The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-31

Texan troops arc anxious to 60 forward. They are
hardy, and can subsist on little, and trust sha
be allowed to retain them in the manner indicated
| General Taylor assumed that the Department
would grant this reasonable request, and he accord
ingy made the proposition to the troops. And then
these men, whom the Senator calls chafed lions
| impatient only Of the restraint which kept them
from the foe, proved to be chafed with impaence to
get home. For, on the 25th August following the
general writes to the adjutant general that ma.
jority of Colonel Johnson's regiment having ex-
pressed dsinclination to serve for another term
OF three months, he had ordered their discharge,
and that they had already been mustered out OF
service. This was short time before the advance
| upon Monterey, and less than month previous to
the capture Of that city. The two regiments Of
Texan horse did perform six months duty and
shared in the dangers and glory of the attack upon
Monterey. On the 9th of October the entire force
of Texas mounted volunteers had been mustered
out OF service, and were returning home appears
| from the official documents. 1t is charge upon
their courage patriotism to state the fact of tbei
discharge, but it is complete relutation of the
Senator's assertion that they were restrained from
the contest for which they burned, because they
had the prospect of encoultering the enemy on
"equal terms." The regiment of infantry did
not choose 10 remain in service to participate in
| the operations Monterey. The mounted men
| did, and neither restrained at all. The
| general orders, dated October /, 1916, show that
these regiments, like the foot, discharged at
their own desire. Still more extraordinary Ia it in
| the Senator to say that the ''braye Texans were
taken to the southern plains there to meet beneath
burning suns, lingering death by disease ask
where were thcse southern plains to which the
| "brave Texans were sent What corps was
sent? Who commanded them? What complaint
| like this heard before? The men Of Texas
for whom General Taylor called were with the rest
of the army. Tbose who We're discharged before
| the capture of Monterey plains more south
ern than those through which they passed on their
way home, when discharged at their own request;
and those who remained three months more in
service only moved to the higher, cooler, more
| 4 l. 4
Saltillo, with the other corps of the army. defy
the Senator TO make good this charge. There may
have been few Texans in the command of Gene
raj Scott; but with these General Taylor hal moth
ing to do, and, instead OF being sent to meet lin
gering death by disease, on southern plains, they
went to gather laures amongst the mountain
heights, in the elevated valleys of Mexico Sir,
no one doubted the courage and fidelity of the Tex
troops. But II Is going quite too far TO attempt
to stigmatize the late President in this way, when
the opportunity of achieving high honor in this
was not denied them, but rejected by themselves.
But the Senator says that two hundred and fifty
Texans, if the General had applied for them, would
have rcpused any attempt To cross the Rio rande
and have made the song of peace rcsound unin-
terruptedly along the border down to this day II
is easy to see how this disparages, by implication,
all the brave men hocomposed Gen. Taylor's force,
and won the memorable battles OF Palo Alto and
Resaca dc la Palma. II two hundred and fifty Texan
lions could have done all and more than Gen. Tay
-. With between two and three thousand, accom-
be- in be contemplate, the Senator, very inferior
pisillanimous mice, Pc,.-ns' am VIII
ing to cone to the Texans much valot IS may
be claimed for afyj but tiis monopoly OF praise,
this exaggeration Of merit Is ipjuriot,s and disre
spec,ful 20 others. IL is reproach upon the army
| and denial of it.' ready and exuting tribute OF
| admiration with which the whole country reward
ed the skill and galantry of the officers and soldiers
who fought ON the Rio Grandc. am afraid that
the Senator is like the lion, who Is sometimes vio-
eu,ly chafed by the lashing of his own tail, and
that he has worked himself 90 this extraordinary
delusion by the license which be has given 10 Ia
eager fancy. A dclusion II must be, for am sure
he would not willingly misreprcsent or detract from
the men who have deserved so well of their coun-
| try. But the senator complains that General
| Taylor in his letter informing the War Depart
ment of the discharge of the IL san roluutccrs. had
said: "With their departure We may look for
restoration of quiet and order in Monterey, fof
regret TO say that shameful atrocities have been
perpetratcd by them since the capituation of the
| town" OF this the Senator says, "what high
comiums are these in acknowledgement Of yalorous
and chivalric dceds,' &c ms II due acknow wlcdg-
ment Of their services had never been made. But,
| sir these troops have their share OF the generals
commendation, which their commander-i in chief
expressed in his despatch announcing the capture
| OF the city. In this hc bears testimony 10 the good
! conduct courage, and submission 20 priyaton of
all the troops engaged lie particularly returns
thanks to Gen. Henderson for the organization of
his command and its subsequent operations. Else
where other Texan officers favoraby Y mentioned,
and in the reports of Generals Qutmsn, Worth,
aud Henderson, accompanying lns despatch, the
good conduct OF the Texan volunteers Is specially
mentioned. Nowhere is this praisc Withdrawn, un-
| less by the passage just cited, and similar one
where the Texans censurcd for characterization
ana lawlessncss OF this ] shall speak by and by.
The Senator next claims for the Texan volunteers,
apparently TO the exclusion of others quite well
entitled, the credit Of important operations
in the battle Of Monterey. He gays that at ths city
lit was the Texans who first took the plaza, tho
1 4 a. u. nj. -
too, were taken by Texans" And, in another place
/ he says, "Thoy had entire command OF the city,
and IL was with difficulty, after the flag had been
sent in, that they could be induced TO suspend for
one moment their active eRertons, &c., 10 compel
= the instant capituaton of tho town. and for some
time did they ponder before they obeyed their
superior orders" Sir, the Senator'S own state
ment If he be not mistaken, shows the most gar-
ing nsubordination, such untitled them for that
service which demands cheerful and ready subms-
sion 10 the orders Of n commander. | know not
whether their reluctance TO retire was exactly OF
the character, or that they were ne insubJrdinatc
as the Senator supposes for have understood when
that order given, 1t a very serious question
| whether the danger of retrcating was not greater
than that of maintaining their position. / believe
| that when the order was given, the troops were
under cover; they had fought their way 10 positions
where they we're safe from muske:ry, and almost
secure from light artillery, but they could only re-
tire through open Streets where they were exposed
90 the cncmy's hrV and they did, in fact, sustain
|
heard as matter of praise 20 any troops that they
"pondered long" before obeying the orders Of com
manders of acknowledged skill and courage Who
is to do the thinking-who to obey2 Arc the posi-
tons Of officers and soldiers TO be reversed and the
| subordinate TO command his superior, This would
| be violation OF common sense, OF every rule OF
military duty, Of every principle OF safety. un-
derstand from the documents which have care.
fully examined, that the Texan troops did their
duty at Monterey, but that they arc by no mcans
entitled 20 all the credit which the Senator assigns
them. There were two regiments OF mounted vol
| unieers on this occasion. One placed under
the orders OF General Worth, in the attack on the
western part of the city. The other at first or
dered to the support Of Worth command but after
wards recalled and sent 10 the asstanc Quitnan
command, which was attacking the lowest, or cast
| ern part Of the city His troops had been engaged
| for three hours, and they were in hot engagement
| with the enemy when the Texans under Henderson
| came 10 their support. General Hcnderson's repi
! ment rendered gallanssnd efficient service whicf
Is fully acknowledged, but they did not take ''tb,
plaza, the key OF victory" Ii was not taken nj all
by these or any other troops. They reached within
rather Less than two squares Of the plaza and then
| retired under orders. Thos~ orders were perfectly
| proper General Quitman says, in his report
| "haying advanced within less than two squares OF
rthe great plaza, approhensve that might fall