Litchfield enquirer., 1848-09-21
MISCELLANY.
CAPTAIN BRAGG.

Alta dinner givea to this officer in New
York. he is reported to have spoken Of Gen.
Taylor thus:
TIE the General-in-Chief his acknowl-
edgement were especially due. Heinspired
the whole army with valor and confidence
by his presence. not only al Blera Vista
but from the opening OF the war on the Rio
Grande. 1t is almost impossible for you.
gentlemen, he said, 10 understand the char
acier of that man as comman der of an
army. There is a resolution and filmness.
a determination in his manner, and 10 his
purposes, that go great ways in leading
men TO victory. 1t was never better illus.
trated than on the field of Palo Alto He
told Maj brown. when he left him with his
small force opposite Matamoras, " Maia-
tain your position. ] will not say, I hope
10 he back, shall try TO be back, bat sD,n
be back on the 10Th. Expect me then, and
maintain your position" Every body
that knew him, knew he would be back, il
alive 10 come. The army returned to Poin,
Isabel, as you know. On the 9th, they
fought al Palo Allo, and when night came
on, they bivcuacked in the open field, and
amid the grass, With not tent over them,
the General himself wrapped in his blanket.
and many can assure you. in not litle
doubt and gloom. Oar little army did Aol
feel sure then, that they could whip three
times their number, and them the bes,
troops in Mexico. We had not tried out
me.le, or measared weapons with them.
Many an eye did not close that night
Ringgold had been slain. A bloody day
was before them, and many, it the army
went ON, were sufr 10 bite tie dust. Blu,
nobody k,ew or could find out what Gen.
Taylor Intended 10 do. There he lay,
wra ped ia his blanket, AID sleeping, ex-
ceh when disturbed by officers asking for
orders. Some were anxious to ascertain
his Intentions His only answer was,-
" Tell the men to sleep. Keep quiet. sleep
is The main thing necessary." Two Or
three officers were particularly anxious TO
know whether he intended to 90 on, or hold
his position. Bat the only satisfaction
that could be got was Sleep" He disco
Sed 10 none of them his intentions. There
was prevailing opinion that it was too
perlous march 10 70 on. But. General
Taylor toward morning, disturbed by some
person demanding orders, replied allow
the men to rest. 1t is time enough at sun
rise" Then turning over in his blanket,
he said TO an officer near, "My mind Is
made up, my mind is made up."-but no.
body knew how his mind was made mp, AND
vet they Who knew him, knew if his mind
was made up, it was no use 10 try 10 change
it.
Ia the morning council of was sum.
II ala nRS
three only of whom advised advance. Mind
| cast no censure upon any one. A differ
ence of Opinion, under sach circumstances
N 'ght hays teen expected. But they who
knew the power Of the Light Artillery, a nc
had seen il play that day, had con6dencs
thai it could clear way for the army bach
10 Fort Brown. sold Zack,"-fOr that !.
the name we call him, replied after the
consultation had tTeken up. =" we will ad'
vance in fifteeA minntes"-and forward we
ma rched to Resaca de la Palma, the result
Of which you all know. Old lack KEEP
his word to Major Brown,-but alas. the
brave and lamenled Major had received hi.
death wound.
So a. Baena Vista the personal charac'
ter of General Tayl.r had like influences
on the army. When the War Department
deemed il necessary, in order 10 form col
umn to INVADE Mexico via Vera Cruz, &c
take his Regulars from him, he was sure
that Santa Anna would attack him. 81
am the weak point" he often said, and
know he will attack me-" But he deer
mined to defend his position, and in ordel
the hes; way 10 defend it, to advance. Gen
Taylor, kept well Informed OF the approach
Of the enemy by General Wocps scout
moved on 70 Salli.lo, then on 10 A. ia Nuega
Ii was proposed at one time to meet the en-
envy 10 advance Of Aqua Nueva. but as
ceriainiag by his engineers that their po
siti0n could be Turned: he resolved 10 iaI
back to Buena Vista, as the enemy ap'
preached him. Baena VISTA is military
position that any soldiers eye would seiec
tor defence. To NO particular person Il
the credit Of its selection due.-i0r u ha'
been said, that even a woman picked - GU
as place 70 repalse al enemy Various
officers have had lhe credit OF the selection
but whatever particular credit is due, Il
certainly due 70 ihe Commander-in- Chief
who fought the battle. The Mexican.
themselves had fought q battle there. San
"a Anna knew the ground 80 well, thai h'
ordered his Gen. (Minon) TO take ant
keep possession Of il, in order to attack on
rear. Gen. Minon got into our rear as or
dered-but when he reached Baena Vista
he found ns in possession Of Il. The %
Of Reb. $500 men, mostly raw troops, op-
| noSed IN 20 mn of the enemy. was csrtainI,