Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-10-26


accidentally 10 say yesterday that this 70 be The
most brilliant affair Of the Not 90 Gen. Scot
accomplished all that Napoleon or Wellington could
have accomplished under similar CIRCUMSTANCES add
so al Fora Cruz But those affairs cannot be compar
ed q Bae,sa Vista That was altogether, very DIFF
ferent concern and offered an opportunity for disinc,
ton which very rarely occurs 10 whole centuries OF
war Monterey, Vesa Crur, and Sierra Gerdo are
of fe erfssy of baes whefr fe yfrfurs Ord All
that men could accomplished that circumstances
would permit. But Bsena Tista is another Mara
fbon it is gericris-t stands alone among the ma
ny wonderful deiences which history records; and,
10 all human probability. centuries may eapse with
oo an opportunity Offering for such another signal
triumph. We look III vain for any thing OF the kind
in the battles ofsihe Revolution, the war 1912 and
European history offers nothing superior, II there
be any thing equal to.It.
But says correspondent. General Scott, had he
been there, would have accomplished the same great
work. Not SO in our Judgment Cen Scott would
nobly have done his duty but neither he nor Gen.
Taylor could have made that defence without the
prestige ofthe gallant achievements of Palo Alto. Re
caca de la Palma. and Monterey. There lay the Sc
cre Of Taylor's lie possesses the exraordi-
nary power, SO seldom bestowed upon man of inspir-
ing his army with the conviction that where he de-
feat is impossible. The French were invincible when
Napoleon was IN the field, until after his Russian
campaign II was only necessary TO know that the
Little Corporal was in the fight, to set the men 10
calculating at ulnt hour the victory would be won.
And so il was at Bsena Visa. The veteran and gal
liant Wool did all that Scott or any man could have
done in the early part OF the day and yet when Tay
lor came On the field his hoops were actually giving
way TO the overwhelming number Of the foe. The
mere presence Of General Taylor however, turned
the current Of events, and gave victory instead OF
defeat The Little CorporaP' was on the ground,
and his soldiers thought no more Of retreat.
"Such is the history Of Busna Visfa and all who
read It undersiandngly, must concede that Gen.
Taylor would not have thai glorious field but for
M al cnu have
saved our army that occasion; and he saved and
covered the country with glory, by reason OF what he
had previously accomplished.
'We repeat, therefore, that his success al Buena
Vista is mainly attributable 10 the fact OF his possess
ing the extraordinary quality OF impressng his men
with confidence OF success which admits Of no de-
feat, and which has rarely been possessed by man
and we intend no disrespect to others when we say
that he is the only man living who could have won
that battlewhch is certainly without any parallel in
modern history, and which, il al! human probability,
will stand isolated and alone tine page OF history
Tor centuries 10 Gomez
What was historical truth then, is, we apprehend,
no less historically true now. Then il was admitted
on all hands that WOOL and all his gallan, associates,
were literally oyerpowered by numbers, when Gen.
Iay lor arrived from Salto. And well does Captain
Bragg, IN late speech, describe that scene We an
mex an extract from his remarks:
ITO the Generalin chiefhis Acknowledgements were
especially due. He inspired the whole army with
ena Vista, bu, from the opening Of the war on the
Rio Grande. II is almost impossible for you, gentle
men, (he said TO understand the character Of that
man as commander OF an army. There is resou
ton, "a frmness, determination in his manner and in
his purposes that go great way leading VIC
tory''
"Ihe battle was fought; you know the result; but
you neuer kao,c the influence that the presence of
Gen. Taylor had upon The army. He Alone so Il has
seemed to me- could hare inspired by presence, epery
soldier IN the army the ronieers svcre inspired The
confidence IN him complete. He had commanded
volunteers before, and had been successful with them
He had never surrendered. He had never been whip
ded, and the idea got abroad that he never could be-
When manoeuverlng my pieces athwart the gnles
ri CHE this as an example of that Confidence saw
clouds Of dust about two miles from me- was pain
fully anxious thought Gen Minon had fallen on
our rear and attacked depots, and TO meet him
wasny first thought. A man came gaIloping through
the dust into sight, Old Zach is comingn Every
soldier gave involuntary uerance his feelings
Old Zach came and in es minutes the tide Of battle
turned -Four thousand five hundred repulsed
twenty thousand and 10 the influence of that pre-
srnce, under God, think am alive here 10 dine with
you to-day"
OF Gen. Taylor's modesty there can be question:
The universal admiration excited by his public des-
patches both IN Europe and America, is attributable
manly 10 their unpretending modest style, and the
absence ofany thing like selEpraise; and yet in re-
cent speech when forced TO refer TO the battle of Blu
ena Vista, he thus speaks:
THE battle of Buena Vista under the circumstances
under which il was fought was one of the mos, irving
occasions 10 which soldier can be placed | NAV !
say, indeed that fought that battle uih halter about
my neck. had been advised TO fall hack and OCCUPY
Monterey, which, as before stated, declined and
had been unsuccessful that advice would have been
brought up in judgment against me. i declined that
advice because believed the result would have been
as disastrous as defeat"
But, great as were the achievements OF Gen. Tay-
Tor upon the field Of Buena pista, we mus, look 10
the events which preceded the battle for the mperish
able glory won for our arms on that OCCASION We
must look at him pouring his intruclons from
Washington advising his retreat upon .Ioniereu the
effect oil which he thus describes
"Had fallen back TO Monterey the whole country
ABOUT me, upon which was greatly dependant for
forage, would have flown 10 arms Once confined
IN Monterey, the Volunteers to say nothing of the ef
'ecIs OF 'he retreat upon them, would have become
scky and dsprited, and deprived OF all means of OBJ
lainlns supplies, and particularly forage, | should
soon nave not had Dragon or artillery horse in my
ed ultimately to surrender unless the seige could have
oeen raised by The return Of Gen. Scott from Vera
Cfuz, with The troops under his command
The battle OF Buena Vista was fought on our side
oy about 43o regular troops and something upwards
OF 4'ooo volunteers, while they were opposed by at
,east zonoo OF the enemy and had we lost the day
Jeei maj The 9hole responsibility of The misfortune ,couh
hare fallen on my shoulders Yet do no, wish here
to censure those who placed US in that critical sua.
.on-3whether they deserve blame or not leave il
Tor others TO determine Those who had control over
my fate in this transaction may have friends here pre
sent, IN whose opinion would not harm Them. For
my own part am satisfied 10 hope and believe that
was ali the result of accident rather than OF design
on their part"
Here were the reflections of the statesman and the
general here the evidence of that superior intellect
winch qualities him TO guide the destnies Of nation
ne Is no common man no mere soldier blindly o.