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

for every unowsrd event. the heads of the several bu
reaus called by me 10 show how they had exc
cuted the duties which had been conhded them, par
ucuarly IN regard 10 matters referred TO by you The
evidence they presented OF having done all that was re
CURED, or could have been expected, convinced meand
venture to say that, full examination, il will salts
fy any mind open to convctonthat all your complaints
so lar as they imputed blame TO the War Department,
any OF It's branches, are uniounded. II will do much
more-lt Will show that great industry, promplness, I'M
common capacity, and extraordinary exerons, in rea
ton to everything connected with the war have charac
terlzed The action OF each OF these subordinate depart
ments. AS a commentator justly merited by these
several branches OF the departments assaed they are
indirectly by you, see no good reason for Withholding
my opinion, that an instance cannot be found where
much has been done, and well done, in short time
by any similar body OF officers under similar crcurs-
stances.
AS you have by implication, laid heavy hand upon
the bureau which is charged with the onerous duties
executing the laws and orders for raising and sending
ward the recruits and levies, feel bound affirm tina,
you have done 10 that branch OF the public service the
greatest injustice. No industry has been spared-no
possible effort omed-to raise the forces which were
authorized and TO send them their destination within
the briefest practicable period The numerous orders
sued from the Aduant Generals Office and It's volumi-
nous correspondence that subject, will sustain this
sertlon.
You have pressed with unwonted zeal the charge
IN relation to dlvertng the detachments OF the
mens under Gen. CadwaldeTs command to the Brazos,
and have INDUCED the widest specuaiions to the
sad consequences which attended this imputed error.
Assuming that my orders diverted these troops, any
Others ian assertion which shall conovert hereafter
the circumstances justified the The critical
condition of Gen Taylor according to all accounts re-,
ceved here At that time, stated letter you OF
the ED of March. To show that the department acted
properly though incurred your eprooi it necessary
to recall the facts they then appeared here They
presented in the following extract from that letter:
The information which has just reached in the shape
OF rumors, to the situation of General Taylor and the
forces under his command has excited the most painful
approximations for their safety lit is almost certain that
Santa Anna has prspated The args army he had collect,
be the general has been able maintain adj
vanced position he had fit to take at Aqua Nueva but
has been obliged To fall back Monterey IL is equally
certain that Mexican force has been inerpoed between
Monterey and the Rio rande and that has interrupted
the line of communication between the places and
seized large supplies which were on the 10 General
III hostile force between the Rio Gande and Gen
era Tayor's army is large report presents it,
line will il, perhaps be possible place force there
sufficient Tor the purpose in time to prevent disastrous
sequences 10 our army unless aid can be afforded from the
troops under your immediate command
"Fom one to two thousand OF the recruits for the
Brazos the three four days All tue other
forces will be directed TO that point and every effort made
viii have been fully apprized before this reach you
the condition OF things in the valley of the Rio Grande and
the headquarters OF General Taylor and have taken,
trust, such measures the importance of the subject
CURES need not urge rpon you the fatal consequences
beal the army under General Taylor, do doubt ha,
lamy."
The course pursued by the War Department on that
occasion, which you into charge, must on re-
vision, think, commend itself to general appreciation
Had it been indifferent to the alarming condition OF Gene
raj Tayors army, and forborne use, the earliest
moment, the most energetic to guard against
the fatal consequences of its defeat then probable
which you have made against for having done its duty
in that critical emergency When you first received the
assigned for the adopted here they appear
to have been satisfactory In your despatch of the 2slh
OF April, you say: Yesterday learned by letter
"of the 22I, and the Aduan Generals of the 26tlr u
"tha all the recruits of the regiments 3,0oOaised
hQ ma IN haua hnap
"ordered to the Rio Grande You did not then intimate
the slightest Observation-Disclosures even premonitory
symptom of that deep distress with which, instantly
Mr. Triss arrival Mexico you represent yourself TO
have been seized Ii s coincidence not unworthy OF no.
ce, that the letter containing your first condemnaory
mark this subject was written the day Of the date
your captious reply to it; aud in both you assai the
War Department. Your whitening disappointment seems
aroused by the appearance OF Mr. Trst in Mexico and
your quarrel with him. If the order from the War De-
partment had in fact diverted" the forces with General
Cadwaader, still it fully justified by the threaten
ing aspect of affairs the Rio Grande but am quite
it did not divert them No previous order from the
department had designated any other place of rendezvous
than the BaZOs tor the troops that on your col
umn. Ii well understood, before you left Wash
ngton that all the troops for both armies were be
TO that place. and there to fall under your command
This arrangement was not, was 1t expected that II
would be here changed until you had penetrated far
into the enemys country render your communice
tons with that place OF general rendezvous difficult and
datory
You also complain that the order was not counter
handed If there had been such an ORDER and it had
been counermanded what would have been the conse-
quence The troops would have gone forward from the
United States under the former orders OF the department.
which would have taken them to the same place
You allege that 'the of the victory of Buena
ista reached Washington in time countermand Cad
waaders orders for the Rio Grande before his depart
ure from New Orleans notice this specification OF
neglect of duty, to show the extent to which you have
carried your fault finding, and the industry with which
you have searched Tor occasions 10 indulge IT.
Your assumption is, that the news of the victory of
Buena Vista should have satisfied the War Department
that Cadwaader's forces not needed on the Rio
Grande and the omission to untemand,
that received the orders to send them there,
neglect deserving animadyersion How
did you act under similar circumstances With better
means of information to the actual condition of the
Rio Grande frontier, after the victory OF Buena Vista,
you did not deem it prudent, after being forty days
possession OF the OF that victory to positive
orders to remove single man from that frontier; yet
you venture To censure me for not having sent the troops
away the moment the reached Washington.
You received information OF that victory on or before
the 18th of March, for that day you proclaimed il in
orders to your army. On The 25th of April, more
than forty days thereafter, you issued order to
the commanding officer at the Brazos TO embark for
Vera Cruz "such detachments OF the regiments
may have been ordered by the War Department Point
Isabel y but you made il conditional with reference to the
safety of the line OF the Rio Grande and said to that Of
fcer that you relied upon his "sound judgment deter
mine the spot whether that line would not be too
"much exposed by the withdrawal of the troops ques
ton" Thus it appears that you do not hesitate to
pu,e neglect OF duty to for not having adopted and
acted the conclusion that the line of the Rio Grande
In hnnr ni fhn rpt