The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-10-05
From the Ncr York Erpress. |
A DINNER TO CAPT. BRAGG.

Il
York few days since by par,v of gen
tlemen, ut the Aston House, over which r.
HoNE presided Among the other guests
were Mr.. Meredith and Mr.. Kennel, of
Baltimore, the Hon. Mr.. (CoIoncl) Haskell.
Of Tennessee, and Hon. Mr.. Donncll. oi
North Carolina. At the dinner were sew
eraI of our most distinguished merchants,
bankers. &c. who had assembled there to
DO honor TO the brave.
AS the dinner was in some degree pri.
vatc, We shall go no further than To report
in substance, aud from memory, the re-
marks OF Col. Bragg. Mr.. Hone toasted
him ms Captain Bragg, better known by
that thnn any other name-"A little more
grape, Captain Bragg'-and alluded at
length to his brilliant service of the flying
artillery ut Buenn Vista.
Col. Bragg mscstly rising, and in some
embarrassment said, il was well known,
that he was only a soldier, aud that there
ioro no fitting speech could be expected
from him in reply. For whatever merit
gentlemen chose to award him, or whatcv-
er reputation. if nny no had undeservedly,
tho whole of it was due 10 the gallant Gen
cral under whom he served, and to the sol
ders in the service he commanded. nav
more. for the hrilliancy of that service he
was indebted to the training of the lament.
cd RinggoId aud Rigley. from whose hands
be had received The corps. in TINT iull eff
cheney that enabled il to immortalizc itself
on the periIous aud bloody field of Buena
Vista.
TO the Gcneral-n. Chief his scknowlcdr
ments were especially due. lie inspired
the whole army with valor and confidence
by his presence, mot only at Bucna Vista,
but from tho opening Of the war on the
Rio Grande. i is almost impossible for
you. gentlemen, he said, To understand the
character OF that man "a a comma ndcr Of
an army. There is a resolution, a firm
ness, determination in his manner md
In his purpose that goes great ways in
leading men to victory. II was never bet
ter illustrated than on the field Of palo Al
to. lie told Major Brown, when he lcf,
him with his small force opposite Mn,amo-
ros, "Maintain your position" ! ril. not
| hope to be back. I shall try TO he back.
but WILL be bnck on tho 10th. l.vpcc,
mo then. and 'maintain Your position.
Every body that knew him, knew no would
be back, il alive to como. The army re.
turned TO Point Isabel, as you know. On
the sth they fought n, l'alo Alto, and when
night cnIne on, they bivouackcd in the open
field, and amid the crnss. with not n tent
over them. the General himself wrapped in
his blanket, and many. | can assure YOU,
in not little doubt and gloom. Our little
army did not feel sure then, that they would
whip three times their number. and them
the best troops in Mexico. We had not
tried our mcttlc, or measured weapons with
them. Many m eve did not close that
night. Ringgold had been slain. A bloody
day was before them, and many, il the mr.
my went on. were sure To bite the dust.
But nobody knew or could find out whit
Gen. Taylor intended to do. There he
lay, wrapped in his blanket, and sleeping,
except when disturbed by officers asking
for orders. Some were anxious 10 ascer-
thin his intentions. Ills only answer wns,
"Tcll the men to sleep. Keep quiet
Sleep is the main thing necessary" Two
or three officers were particularly anxious
to know whether he intended to 30 on, or
hold his position. But the only sn,islnc-
ton that could be got was "slecp." lie
disclosed TO mono Of them his intentions
There was prevailing opinion that il was
too pcrilous march to 90 on. But Gen.
Taylor, towards morning, disturbed BY
some person demanding orders, replied,
'sallow the men to rest. Il is time enough
at sunrise" Then turning over in his
blanket, he said to an officer near, "Mv
mind is made up, my mind 10 made up
and yet they who knew him, knew if his
mind wns made up, il was no use to try TO
change it.
In the morning council of wnr was
summoned aud there were eleven officers
present, three only of whom advised nd
vance. Mind, cast no censure upon any
one. A difference Of opinion, under such
circumstances, might hive been expected
But they who knew the power Of the Light
Artillery, and had socn il play that day,
had confidence that il could clear a way for
the army hack to Fort Brown. ..Oid
lack, "-for that is the namo we call him,
replied after the consultation had broken
up, rc miN ndrancc in fifteen minntes--
aud forward they marched 10 Rcsacn dc Ia
Palma. thu result Of which You all know.
Old lack kept his word to Maj Brown but,
aln-, The brave md lamcnted Major had re-
ceivcd his death wound.
So at Buena Vista the personal charac-
ter Of Gen. I'avlor had like influence on
the army. When tho War Department,
deemed it necessary. in order TO form
column to invade Mexico via Vera Cruz.
to take his Regulars from him. he was sure