Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-02-05

country, (Ihe principal means Of transPOfiaiion
for our provisions, baggage, &c.,) lsh, on the
9th Of September, 10 Join my ADVANCE which
had proceeded me a few daysto Serfalyo.
small village, 75 miles on the route, which did
on the 9th, and after waiting 1here lew days Tor
some Of the corps to get up, moved ON and reach
ed here on the 10Th, with $3.50 men-27OO reg
ulars. the balance volunteers. For what took
place afterwards, must refer you TO my several
| Irepor,s-particularly TO my detailed one Of the
OH ult. do not believe the authorities at Wash
inoton are at all satisfied with my conduct in re-
card 10 the terms Of the capitulation entered into
with the Mexican commander, which you no
doubt have seen, as they have been made public
through the official organ, and copied into ynr.
Gus newspapers have this moment received
an answer 10 my despatch announcing the sur
render Of Monterey, and the circumstances at
tending the same,) from the Secretary Of War,
stating that ait was regretted by the President
that il was not deemed advisable to insist on the
terms had proposed in my first communication
to the Mexican commander, in regard to giving
up the clIy,"-adding that "the circumstances
which dictated, no doubt justified the change. -
Although the terms of capiIulatiOn may be con-
sidered too liberal on our part by the President
and his advisers, as we'll as by many others at a
distance, particularly by those who do not un-
dersland the position which we occupied, (other-
wise they might come to a different conclusion
in regard to the marer,) yet on due reflection, |
see nothing to induce me TO regret the course
pursued. The position on the part of Gen. Am
puda, which had much TO do in determining my
] .k
that our government had proposed to his to settle
the existing difficulties by negotiation, (which
knew was the case, without knowing the resut,)
which was then under consideration by the prop
er authorities, and which he (Gen. Ampudia,)
had no doubt would result iavorably, as the
whole Of his people were in favor of peace. If
so, considered the further effusion of blood not
! only unnecessary, but improper. Their force
was also considerably larger than ours; and from
the size and position of the place we could not
completely invest it; so that the greater portion of
their troops, if not the whole, had they been dis
posed TO do so, could, any night have abandoned
the city, at once entered the mountain passes, and
effected their relreat,-do what we could Had
we been put to the alternative of taking the place
BY storm, (Which there is no doubt we should
have succeeded in doing,) we should, in all prob
ability, have lost fifty or one hundred men in
killed besides the wounded, which | wished TO
avoid, as there appeared TO bea prospect of peace
even if distant one. ! also wished TO avoid the
destruction of women and children, which must
have been very great, had the storming process
been resorted TO. Besides, they had very large
and strong fortifcaton, short distance from the
city, which, if carried with the bayonet, must
have been taken at great sacrifice ofte; and with
OUT limited train ofheavy or baterng artillery,
it would have required 90 ORES days to take Thy
regular approaches.
That they should have surrendered place
nearly as strong as Quebec, we'll fortified under
the direction of skiful engineers works
garnished with forty two pieces ofarlery, abun-
dantly supplied with ammunition, garrisoned by
1000 regulars and 1000 irregular troops, in addi-
ton to some thousand citizens capable of, (and no
doubt actually bearing arms, and aiding in its
deience,-to an opposing force ofhaf their num-
Der, scantily supplied with provisions, and with a
light train of artilIery,-is among the unaccoun-
table occurrences Of the time.
am decidedly opposed to carrying the war
beyond SaltilIo in this direction, which place has
been entirely abandoned by the Mexican forces,
all of whom have concentrated at San Luis Poto-
81; and ! shall lose no time in taking possession
Of the former, as soon as the cessation ofhostili-
ties referred to expires,-whch have notified
the Mexican authorities will be the case on the
18th inst. by direction OF the President ofthe Uni
ted States.
five are (in the language Of Mr.. Polk and
General Scou) under the necessity Of "conquer-
ing peace, and that by taking the capital of
the country,-we must 60 to Vera Cruz, take
that place, and then march on the city of Mexico.
To do so in any other direction, consider out of
the question. But admitting that we conquer a
peace by doing so,-say at the end of the next
Twelve months-will the amount of blood and
treasure which must be expended in doing so, be
compensated by the samel think not,-espe-
cially, if the country we subdue is to be given up;
and imagine there are but few individuals in our
country who think of annexing Mexico 10 the
United States.
do not intend to carry on my operations (as
previously stately beyond SatllIo, deemingi next
to impracticable TO do so, 1t then becomes
question as to what is best 10 be done. 1t seems
to me, the most judclous course 10 be pursued on
our part would be to take possession, at once Of
the line we would acquire by negotiation extern
ding from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific and
occupy the same, or keep what we already have
possession of; and that, with Tampico, (Which
hope to take in the course of the next month or as
soon as can get the means of transportation,)
will give US on all this side of the Sierra Madre,
and, as soon as occupy SaltiHo, will include
six or seven States or Provinces, thus holding
TamPico, Victoria, Monterey, Saltlo, ,Moncova,
Chihuahua, (Which presume General Wool has
possession of by this time,) Santa Fc and the
Californias-and say to Mexico. "Drive us from
the ntry!"-throwing on her the response.
biity and expense ofcarrying on offensive war,
at the same time closely bockading all her
ports on the Pacific and the Gulf. A course of
this kind, ifpersevered in for short time whould
soon bring her to her proper senses, and compel
her IN sne for neace-proyded there Is n rov-