The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-05-16

a.. To beat, in the field and in passes, any
accumulated force in the way. ?. To garri-
son many important points IN the rear, to Sc
cure free communication with Vera Cruz,
and 3. To make distant dctachments in order
to gather in, without long halls, necessary sub
sistence.
Aud that force 1 supposed, includ;ng volun-
teers, and aided by land and money bountlos'
might be raised in time, by adding ten or
twelve new regiments Of regulars and iiil.ng up
the ranks Of the old.
4 bill was introduced for raising ten addl-
tional regular regiments; and |, certainly 20
not mean to charge the Department with the
whole delay in passing the bill through Con
gress But it was passed February ! l, 1871,
and under it, by carly in Aprii, some few thou
sand men had been already raised and organ
lied Nv distress can be conceived, by any
soldier. on learning, at Jalapa, April q, that
the whole Of that force had been sent, under
Brig. Gen. Cadwalader, to the RIO Grande
frontier.
In my letter to the Department, written tine
tlav after. said Il had expected tina.
" De.achments of the new regiment would.
as YOU had promised me, begin to arrive this
month and continue to follow perhaps into
June" How many volunteers will re-en-
,rage under the act approved March 3, (only
received two DAYS ago. know no.. probably
but few. Hence the greater my dIsappont-
ment caused by sending the new troops 10 the
Rio Cran;lc; for besides thcir keeping the
road. in our present rear open for many weeks
Lv marches in successive dctachments. | had
Intended rs had advanced, TO leave strong
garrisons in this place Jalapai in Perote and
Puebla, and to keep. at TIE head Of the move
Ineut force equal 10 any probable opposition
1t nav now depcnd on the number OF old vol
unteers who may re-engage, and the number
OF new troops that may arrive from the Bra
zos in time. as also in some degree, upon the
advance of Major General Taylor, whether l
shall find this army IN strength to leave The
:arrisons and to occupy the-espitaL"
I NAV add that only about fifty individuals
of the old volunteers re-eneaged under the
provisions of the act Of March 3; that the re-
iaainder were discharged May I that Major
Gen Taylor made no movement in advance
on Saltillo, and that the new regulars, includ-
ing Cadwaader's brigade, only began to come
M with me, at Puebla. in july; but not in suf-
firient numbers till August g. The next day
the army commenced lis advance upon TIE
capital with little more than 10000 effective
men.
Il IS not extravagant TO say that, if Brig.
Gen. Cadwaader's forces had not been divert
cI from nc TO the no GraHle, where he was
1iade to lose, without any benefit 10 Major Gen
TayloT, much precious iimc, | might easily
have taken this city in the month Of June, and
ut onc-iifih Of the loss sustained in August and
Septembcr-The enemy awaited himself of
nv forced delay, at PUehla, 10 collect, TO ire
be 10 organize and discipline his forces as al
so, to erect numerous and powerful defences
with batteries. Nearly all those c1traoTdina-
r. preparations for our reception, were made
after Ike middle Of Jane. And it is known
that the news Of the victory Of Buena Vista
reached Washington in time TO countermand
Cadwliader's Orders for the Rio GIande be-
fore his departure from New Orleans. Two
rifle companies, with HIM, received the COM
tcrmand there, and Joined NE eally.
l know tina: / had the misfortune TO give Of
fence TO the Department by expressing myself
70 the same effect, from Ja!aPa, May 6. In
report o:that dale. said
Tie subject Of that rider (No. l3j-old
1olnnteers) has g:vcn me- long and deep solicit
tude. To part with 30 large and so respccta-
tile roriion of his army, in the middle Of 4
coartry which, though broken in its power Is
NOT vet disposed 20 size for peace; 10 proride
this interior position, at Il time when | find il
quite difficult to provide transportation ard
su2p'ics FOR the operating forces which remain
--all al this without my prospect Of succor
or achievements in, perhaps, the next seven
non,hs, leyond some 500 army recruits-pre-
sent novelties unknown TO any invading army
le.ore. With the addition of ten or twelve
tlplnul nov lovics in April or May-asked
far, and until very recently expec;ed-or even
with the addition Of two or three thousand new
troop, destined for this army, but suddenly,
by the orders Of the War Department, divert
c,i 10 the Rio Grande frontier-I might not
outstanding tie unavoidable discharge Of Ike
old voiuniecrs-sevcn regiments and two in
dependent companies-advance with conf
den-e upon TIE enemy's capital. l shall, ncr-
cr:h less advance; but whether beyond Pue-
ba viii depend on Intervening information
ald reflection. The general panic given TO
the enemy at Ccrro Gordo still remaining, |
think it probable that we shah 20 10 Mexico;
o., ii the enemy recover from chat, we must
renAw the cor sternation by another blow"
Thus. Ike Vortex, finding myself isolated
anl abandoned, and again. Ike him. always a
firail that the next ship or messenger nightre-
c1l o. farther cripple me | resolved no long
er to depend on Vera Cruz or home but 10
render my little army" seli-sustaning ma
cliin~"-as | informed every body including
the head of The War Department, and adj
vaaced 70 pucbla.
It WAS in reference to the foregoing serious
causes Of complaint, and others to be found in
my reports 1T large-paTticularly in respect 10
money for the disbursing staff officers, clothing
and Mr.. Trisi, commissioner-tha / conclud-
cd my report from Pucba, June 4, in these
words:
& Considering the many cruel disappoint-
ments and notifications have been made to
feel, since left Washington, snd the total want
Of support or sympathy on the part of the War
Department, which have solong exper euced,
beg 70 lie recalled from this army. the mo-
ment it may be safe for any person TO embark
at Vera Cruz-which suppose, will be early
in November. Probably all field operations
will he over long before that time"
But my next report, (.Iuly 25) from Paebla
has, no Doubt, in tie end, been deemed more
objectionable by the Department. In that
paper after speaking of the happy change in