Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1848-09-18
$soltttfat atu Domestic
&'rutn the New York Express. Sep. 5.
A DINNER 10 CAPT. BRAGG.

VI being known mat Inc DISTINGUISHED Santdin. nov
iColone Bragg was in town. inpronptu dinner wa
given him last evening BY few gentlemen ST tie Asto
House over which Phillip Hone presided Among The
other guests We're Mr. Meredith and Mr. Kennedy Of
Baltimore, he Hon. Nj. (CI) Haskell, IF Tennessee
md Hon Mr. Dunnell. Of North Carolina A. hr din
nr were several Of our nest distinguished merchants
bankers. &C.. who had assembled there N ny honor y
The brave.
As the dinner wa, in s,me degree private. shall
90 further than report in substance and Iron mem
Dry. tie Tmarks u Colunti Bragg. Mr. Hone toasted
him a. Cant 3 arr. better know by that than any oth-
er uame-..A little more grape Capt. Brgg. and al
uded at length his brilliant service Of the flying afll
ery Bncnl Tsta.
Oh Drag. mod,s,ly risin-. and il some embarrass-
mcnt. said. il ~ell known. hAs he was only ~
die r. and thai Their, fore flung speech ud be expect
: Cd from Au in reply. For Whatever merit gentlemen
chose to az ord him. whatever reputation It any he
had uneservedy, the whole Of il was due g. NE gallant
General under WHOM lie served, and % ne s'iefs m
The service he conmsnded. nay more, t'r the brlancy
Of thai yrvicc he was Indebted To The training Of the la
senird Riuxg ID and Eidgeiy. from hose hands he
Mad .eceiyed tile cos in that full efficiency that enabled
j. to mnol.e sf Oh the ExrilOus and bOody field u
| Buene VISA.
To tie 1.ene.. .n-Chiet lis edgemen's "e'e
especially due. IL i.s pred The whole my WITH saor
and confidence by his presence, not only al 'ens s-s
bni FROM tie tpenux OF tlle way on the hlo "isnde
- almost Impossible fr you, gentlemen, he sad 10 IN
dersand the character Of that man al cnm1nde' OF an
amy. There resolution, firnn So determination
his manner in his purposes, ihsi g. great ways
IN leading men victory. u was never better lls'rA-
ted thsn on the field ~ rslo Alto lie told MAJOR
Brown, when he left him with his snsll torcs opposite
NataMpras. '.Msnian your position" TWILL say
HOPE to be bck shall 10 be back but WILL be
rsck on Tia. I0t Expect me then, and MAINTAIN ."uI
pIsiiiou'' Iyery body that knew him, GneH he would
be back, if alive to come. The army returned 20 ?on'
Isabel IS you know. On the Sh, they fought az Palo
Alto. ard when night came on, they hvouacked IN the
open field and amid the grass, with no tent over them.
the General mset wrapped ~ his blankei, and many.
can assure YOU. in not little doubt and glooln Guy
little army d. not feel then list they could whip
three tine. tIe. number, and thse. the best troops IN
Mexico Ne had not tried "Ur nettle, " measured
weapons Y it'll them. Many an tye did no' cl,s thai
nigh,. RngSold had been slain. bloody Ga. was
before them. and many. ne army went on were sure
{, bite .e dust But body hnew Or could Hnd ou'
vha, General Taylor intended to de- Ihere he lay.
wr,pped in his blanket and sleeping. except when dis
.ubed by officers asking for orders Some were anxious
70 asce,lsin his intentions. Ills on answer was. ie
tie sleep. Keep quiet Sleep is the main thing
,,c.ssary' Two d. three oflicers particularly
anxious 10 tnoss whether he intended soon. hold
il position But Cir. only satisfaction nat could lie g'
was 'seep" Ne disc, sed 10 none q them hls Mten
lions. There prevailing opinion that u vas 700
,s,ilous mach 70 g fut Gen. Taylor. toward
rnng. disturbed BY come person Demanding ordtsre
,ea 1low the men 70 RESI-. 10 lime enoug" a. sun
rise" Then, lunn. in his blanket. he said 20 On
Oh er nsas. MY mind is sar up, sny lind !. made
up.'-but no body knew how his nAnd wac made nl.--
a.i set .hey who knew him, hne~ if his N'ni was
I ,nade ~, 1t wss use 70 nv 10 cfsnsrl'
| H. the moyling . council Of wax Wa summoned and
there were eleven officers prsen, hge only u $ hom
sy ised advance. Mind cast no c.nsue np1n sny ore
diff rence Of opinion. under suc clrslnsauces IH'Yi
have been expected. But they sho knew III. q'uer y
the Ligh ARTILLERY. and hsd 9 Il play that dy ha'!
