The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-04-30

tout with We learn that the army could be di
embarked few miles distant from Va Crn- and readily
invest The Town in is rear, without coming within Ihf
range of the guns OF the fortress Of San Jnun Uoa The
town could be readily taken by land while the fortress, be
ing invested by land and and all cn
OF, must all From pe,a Crm- the city of Mexico
tere Is fine road upon which the diigenees or stage
coaches run daily. The distance from Vera Cruz to The
city OF Mexico IS not more than one-thd OF ha from the
RIO Grande TO Tue city OF Mexico"
| The subject was again brought into view the 18th
of October the same year, and more particularly on
the 22d Of October letters addressed General lay
or AT the last date the plan had been far matnred
that several officers Of the staff and line were Indicated
for that This nearly month before IL
determined to employ you with the army in any part Of
Mexico. b
1t never contemplated here to strike at the city OF
Mexico IRON the line occupied by General Taylor, or
through any other except that from Vera Cruz If the
war to be pushed to that extent required no elsb
crate demonstration-no profound military talents
nothing more than common sagacy and very slight re-
lection on the subject to the prOpety and the neces-
sity OF making Vera Cruz the base OF military opera
tons. ...... ..,t
An alleged deficiency of means to transport The troops
in the expedition TO Vera Cruz TO be most proml-
nenty presented, and confidently relied sustain
your charge against the War Department for neglectng
issued, it seems to be admitted, the proper order
lar as the means OF transportation to be drawn from
ate and executed 1t was issued at least four
days before you arrived at New Orleans your way to
the army, fpomptly executed. was reasonable cal
cuation that the vessels" alluded to your letter,
would have arrived IN season receive the troops
soon you could collect them from their remote and
scattered positions in the interior of Mexico bring them
to the seacoast, and prepare for their embarcaton
Whether an order for ships 10 be sent out IN ballast,
issued the 18th of December, was not in season
time when the expedition could be got ready TO sail To
determine this, regard must be paid what you required
TO be done preparatory to the expedition, rather than to
what you may have said on that subject
reference to two three OF your acquisitions will
show that no rational hope could be entertained that the
expedition would set forth before the middle the last
Enhr On nra1 10 rfap,n fha nnhf
hundred and forty surfboatsa to be constructed after
you left Washington. Though the department urged
pense OF each at 5000; and thought by putting the prin
cpal shipyads the Atlantic coast in requsiton, they
might be constructed by the LIST of January. To show
what reliance was to be placed on your calculation re-
fer 10 the fact that though due regard to economy
had in procuring these boats, each cost an average
$95o-nearly hyefold your estimate. Connecting that
you erred much less to the time within which they
could be conslructed-nay more, admitting they could
have been ready by the LIST OF Januaryand sooner you
did not expect they could be madeby reasonable cal
cuation could they have reached the coast OF Mexico
before the LIST OF February The expedition could not go
forth without them In your letter to dated the 2sth
February OFT Lobos, you state that but small part OF
of the 2slh December, &C. had arrived and not one OF
the ten ordered by your (my) memorandum Of the 18th
Is the 18Th Of January" Having thus shown, BY your
own opinion, that under my order !" the ten vessels
ought have been al the Brazos at least fifteen days be-
fore tie expedition could have BEEN ready to sail, have
indicated myself from your charge OF having neglected
my duty by not issuing that order an earlier date If
issued earlier would have involved largely increased
expenditure Tor demurrage AMI resulted public ben
etit -,
But the graver part Of this charge IS that none Of these
vessels ever arrived Ksyng ou say IN the
{" ses) confidently, the embarcation was delayed in
whole in part at the Brazos and Tampico. from the
18th of January to the 9th of March, leaving it was
feared, half the time needed for the reduction of
" Vera Cruz and its castle before the return OF the yellow
fever To whomsover the calamitous consequences OF
H., &c
disappointment in relation to them, lmputabe, he has
certainly involved himself in serious responsibility
hope to remove the whole OF it from "the head OF the
War Department. and entertain some apprehensions that
it will fall IN part upon the commanding general OF the
expedition. ss rt
The execution of the whole of the difficult branch
for transportaons by the distribution of the business
the War Department. allotted to the Quartermaste Cen
era AS an expedition against Vera Cruz had been re-
solved some time before you were assigned 10 take
command of it, General Jesup had gone to New Orleans
be in the best position to make the necessary preara-
tons for such an enterprise From his great knowledge
and long experience in military affairs, not only m his
appropriate department, but as commander In the field,
the government thought fortunate that you could have
the advice and assistance of so able counsellor.
Your suggestion that it might be necessary to send
ships in ballast from the north for transports not
elected UNDECIDED by Whether would be neces-
sary not depended according to your statement to me-
upon the of transportation which could be procured
New Orleans, &c My first step was to write to the
Quarermaster General then at that place, for information
That SUBJECT. In MN OF llu Ol DE-
cember said:
SIT is expected that Of the vessels in the sevic of
the quaermasers department be used as transports
for the expedition 1t will be Necessary that the depart.
here should know what portion of the transportation
be furnished by the ordinary means which me quar-
emasers department has under Its control I)r the
expedition have request that inorna-
ton this point should be furnished without delay.
ssAnoher point which the department desires nforma-
ton is what of means of transportation for such
ex petition be furnished at New Orleans Mobile, and
in that quarter
s.The expense of procuring transports from the Atlantic
cities will be exorbitant Freight is high and most
good vessels engaged for the ordinary purposes
of commerce"
1t is important to bear in mind that you this letter
on your first arrival at New Orleans In writing to
from that place, December 81, you observe: 81 have
" seen your letter Tin the hands of Lieutenant Colonel
" Hunt to the Quartermaster General, dated the 1th.'
You could not mistake its object because clearly ex-
pressed asked distinctly, what of transportation
for the expedition be furnished at New Orleans, NC
and referred to the expense and difficulty OF procuring
transports from the Atlantic cities You could not thee
fore, but know that my sending ships IN baas'
from the north would be regulated by the Quartermaer
Generals reply. While waiting for this information,
the imputaon you cast upon me, issued the order
of the 18th of December, to which you REFER knowing
that it could be modified and conformed to the exgences
of the service according to the answer which should
receive from General Jesup His reply dated the 9th
of December, and in il he says:
Transportation be provided here for all the troops
that may be dratcn from The army under the command of
" General TAYLOR, and for all the ordnance ordnance
stores and other SUPPLIES which may be drawn either
from this depot (the Brazos from New Orleans. The
public transportsl mean those owned by the United