Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1848-10-02
FURTHER HoyoRs TO GEN TAYLOR.
GEN. TAYLoR.s ADDRESS.

easements, Mr. Speaker, that | fud myselfcall-
ed upoa TO respond 90 the cordial reception
with which have just been met by the au-
thorities Of Pass Christian and The citizens OF
Harrison county. | cannot. indeed. expect
TO do justice to the occasion, and tsel espe-
cially less able TO Offer in adequate terms my
acknow letgnents for the very hltternE l1n-
guage in which this greeting h3s been tender
ed by the talented citizen who has just adj
dressed me. | can only. therefore. oil-r you
| nv warmest thanks. aud assure you uiat lie
style uf nav reception aers IS particularly
grateful to my feelings. This simple and re.
| publican manner Of meeting NV ielOw-fIli-
zens carries me back TO the pleasant scores OF
nv early life. was reared from infancy TO
early manhood ia the West-among men OF
the most primitive tastes aud republican sim
plicitv. We there frequently met on ucca-
sions like this. TO exchange Freely our opinions
on National and State affairs, and to devise
measures Tor the defence ot oar bortcrs, which
at that day the General Government was
sometimes unable TO protect. On these &C
casions were often collected, too. those men
of lion hearts and iron nerves who had not
only aided the Father oI our Country IN
achieving our Independence. and stood by his
side in many OF his harl-iought battles, but
who afterwards filled, with honor to our couu-
try, conspicuous places in our legislative bod
les, both National and State. have been ed
ucated in the simple and republican habits SO
happily illustrated in this scene, and do not
eYnect to change them in my old days. You
will then understand me when | assure you
again, that the manner Of my reception here
is more agreeable to my feelings and taste
than could be all the pomp and pageantry OF
a reception at the most splendid Court OF E0-
rope.
The complimentary language in which
you have been pleased to allude TO my mili-
tarJ services, which nov embrace a period OF
more than forty wears. and especially to the
actions in which | have been engaged during
that time commencing with the defence OF
Fort Harrison, in 1872, and ending with the
battle OF Buena Vista, asawakened in me the
most grateful emotions. feel particularly
gratifed at the just tribute OF praise which
you have paid, in speaking OF these services,
TO the gallant men whom ] commanded on
those occasions, and 10 whom ! feel deeply
indebted for our success. | claim nothing,
save the good fortune OF being the leader OF
such men on the occasions referred 10; and
TO their zeal in sustaining me, and to their
bold hearts and strong aims, are we iudepted
for our victories. The manner Ia which you
have alluded To my being stripped oi my
troops on the Rio Glande and 10 my being
left, as ii might seem, al the mercy OF the EN-
einy, Just before the battle OF Buena Vista,
renders it proper. probably, that ! should
make a lew remarks IN relation to that mat
ter. ! received al Victoria, while Oh my way
II Iamplro-a movement which | had adj
,ised the War Department / should make Tor
certain reasons-an order from the General
m-Chiei OF the army, stripping me OF the
greater portion OF my command; and parilcu-
lurly OF regular troops and volunteers well III
structed. This order was received b. me
with much surprise. aud, | must confess. pro
duced the strongest feelings of regret, MORT
hcation aud disappointment, as | knew that
Gen. Santa Anna was within striking distance
OF my line, with an army Of % 0O0, proba-
bly, of the best appointed men ever collected
in Mexico. Alter putting most OF the troops
then with me at Victoria, en- route for Tam
pico- the larger portion OF the Commands al
Monterey and Saltillo having been already
Withdrawn for the same ultimate destination
i was instructed to return to the lormer
place, where il was expected / would remain
on the defensive, with the small force then uh-
der my orders. A few days after reaching that
point | learned that the greatest alarm prevail
ed amoug the advance at SaltillO, in conse-
quence oil the capture at Encarnacion Of Ma
jors Borland and Gaines, with their pirty oil
about eighty picked men from the Arkansas
Kentucky cavalry-toliowed a few days afler-
wards by he capture OF detachment OF pick
ed men under Capt. fleady, also Of the Ken
lucky cavalry.
About the same time | received a commu-
~nicaiion from Gen. Wool, then commanding
at Saltillo, urging M TO join him with all the
troops at my disposal, stating that Gen. San
Ia Anna was at least preparing il he was not
already en- route, to strike d blow at Saltllo!
| Immediately joined Gen. Wool with 700 or
SOC men, and = few days afterwards c%oncen-
trated oil the troops, which were generally
encamped by regiments, aud took my posi-
lion al Aqua Nueya, IN oIder that all the otil-
GERS might become better acquainted with
each other and their duty, and tAat generally
a more thorough system Of discipline and ms
truction could be adopted TO prepare all hands
Tor service. While here, / was advised By |
the War Department and The General-in-Chiet
to occupy Monterey. This advice | believed
then, as DO now, was gwen at hazard, and
in ignorance OF ms situation, Of that of the
enemy, and OF the country | declined TO
adopt it, and determined to fight the Mexican
Wv liiiii'AiutAlN ~ I ~ 30 NV 'RN0
ert country which lay Just in my front, and
before he could have time to refresh aud reor.
ganize his army, which ! knew would he
much worn out aud disordered by "a march OF
$50 miles across this desert without Sufficient
provisions and supplies, and with "a great
scarcity Of water, In this determination, 50
far as know, ! was most cordially sustained
by the officers OF nay command, About Two
weeks alter taking my posllionat Aqua Neuya,
II was ascertained by my advanced parties
that Santa Anna was at hand with his army.
We then fell back to Buena Vista, a ranch
some sixty miles in front OF SiltIllo, where
we took npa strong position, and where we
could easily communicate with our depot in
the letter place. Upon this ground | deter
mined TO give battle. The eusmy arrived in
our front on The moraing Of the 22l, and sum
moned me TO surrender at discretion about |
O'Clock OF the same day. The SUMMONS was
declined; and about O'Clock on that day the
blttle OF Buena Vista commenced. The re-
suit OF that affair Is known to you oil. aud |
shall not, therefore, froRbs you with lis de-
tails. All tried TO d~ischarge their dot, to their
country on that occassiun. and some eveudid
more than their duty. IL would then perhaps
be invidious TO draw comparisons, but | must
se permitted 70 say that, led ON by their distiu-
guished commander, the gallant Mississippi
Volunteers, OF whom yoo have Just $ foken 81
highly aud SO justly, performed well their
part. They were the only volunteers with ,ne
" no had met the enemy beloae-hayiug acted
as would become veteran troops in the Goa.
ficis about Monterey. Therefore calculated
much upon their assistance on that eventual
day, and ! am happy here 60 say that my ex
pectations were luliy realized. Their rank
lhinued by the enemy 5 bullets are much more
conclusive as to thsir good conduct than any
thinp | COuld say,