The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-08-17
American Prisoners IN NIe.lco.

American Prisoners In Mexico.
The N. O. Pcayune has been placed in possession of
the following letters from Major Gaines and Captain
Cassus MI Clay:
Mexico, July 90 1917
DEAR BRoTHsR, have lately been favored with the
perusal OF letter in the Picayune dated New Orleans,
May T. si and ssnea EaSSds Msa lspseieinGg
vlndca,e that officer against the charge Of ngatide to-
wards the American prisoners confined in this cy.
ton bssesed By the eary y he esa,sk and Is ad
hrsnIs and Thar not len !! i days who was not
rival of Santa Anna (he revolution being still acve) they
ef in haste to meet the Americans and the castle of
Santiago, where the prisoners wete coniipcd, within
the lines The enemy Intercourse could be held with it
asehoods The palace was never beseged by the rqvo
opary paryiheir position being near the church called
than Or three persons Slot rear it;
atens had ceased eeidre La Vega left ~ haste the castle
other parl Of the city, and the intercourse with unn
eruped, being visited, believe every day during the
which feel he received; but whether he did not,
the damnng crime of ingattude must forever adhere to
his with the tenacity OF Nessus' shirt Of old
dismiss him to the tonentng stings OF abused con
science (i he has amy and tile ieed contempt of his
Our army still reposing Puebla, and why does
advance upon the city excites the astonishnent of all
That there some good reason for this Ito me) exaord
nary inactivity, ondly hope Facts yet to be learned will
pcabe. Had army marched forward directly after the
battle of Cerro Gordo they would have encountered an
traied here : = " a'' '''0'' ' n'' '''D '''e'
Thatwe shall gain another glorious victory, shonld the
and perhaps, after all, peace will be certainly
corquered' and speedily than if there had been no
Have heard nothing home AS letter of the
month. | need speak Of my great anxiety learn
something from you, but must bde my time negotiation
our exchange, aud doubt its
hope you will write TO me often to Vera Cruz, which will
follow the army and if never receive them you will only
lose your time have written you fully concerning my
business that need say nothing on that subject
Black Hawk, let me know HAIRY faithful servant,
and black Hawk was iavoe horse OF the MaJ1rs They
were not with him at Encarnacion.
Yours a' 5oi IGspHp': =: GAINES.
| Mr.. A. L. GAINES, New Orleans
| The negotiation alluded to by Major Gaines we pre-
sumo was the subject of the dispatches forwarded by the
hands Of Capt Kearaey Of the Dragons whose excursion
as far Rio Frio mentioned in Mr. Kendalrs letters
G tp,':'i'N ''' ~" apps'lD INC i''''l = 0ar''
Letter from, Cassius NJ. Clay
Cry MEXICO, July 10, 1917.
TO the Editors of the Picayunc:
have till reirpined from making anything public
come the subject OF legal Investigations seemed to me to be
a sufficient reason among others for silence
But since the merits OF surrender have become the
topic OF discussion any further Difference personal deli
cacy becomes criminal injustice to those who have right
to claim OF their intermediate commander, whatever
protection my humble ability afford them. therefore
higher necessity OF dscharying duty to the living who do
not, and tue dead who cannot speak for themselves.
three successful bae and the capture many prisoners
OF war, is necessary the public service requiring
the soldier surrender but in all lay down
his life without regard the inequality numbers the
resulting good of the sacrifice, then without
submit the sentence. But if this policy becomes not
general and is deemed usual and necessary in war,
then, on the part OF nysefand my brave companions in
arms some OF whom have from the oathsoe prisons
of Mexico, where praise nor blame reach the
protest against it, as a condemnation without trial,
and penalty without crime!
You term the surrender Encarnacion s'honora-
Of things by their apparent success or failure With them,
victory is glory, and defeat disgrace But with enlghten
Paradoxica as may SEEM say that expedition to
Encarnacion not only deserved, but achieved success
Liedt Colonel Field Surgeon Roberts, and Major Gaines
will remember that on the night preceding the adventure,
it urged that tho recommending party should oil
check till the arrival OF reniorcements strong enough TO
retreat with its face to the foe else should be small
body whose loss would not be materially felt by the army
part of whom light calculate, from the superior speed
o me ~, nod ana better address Oh the men, would return
last alternative compelled adopt and the result
of has approach Whether this reasoning be in accordance
with military science not, and how far the OF
the glorious battle of Buena Vista owing to this timely
warning, leave ADLER srategists than to determine
But why anticipate captures The country through
which we had TO pass was gsscovered plain, shut in by
mountains where there was growth of wood conceal
us We e, were eoapeed to 60 to fixed and weltnown
ready and not slow IN giving timely notice of APP
resolved according the Spartan maxim, continually to
change camp TO avoid SURPRISE and TO neces
Whereabouts That camped two nights successfully in
Encarnacon the cause in part of capture, rather
on the I'D, advanced ten miles in the direction OF Satlo
intending attack two hundred men whom learned
stationed there but night, storm, and darkness
coming compelled, having guide, return
against the protest Of some and previous rule of action
to ncarnacion The idea OF putting picket guards in
plain OF twenty miles diameter, nersected by roads in
all directions is absurd. And had picket guard given
alarm in the night the result would have been the
for would not have left castle till morning. till
the and knew their force.
Seventy-one and officers all told, held Gen. Mnon
and three thousand regular and troops, number
ed by himself at bay from dawn till OF the 23d of Jan
uary. Without half many rounds of shot there
bred and ten miles from camp, without the remotesl
probability OF reinforcement, unanimously determined
TO erdc the honorable OF capitulaion known
to nations" sell Our lives like who held the faith
that honor is the only necessity.
Holding Mexican chief OF equal rank with our COM
mandant n hostage, Maj Gaines and Cen Minon con-
cluded the following terms of capulation
Fret The honorable treatment as prisoners oil war
known nations.
Second Private property be strictly respected
Third Our Mexican guide TO receive fair trial in the
civil courts.
When we remember that Taylor fought at Buena Vista
at a liberal computation to four, and had his hands
stood less than foTfyfico
my under their gallant chief hazard the assertion
that the history of the Mexican there will been
no exhibition OF nober galantry than displayed at the
capituation of Encamacion.
Accept OF lasting gratitude that you have
with Mrs. Heman's in - The Captive knight entered |
into prisoners ge, and magnanimously INDICATED our
claims countrys Justice. For all that generally
deemed remunerative war, falls others but
THE worm, the canker and the grief
Are ours sone.p
Ever your obedient servant, G. NJ CLAY. '