The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-15

The beautiful allusion Of Sir HEsRY l.. BuwEH,
in his late brilliant speech at Baltimore. tie bat
tic of Buena Vista, associated with that ofAgin-
court induces TO request the republication Of the
following letters, written at the time. Many who
have read the narrative of that extraordinary event
have not an adequate conception Of the conse-
quences depending on the result. During TIE war
thirty letters were written by me, and foureen Of
them have just been republished in this city pam
phlet form. H. M. BRACKENRIlGE.
LETrEa XII.
The accounts from the seat of war in the States
of the Rio Grande are becoming every day more
serious; perhaps, should say, alarming IL is
now placed beyond all doubt that Santa Alma, in
stead of throwing himsef between the city d Mexi
co and the expected march OF General Scptt, has
suddenly advanced on General Taylor at saltillo
We now see the effect of weakening the srmy of
the Rio Grande, under the superstition that the
Mexican commander could make no other military
movement than that of covering the national CAPT
crton, has collected all his disposabe force at the
point where he can most adyantageously arrest the
march Of Santa Anna but his division does not ex
coed five thousand men, not more than half Of them
regulars while the Mexican army is not short of
twenty thousand, and by far the most formidable
ever yet embodied in that country. We haveevery
confidence in General Taylor and his gallant Off
GERS and soldiers; he is one those whose
Of mind have always been brought out by emer-
gences, and always found equal to them but it
must be confessed, the odds, at present, are fear
fully against him
1t is said, that General Taylor has received or
ders (perhaps discretionary both from the War
Department, and the commander in chief, to re-
treat TO Monterey. This, ! am confident, he will
never do. He must meet Santa Anna on the edge
of the desert of three hundred miles, which he is
compelled to cross, and he will make his stand at
the admirably chosen battlefield of Buena Vista,
which, according TO the description of Captain
Al -
of General Taylor TO defend, and to withstand the
shock of attacking force four times its numbers.
Here is exactly one Of those cases where every
thing must be put to !" the hazard OF the die" or
Let us for a moment consider the consequences OF
the retreat of General Taylor to Monterey of his
defeat at Buena Vista. Santa Anna once at Saltilo,
will find every thing necessary TO refresh his troops
after the sufferings and fatigues of their march.
The retreat of the American general will be re-
gardcd victory for Santa Anna and il will cause
the rancheros of New Leon, Coawilla, and Ia
maulipas, to rise en- masse. General Urea, 1t Is
said s at the head of ten thousand men near Vic
toria SO that army will be shut up in Monterey,
and all communications cut of with the Rio
Grande. II is true, portion Of General Taylor's
force may be detached to defend some narrow pass
between Monterey and Saltillo, and attempt to OPP
pose the advance of Santa Anna But may not
Monterey be turned by Urea, and thus place him.
self in the rear of that detachment, while portion
of the Mexican army shall advance in front? AL
though Santa Anna may not be able to transport his
artillery Is it impossible for him to enter the valley
of the Rio Grande with his infantry and cavalry, by
some circuitous way? / set up no pretensions te
being military critic; my suggestions are merely
thrown out for what they are worth, and they may
be worth nothing. But conceive it possible
for Santa Anna, with his whole army, to enter New
Leon and Tamaulipas, and the necessary conse-
quence must be, that all our military stores at Co
MARCO and Matamoros must fall into his hands
He will sweep the whole valley of the Rio Grande
and in all probability will not stop there, but cross
into Texas, now almost defenceess, there being nj
force at any point capable of opposing his progress
Admit that these bare possibilities, these may
become probabilities, and probabilities may be-
come realities.
The supposed retreat, or defeat of our army, vii
change the whole face of the war. Should either o
these events take place, (and such is my conf
dence in General Taylor, that firmly believe they
will not,) then the descent on Vera Cruz, and thu
march to Mexico, under the commander in chief
will have to be abandoned, and retrograde move
ment undertaken to the Rio Grande, which canno
be effected without great difficulty and delay
Our whole country waits with breathless anxiety
the issue of the conflict between General Taylo
and Santa Anna. 1t is the turning point of THU
war-if our arms prove successful, there will b
every thing to hope, and peace will have been con
quered; but if fail the prospect before will b.
dark and gloomy indeed.