conf ence .hs could clelr way tOy The army 10 orr
1 ~ V~,.I CIV Ill
him. replied. after the consultation !.d h'..e" W. 'cs
sciU 0DUgnce ~ fifteen "'inmcs-snd tT"asd 'hey
marched Resaca de il Palma. the result q which sou
! ali Know Old Zach Kept his word 10 MAJOR Brown,-
but alas the brave end asented Major Nod received .
death wound.
:, at Euens Vista The personal character Of Gen. !ay
ior had like influence the army. " hen the " ar
Department deemed il necessary IN order 10 form col
umn 20 inv ade Mexico via Vera Cruz 10 take his esu-
lsrs from him. lie that Sonia Anna would a
tack him. II am the weak point, he oien SAID. and
know he vii! attack me-" But ne determined - de
end his p,siliun and in order ths best way 10 defend IL
TO adva ce. Gen. Taylor, KEEP; well norn Of she ap
rruach olhe enemy by e n. v OILS scouts, moved OF
to Saltillo then on to Aqua Nueva u was prop 'sed =
one time meet the enemy in advance O Aqua Sue'a
but asc.rianirg by his engineers that Their position couc
. turned lie resolved fall back ID Huena ia, = lht
enemy approached him. Buena Vista i military ~
sition that sny soldiers eye would select iof de5lce-
10 no particular peIspn The credit q. - selection due
for has Leen said, that even woman Pckt0 IL ~
az place to repuse enemy tarlrus 'fliceTs hav'
had he credit The selection, bul Whatever Partlcla
credit is due, is certainly due 10 the Commander IN
Chief no fought the battle. The AeXicans themselves
had fought battle there. Santa Anna knew the grount
50 WELL that he ordered his Gen. NiInon to take ant
keep possession Of IT, in order TO attack our rear as Or
ders but lien I've reached Buena Vista, he found III
IN pssss n us il, The 22nd Of Feb 800 men, mostly
raw troops opposed 20 600 Of the enemy, was certain
\ " not very encouraging DAY. We dd not teel gulle
50 hapay Or . WELL IS over his bounttu table night
We thought Of home aud Of families and friends; and our
chance Of death was much better, we lhiugh, thah o.
ever seeing them again. Eo several days previous zen
Taylor was c, slanty engaged il m king hi. arfangt
men.. and WIZ no 10 be- j. salt that he made h
will But he never shrank from his duty Il may per
jsl'' was his thought, but will perish III maintaining
The honor Of my country! have 10 run terrible rist
in assuming the responsibility of making this onwaT'
march, but is the ony course that VIII save my army
TO STAY in Monterey TO be SACRIFICED by Tue over
whelmng force Of the enemy. 10 save all, mus! her
risk all"
The battle was fought, You know the result,-ou
YOU never can know the influence that the presence
General Taylor had upon the army. lie alone, 50
has emed 10 me- could have inspired, by his pre- ence
every soldier in the army, the Volunteers were III
spired. The confidence in him was complete lie ma
commanded Volunteers before, and had been successor
. with them He had surrendered. lie had neve
been whipped and the idea got abroad, that ne heSe
could be. When manGlvring my pieces aih"af' :"
oullIes | cite this example OF mat Confidence,
saw clouds of dust bout miles from me. was pain
fully anxious | thought Gen. Mnnn had iaiien up'
our rear and attacked depos. and u meet him wa
my frs, thought mau come gallopln5 up through vi
dust INTO sioht screaming, .Old lack is conng." Ev
ery soldier nave involuntary uterance TO his feelings
Ola Z,ck canie-and in fifteen minutes the tide OF ba
lrat,,