Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-05-12

pushed to that extent, it required no elaborate
demonstration-no profound military talents
nothing more than common sagacitv and
very slight reflection on the subject to see the
propriety and the necessity of making Vera
Cruz the base of military operations.
An alleged deficiency of means TO transport
the troops in the expedition to Vera Cruz
seems to be most prominently presented, and
most confidently relied on to sustain your
charge against the War Department for neg
Letting this branch of its duties.
| issued, it seems TO be admitted, the proper
order. so far as the means of transportation
were TO be drawn from the north ; but the al
legation is that it was issued too late, and was
never executed. Il was issued at least tour
days before YOU arrived at New Orleans on
your way TO the army. If promptly executed,
It was a reasonable calculation that the " ten
vessels" alluded to in your letter, would have
arrived in season to receive the troops as soon
as Won could collect them from their remote
and scattered positions in the interior of Mex
leo, bring them 10 the seacoast, and prepare
for their embarcation Whether an order for
ships 10 be sent out in ballast, issued the 18th
of December, was Or was not In season for the
service they were designed for, depends upon
the time when the expedition could be got
ready 10 sail. To determine this, a regard
must be paid 10 what you required to be done
preparatory to the expedition, rather than 10
what you may have said on that subject
A reference to two or three of your requlsi-
tons will show that no rational hope could
be entertained that the expedition would set
forth before the middle or the last of Februa-
ry. You required as one item of the outfit
one hundred and forty surf boats-all to be
constructed after you left Washington. Tho
the department urged less number, you in
sisted on all. You estimated the expense OF
each at 5000; and thought, by putting the
principal shp-yards on the Atlantic coast in
requisition, they might be constructed by the
Ist OF January. To show what reliance was
to be placed on your calculation, refer TO the
fact that, though due regard to economy was
had in procuring these boats, each cost on an
average s95O-nearly FIVE fold your estimate
ConceLing that YOU erred much less as to the
| time within which they could be constructed
nay more, admitting they could have been
ready by the lst Of January-and sooner you
did not expect they could be made-by no rea,
sonable calculation could they have reached
the coast of Mexico before the list of Februa
ry. The expedition could not go forth with
out them. In your letter TO me dated the 28tf
February, off Lobos, you state that but a small
! part OF the transports engaged at New Orleans
under your orders of the 2StE December, &C.
had arrived, and {" not one of the ten ordered
" by your (my) memorandum of the 18th Of
' that month, and the whole rere due at ht
BRACES on the 18th Of January" Having
thus shown, by your own opinion, that under
my order "the ten vessels" ought to have
been at the Brazos at least fifteen days before
the expedition could hare been ready to sail,
have vindicated myself from your charge OF
having neglected my duty by not issuing thai
order at an earlier date If issued earlier, il
would have involved a largely increased eX.
penditure for demurrage, and resulted in nc
public benefit.
But the graver part of this charge is, tina
none Of these "ten vessels ever arrived -
Relying (you say in the letter now under
" consideration upon them (the ten vessels,
" confidently, the embarcation was delayed in
whole or in part at the Brazos and Tampi-
{" CO. from the 18th of January to the 9th OF
March, leaving, it was feared, not half the
IS time needed for the reduction of Vera Cruz
Is and its castle before the return of the yellow
" fever" TO whomsoever the calamitou:
consequences of the non arrival of these 6 ter
vessels" and your " cruel disappointment in
relation to them, are imputable, he has GER
tainly involved himself in a serious RESPONSE
bility. hope TO remove the whole of it from
t" the head of the War Department" and en-.
terrain some apprehensons that it will fall IL
part upon the commanding general of the ex.
! petition.
The execution of the whole of the mos
difficult branch OF duties appertaining 10 mi
! ltarv XpedltiOn-providing for transportation
/ is, by the distribution Of the business in tht
| War Department, allotted to the Quartermas
| ter General. AS an expedition against Yer;
| Cruz had been resolved on some time before
YOU were assigned 10 take command of it
General Jesup had gone to New Orleans TO bt
in the best position 10 make the necessary pre-
partitions for such an enterprise. From hi;
great knowledge and long experience in mill
tary affairs, not only in his appropriate de
pariment, but as a commander in the field, thu
government thought it fortunate that yol
could have the advice and assistance of SO va
luabIe counsellor.
Your suggestion that it might be necessar,
10 send ships in ballast from the north 70
transports was not neglected or UNDECIDED b,
me. Whether it would be necessary or not
depended according 10 your statement 10 me
upon the means of transportation which coul'
be procured at New Orleans, &c. MY frs
step was to write to the Quartermaster Gene
raj, then at that place, for information on tina
sub ect In my letter to him of the 18th 0
December said
1t is expected that most OF the vessels il
the servie of the quartermaster's department
can be used as transports for the expedition
II will be necessary that the department her
should know what portion of the lransporta
ton can be furnished by the ordinary mean
which the quarermaster's department ha
now under its control for the purposes of it
expedition. have to request that informa
ton on this point should be furnished Withou
delay.
Another point on which the department
desires information is, what amount of mean
of transportation for such an expedition cal
be furnished at n. Orleans, Mobile, and in tina
quarter.
the Atlantic cities will be eXorbitant. Freigh
is very high, and most of the good vessels ar
engaged Tor the ordinary purposes OF com
mercc"
1t is important TO bear in mind that YOU saw
this letter on your first arrival al New Orleans
In writing to me from that place, Decembe
81, you observe: 81 have seen your letter iii
90 the hands of Lieutenant Colonel HunN +
/" the Qualtermaster General, dated the 18th.
You could not mistake its object, because
was clearly expressed. | asked distinctly
what means of transportation for the eXpedi
ton can be furnished at New Orleans, sc
and referred 10 the expense and difficulty G
procuring transports from the Atlantic cities
You could not, therefore, but know that m