF the triumph OF
10000 men, led on by the hope that our small
forces of undisciplined troops must give way in
the attack, and by the expectation of grca
booty.
In the second case, the consequences of de
feat would be no less disastrous than in the frs
case but to the latter must also be added thu
immoation Of our army. But still it affords
: chance of success. We will take that chance
SO deciding, General Taylor quietly gave hi
: orders, and after the days work was done, sa
down on the night Of the 2lst of February jus
seven hours before he was attacked by SAINT;
: Anna, and wrote to his relative and friend DIES
crbing his situation, and speaking plainly, bu
T. with dignity, of the treatment he had receive,
T. from his superiors also of his arrangement Il
meet the approaching crisis of his confidence
: in his little army OF his hopes, but not of hi
fears. One sheet and the page of another, as
record, were thus devoted. The remainin.
pages were given to his private affairs, directing
e the management of his estate, and expressin!
5 affection for his family.
;. The writer of this communication has bee
IS honored with a perusal of that letter. ii
marked the bold character in which it wa
s written the even lines and the unblottcd page:
giving evidence that it was written as calmly a
if the writer had been seated by the tiresde of hi
L. own happy home. 1t was written in simple br
a easy style, without effort, as one wishes to writ
!, to relatives and friends But still it bore CIV
!, dencc, as all his writings do, Of clear judgmer
u and pure thought.
Pensacola, June 4, Isi7. CEPlIALUS.
ID A CURIosITY.-Mr. Erastus Chase, of th
IF town, while cutting up large pine tree whic
T. had been blown down, struck his axe upon til
it blade of knife imbedded in the tree, and brok
e it. On taking it ont, it was found to be, to a,
pearance, an old Indian scalping knife, whic
| had heeu strurk horiZontallv into the ,rno w no