Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1848-09-25
Gen. Tayl0r'S Address.


The following was the reply of Gen.
Taylor to the address of the Hon. John
Henderson,, at the Barbecue at Pass
Christian. Sept. %, lS4S:
1t is with emotions of no ordinary en-
ba~rrassments, MIR. Speaker, that 1 find
myself called upon to respond to the cor
dial reception with which | have just been
met by the authorities of Pass Christian
and the citizens of Harrison county. l
cannot, indeed, expect to do justice to the
occasion, and feel especially less able to
offer in adequate terms my acknowledge
ments for the very flattering language in
which this greeting has been rendered by
the talented citizen who has just addressed
me. can only, therefore, offer you my
warmest thanks, and assure you hat the
style of my reception here is particularly
grateful to my feelings. This simple and
republican manner of meeting my fellow
citizens carries me back to the pleasant
scenes of my early life. l was reared
from infancy to early manhood i'll the
West-among men of primitive tastes
and republican simplicity. We there
frequently met on occasions like this, to
exchange freely our opinions on National
and State affairs, and to devise measures
for the defence of our borders, which at
that day the General Government was
sometimes unable to protect. On these
occasions were often collected, too, those
men of lion hearts and iron nerves who
had not only aided the Father of our Coun-
try in achieving our independence, stood
by his side in many of his hard fought bat.
ties, bnt who afterwards filled, with honor
to OUT country, conspicuous places in our
legislative bodies, both National and State.
| have been educated in the simple and re-
publican habits so happily illustrated in
this scene, and do not expect to change
them in my old days. You will understand
me when | assure you again, that the man
ner of my reception here is more agreea-
bic to my feelings and taste than could be
all the pomp and pageantry of a reception
at the most splendid Court of Europe.
The complimentary language in which
you have been pleased to aIlude to my
military services, which now embrace a
period of more than forty years, and es-
p%ecially to the actions in which | have
been engaged during that Sine, commen-
cling with the defence Of Fort Harrison,
in 1912, and ending with the battle of
Buena Vista, has awakened in me the
most grateful emotions. | feel particularly
gratlfed at the just tribute of praise which
you have paid, in speaking of these ser
vices, to the gallant men whom | comnan-
ded on those occasions, and to whom | feel
deeply indepted for success. | claim no.
thing save the good fortune of being the
leader of such men on the occasions refer
red to; and to their zeal in sustaining me,
and to their bold hearts and strong arms,
are we Indebted for our victories. The
manner in which you have alluded to my
peing stripped of my troops on the Rio
Grande, and TO my being left, as it might
seem, at the mercy of the enemy, just be.
fore the battle of Buena Vista, renders it
proper, probably, that | should make a
few remarks in relation to that matter. /
received at Victoria. while ON my way to
Tampico-a movement which | had adj
vised the War Department / should make,
for certain reasons-an order from the
General in Chiefof the army, stripping me
of the greater portion of my command.
and particularly of regular troops and VOL
unteers we'll instructed. This order was
received by me with much surprise, and,
| must confess, produced the strongest
feeling Of regret, modification and disap-
pointment, as l knew that Gen. Santa
Anna was within striking distance of my
line, with an atmy of $4,000, probably
the best appointed men ever collected in
Mexico. Afer putting most Of my troops
a. Victoria en- route for Tampico-she