The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1848-05-24
Gen. Scott and the Admins.
trali0u,


has recently, with Other correspondence
been exiofied from the archives OF tn.
e Department by cali from the House
81 Representatives. Ii is sort Of recap,,
ia'Ion, or summing up, Of the wrongs an
: injuries Inflicted on General Scott, since hi
b appointment TO the chief command IN Mex
!, leo, aud as such will command the a,.en,io
o! The country. After reading II we thin
any men may congratulate himself on nc
e being the Secretary Of War;
MEXICO, Feb. "a, 1913.
Sir: On the Slh instsn, | received you
two letters of the l3,h uIt. and lmmedl
a;e!y issued the general order No 80, de
yol'ing the command Of the army in Next
CO upon Major Gen. Bu'ler.
As the officers detailed for the Cour, Of
Inquiry before which an ordered to ap
PEAR as criminal-aIe not known TO have
arrived in The country, avail myself of O
moments leisure 10 recall some Of the neg.
lec's, disaPpoinlmenis, injuries and rebukes
which have been Inflicted upon me by The
War Department since nv departure from
Washington, November 90. 1s46.
To inc tie business Of recrimins,ion.
however provoked. has ever been painful.
In this summary | shall, therefore, indulge
IN Go wanlonness Of language, bu, confne
myself 10 naked historical facts, leaving
conclusions to Een of sense and candor.
In the hurry Of preparation for Mexico,
(oniy four days were allowed me a. " ash.
lng'on, when twenty might have been most
advanlageously employed 10 the great bu.
reaux-those Of the chief of engineers,
chef of ordnance, chief qpar,ermasler and
chief commissary Of subsis,ence)-i han.
ded 10 you written request ha, one Of
three oil our accomplished captains, there.
in named, nigh, be appointed ass,s,an, ad.
Jlion' general, with tie rank of Major, for
duty with the in the field, add there was va.
csncy al The time for one. Ny reques. has
never been attended 10, and thus have had
no officer of adjulen, generals department,
with me IN the campaign. Can another in.
stance be cited Of denying to generut.in.
chief, in the field a, the head OF large ar
my-or even small one-lhe selection Of
his chief Of the s,ati'-lha, is, the chief in
the department of orders and correspon.
dence
Early in the following January Iasked
that General Court Martial might be sp
pointed, on the part Of the President, for the
trial of two officers (named By mel forcon
duct, each had committed, tina, endangered
IN high degree, the success Of the ,mpen.
ding campaign, and specially referred to
the anomalous and fatal act of Congress.
(May 20, ls3O,) which prohibited me. as
Inc accuser or Prosecutor" from ordering
the Court Tor The trial of the cases. nv
application has never been noticed. This
neglect, atone, ought early TO have admon.
lshed me that had no hope Of support a,
Washington, IN cny attempt nigh, make
against certain oificers) to maintain neces.
saty discipline in the army | was about 10
LEAD into The tlel1. left Washington high.
ly Liiieted with the confidence and kind.
ness The President had JUS, shown ma in
many long personal interviews on military
matters. For more Than two months nv
expressions OF gratitude were daily and
'erVen., nor we're thpy,much less emphatic
toward The head Of the War Department.
Proceeding with zeal and confidence n
my most hszardou, duties, learned, Jan.
uafy u, al the Brazos Santiago, that an al.
tempt was on foo, TO create a lieutenant,
general 10 take command ID the field over
me. Shocked aud distressed, allowed Of
no relaxation in my efforts 10 serve my
country, resolved, for the short time was
likely to remain in commission, to be
True as the dial 10 the sum-
Although i be not shined upon"
A ye, greater outrage soon followed, fai
ling TO obtain IN act for the ciiisen lieu.
tenant general, bill was pressed upon Con-
eress 10 auihorze the placing Junior ma.
lor general, just appointed, Nhe same -
yidual ! .-----...a,uuu over all the old major
generals then in front Of the enemy
will no. here trus, myself to add sol.
dler's comment upon those attempts, but |
may thank God that be did no, allow them.
or subsequent injuries, TO break down, en-.
,neIy, the spirit and abilities (such as they
are) with which He had cndo we'd me.
Forescelng at Washington that, from the
great demands OF commerce, at the mo
ment, it would he difficult, if no, impossible
10 take up, perhaps a, any price, sufficient
number OF vessels a, New Orleans and Mo.
bile TO transport the regiments Of my ex.
petition from the Rio Grande, frontier to
Vera Cruz, endeavored TO impress upon
the War Department the necessity of send.
ing out, from the Northern and Eastern
ports, certain number of large ships, IN
ballast, in order tina, the expedition might
not be delay and, in view of the fixed
fact, the return of the roni'o at Vera Cruz
in the Spring OF the year, delay Of few
weeks was likely to prove total defeat.
Ia paper transmitted to me-headed
MEMORANDUM for the Quartermas,er Gen
eral, marked" War Department, Decem.
Der Is, 49," and signed by the Secretary,
which received January Sit 10 said