The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1847-05-29
from the National Inteligencer.
Prospects of the War.

terms which, considering how and through
what channel we receive them, could not ial
in the absence ofany other information on the
subject, TO excite in our mind great uneasl,
ness, if not alarm, at the present prospects of
the war. From that correspondents letter
of May 5, we extract the following
"There is now rare chance for our chiv-
airy 10 rise in mass to meet, in war 'dd IN
ternFciOnem,' the masses of the AZtecs. The
Administration has no hope but in carrying
on prolonged war, and a aOar o. rDceS. 1t is
already advertised in the Administration pa
per that such must be and will be the cbarac-
ter ofthe war hereafter-if Mexico now re-
fuse peace on our terms.
.M the olunteers-withOut the exception OF
a company or platoon--will leave the army
at the end of their term of service. 1t would
not be surprising even if some Of The cOnlmdn-
derS should become disguised with the serv-
ice, and refuse TO carry out any instructions
which may be at war with humanity, and
common sense.'
What is the particular fact or facts, if there
be any, upon which the very grave hypothe-
sis in the sentence of this extract is founded,
we are not apprized. But we are enabled,
from information in our own possession, TO
confirm the fact ofthe probably certain re-
turn home of all the volunteers Immediately
upon the successive eXpirations ofthelr terms
otservice. Great apprehension is expressed
by private letters from New Orleans and else
where near the army mot from officers or
privates ofthe army or persons connected
with it) that it will be difficult to supply the
place fthe regiments to be thus disbauGed.
Says one letter: ''The army proper cannot be
recruited to its full complement and the day
of volunteering is rapidly coming to an end:
it is no longer considered a fine summers
trolic through II garden ofEden, with gold
and civil images all along the road, and the
golden Halls of MonteZuma' in the distance:
il has come down TO sober realities-to rough
roads and narrow defiles; the knife and the
lasso; bacon and corn bread: PEBBLE stones or
drifting sands for bed and the sky for root,
with hard knocks and plenty of them"
Another letter speaks of the movement of
the Army towards the city ofMeXico thus:
81 dread the result to our army of an ad-
vance on the capital, even Notwithstanding
the recent victory. do not mean us 10 any
actual open resistance; for in all fighting we
shall drive them before us: but the certain
effect of the constant wear and tear, from dis
ease, battle, guerrillas, hardships and expos
ure which the army has 10 encounter: so
that ifSanta Anna knew the best policy, it
would be TO let us advance without oppOsi-
ton, TO and into the capital, and let the army
waste there, rs the best Informed men say it
would do, like ball of snow in July, whilst
the MeXicans confined their operations TO
cutting off or harassing conveys, curtalling
our supplies, picking up stragglers, and OBJ
llging us to keep compact and in large bodies
without the ability TO send OUT even a torag-
ing party. When in the city of Mexico, we
could not keep open the communications with
Vera Cruz. or receive supplies or reinforce
ments, eXceptby large detachments which
could fight their way: and if posts are garris-
oned ut intervals OH the route, they must all
he with force that can resist heavy attack,
or they would be carried in detail. In the
march that General Scott has now undertake
Cu, he must go in close and compact columns
rs the Mexican cavalry will hover around
them like Cossacks, driving in their foragng
parties and small detachments, and wasting
their strength and resources by this petty
warfare. At present. however.it is, believe,
understood that he will not go beyond Jaa-
pa"
Another letter that we have seen from New
Orleans gives the following information OF
the proposed movement by General Taylor's
command across the desert to San Luis Potosi:
General Taylor is determined Though OPP
posed to the plan) to advance from his pres
ent position. Two thousand iron-bound Is
gallon kegs are now making for him here,
and many ofthem have gone forward, intend
ed for carrying water across the desert
between San Luis and Saltillo: mule, with
packed saddle will carry two of them,
one sung on each side. A thousand horses
are also being bought for him, will! other
large supplies, But, the expense! Whew"
1t is impossible, we should think, to peruse
unmoved,t the following speculations upon the
late success of our arms, from the pen of one
Though not military many whose opinions
are entitled to high respect and confidence:
"The affair ofCerro Gordo appears 10 have
been brilliant one: but our loss is severe
more than the whole country of Mexico, i'll
my opinion. is worth. Recolect what kind
of lives they are which we lose in this cor
test! We mourn over the fall of a General, 81
Colonel, or u Major ofour army; and yet two
thirds of the men lost in the late battle are
fully equal in talent, education, wealth, stand
ing and general usefulness to their Colones
and Majors. Their loss 10 the respectable
portion of society, & 10 the country,is equally
great. Such are the lives that are sacrificed
by thousands in this war of our Presidents
making. And for what? What object and
what result? Doyou recoect the expression
ofthe British General Ross in the last war,
when he was speaking of the volunteer force,
consisting of the best young men of BaIti-
more. that were to be brought into action with
what he called ':ragamuffins?" He said that,
ut was playing guneas against half pence"
We are playing the same game now. Our
loss in battle, however, is nothing in compar-
ison to our loss by disease and by the system
of guerrilla warfare of the extent of neither
ofwhich have the people of the United States
the least Idea. Officers from Saltillo say that
on the whole route, including all our detach-
ments on the Rio Grande, losses by individu
al murders are enormous. Every straggler
and way traveller perishes; and there is no
safety in venturiDg from the posts even short