Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1848-09-30
From the New York Express.
A DINNER TO CAPTAIN BRAGG.

IL DetDR Known tUat tue uistluSuisuSul
Captain now Col Brace, was in town, an
mprom,u dinner was given him in New
York few days since by party of gen.
llemen, at the Aston House, over which
HONE presided. Among the other guests
were Mr.. Meredith and Mr.. Kennedy, Of
Baltimore, the Hon. Mr.. (ColoneD Has
kell, of Tennessee, and Hon. Mr.. Donncl,
of North Carolina. At the dinner were
several of our most distinguished merchants
bankers. &c, who had assembled there TO
do honor to The brave. ...
As the dinner was in some degree pr-
vate, we shall go no further than TO report
in substance, and from memory, the re-.
marks of Col. Bragg. Mr.. Hone toasted
him as Captain Bragg, better known by
that than any other name" A little more
grape, Captain Bragg"--and alluded al
length TO his brillirnl service of the flying
artillery at Buena Vista.
Col. Bragg modestly rising, and in some
embarrassment said, il was well known,
that he was only a soldier, and that there
fore no fitting speech could be expected
from hin, il, reply. For whatever merit
gentlemen chose 10 award him, or whatev-
err reputation. if any lie had undeservedly,
the whole of il was due TO the gallant gen.
eral under whom he serv ID, and TO the SOL
diers in the service he commanded, nay
more, for the brilliancy Of that service he
was indebted to the training Of the lamen.
ted Rnggold and Ridgely, from whose
hands he had received the corps, in that
full efficiency that enabled il to immortal
ize itself on the perious and bloody field of
Bucna Vista.
To the General.in. Chief his acknowl-
edgments were especially due. He in
spired the whole army with valor and con-
fidence by his presence, not only at Buena
Vista. but from the opening of the war on
the Rio Grande. 1t is almost impossible
for you, gentlemen, he said, to understand
the character Of that man as commander
of an army. There is resolution, firm
ness, determination in his manner and in
his purpose that goes great ways in lead
ing men to victory. 1t was never better H.
Illustrated than on the field of Palo Alto
He told Maj. Brown, when he left him with
his small force opposite Matamoras, Main.
tain your position ,DiH. not hope to be
back, shall try to be back, but WILL be
back on the 10Th. Expec, me then, and
maintain your position Every body
that knew him, knew ne would be back, il
alive to come. The army returned 10 Point
Isabel, as you know. On the s,h they
fought at Palo Alto, and when night came
on, they bvouacked in the open field and
amid the grass, with not a tent over them
the General himself wrapped in his blan
ket, and many, can assure you, in no, g
little doubt and gloom. Our little army
did not feel sure then, that they would
whip three times their number, and then
the hes, troops in Mexico. We had no,
tried our met,le or measured weapons witt
them. Many an eye did not close tina
night. Ringgold had been slain. A bloody
day was before them, and many, if the ar
nv went on, were sure to bite the DUST
Blu, nobody knew or could find on, wha,
General Taylor intended TO do. There he
lay wrapped in his blanket, and sleeping
except when disturbed by officers asking
for orders. Some were anxious to ascer.
tain his intentions. His only answer was
"Tell the men to sleep Keep quiet: SLEEP
is the main thing necessary" Two OF
three officers were particularly anxious tc
know whether he intended to go on or hole
his position. Blu, the only satisfaction tina
could be got was "sleep." He disclosed tc
none of them his intentions. There was a
prevailing opinion that it was too perilou.
a march to 60 on. But General Taylor
towards morning, disturbed by some per
son demanding orders, replied, "alnw the
men 10 rest. 1t is time enough a, sunrise.
Then turning over in his blanket, he said to
an officer near. my mind is made up-my
mind is made up"--but nobody knew hou
his mind was made upland yet they who
knew him, knew if his mind was made up
it was no use TO try TO change it.
In the morning council of war was
present, three only of whom advised ad.
vance. Mind, cast no censure upon any
one. A difference of opinion, under such
circumstances might have been expected
But they who knew The power of the Light
Artillery, and had seen il in play that day
had confidence that it could clear way
for The army back to Fort Brown. "Old
Zack," for that is the name we call him
replied after The consultation had broken
up, we ,OiH adUance in fifteen minutes-and
forward they marched TO Resaca dc la Pal.
ma. The result of which You all know
Old lack kept his word to Maj. Brown
hut. alas. The brave and lamented Major
had received his death wound.
So at Buena Vista the personal charac.
ter of Gen. Taylor had like influence on
the army. When The War Department,
deemed il necessary in order to form col
umn IN ipvaba Mav;co min Vo,o (,..-