The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-24

der ~ repair 70 AoUco ~ sSho ssy yum I.nS Va
ganise and see on foot an expeditions On the Gull
soorr's MARGUvRas AGAINST GEN. TAYLOR.
After getting the plsnaEy authority over the
forces in Mexico, Gen. Scott, moving that Gen.
Taylor had taken Monterey, and bad advanced to
Saitino while Santa Anna was gathering his army
at San Luis, perceived at once that the position 90
cuped by each Of the beligerens presented strong
one point or the other. II Taylor could defeat
Santa Anna, and take Sen Luis, the way 70 the
city Of Mexico would be opened to him. HSants
Anna could vanquish Taylor At Salsilo, it would
Nresaw that the weakening Of Tayior's force at
Saltillo must bring down upon that poin, the army
which had been drawn together to oppose him, and
which. before Wool joined him, had already threat
strength, to receive and defeat his aosasonist and
to pursue his victory, Scott saw was 10 give has
rival, Taylor the power to enter the city OF Mexico
and put an end to the war. This had been tho
route on which was at FIRST contemplated TO march
to the eonques. of the city Of Mexico The diff
Guilty Of crossing the desert. and after being worn
out by the march, TO defeat Santa Anna, with su-
perior army, alone restrained Taylor from pursuing
that plan which, be wrote the Secretary, he only
wanted adequate means 10 execute. This was the
posture OF things when Scott arrived At the Rio
Grande.
General Taylor had been consulted several times
by the Secretary OF War; about the Gulf expedition:
at hIst az If il would be committed 10 him; and IL
was inquired. what force conld De spared from that
which he carried up the Rio Grande for thGt porpose,
while maNnta aiming proper attitude IN the country
conquered by him. In a letter Of Oct 18th, 1876,
rom Monterey BE gives this account o! his strengab
~ am satisfied 500 men per rtgi nnent would be q
large 6serage OF electives among the volunteers.
This woald give. iDclndicg tho cavalry. force little
shcrt OF 5000 mea. or adding 600 regulars. four
present strength Is not 5000 totaa uce Of 10 900
Leaving the 'derate number of coo 20
rear, could not be aoie 10 march from Saitio
with present and expected mears the head Of more
than 10000 men"
This wss Faylor's army. aud the question was,
now much OF this force could be safely taken act
on the Gulf, (say Tampico or Vera CruL.) giving
up the plan OF moving upon the city Of Mexico oy
San Luis. On this point Gen. Taylor ssys-
In the latter the general line Of the Sierra Nevada
might very well be taken; but then, with the enemy
in force my font IL might be mprudent 20 detaeh 10
6 w sas po1ns q @ fos 81 y tb
description required Tor that operation,
Again recurring to the projected expedition to
Vera Cruz, on the 18th of November. while he sup
posed he was himself 70 command. (scott was not
appointed until the 18th of November, and Taylo
did not know it until late in December) he SAYS
A force of l0, coo cannot be spared from the
occupation of the line of the Sierra Madre. Four
thousand may be directed to that object (vera
CRUZ; and if to these six thousand fresh troops
frem the United States were added at the proper
time, the expedition might be undertaken with a
promise of success
here the mdtler was SIMPLY anu plainly lau
down to the government by a general who had
never failed in promise or an undertaking. With
Santa Anna looking from San Luis, with eager eye
on the line of the Sierra Madre, to break it at
some weak point and destroy the eommuniea-
ton on the Rio Graade-the consequence being the
loss of all that had been gained-Taylor would no,
to himself with laurels in the city of Mexico,
detach more than 4. 900 men from that line Bat
what does Scott do on superseding Taylor He
runs up to Camargo, and in the absence of Taylor,
who, without being apprised Of Scott's coming, had
marched to Victoria with "a DESIRE" Gas he tells
Scott,) Ito place in position for embarkation to
dition to that point the force (2OO0 regulars and
1000 vounteers) which reported might be spared
for that service Instead of being satisfied with
the number which Taylor thought sufficient for him.
self, with the troops coming from the United States
Scott seized the occasion, without consulting Tay-
Tor, and without regarding his statement TO the
Secretary of War, to strip him Of almost his whole
army Here is SCOTS requisition, made through
General Butler, who commanded az Monterey. Cay-
Tor being at Victoria to communicate In that direc
| tion with the Gulf
Scott Gays TO Butler, (January 5, 1870 =
You ~ill therefore. without waiting to hear fro
General Taylor and without the least cessar5 de-
lay in order that they may be in time pat in
movement for the mouth Of the Rio Granie the owiur
troopsabou 500 regular cavalry Of 1s aud ID resnens
Of dragons. including lit. Col Kearney 500
volunteer cavalry. rely you to select the besttwo
field batteries Of regular light artillery D1ncan aud
Taylors and coo regulars foot. including artillery
acting infantry. the Whole under Breyet grT1ier
raj by bfevet ana assigned to duty according 20 the lat
rank
In addition put in movement for the same point Of
embarkatou (he Brazos ard to be there above 900
volunteer infantry
When TAYLOR heard Of SCOTS movement he re-
turned to Monterey, and although little addicted
to complaining, he addressed him this letter.
HK.pQuARTERs ARMY OF occur,rioy.
Camp near MonteIy, (yictora,) Jan 10 1917.
Sir I'm communication addressed this day to your
staff officer, have replied to much Of your letter
detail but there other and grave topics embraced
those communications, TO which deem IL my right and
my duty reply directly. The amount OF force TO be
WITHDRAW from this frontier and the manner in which
ii proposed to withdraw it, had fully TO my
knowledge until yesterday, though limited at in your
note OF November 18th. Had you general relieved
in the whole command, and assigned me to duty
der your ordere allowed to retire from the field be
assured that complaint would been heard from
But whilst almost every of my regular force
and half the volunteers now in respectable discipline
Withdrawn for distant service IL that
pected with less than thousand regulars and voun-
teer force partly Of eyes. to hold defensive line
while large army Of more than 20 600 is in my front
speak only Of defensive line for the idoa
ing offensive operations in the direction Of San Luis by
March May. with such troops then be at
dspron is quite too preposerous TO be entertained
for moment. After all that have written TO the De-
partment the subject of such operations find diff
cult 70 believe that seriously expected to under
take them. with the extraordinary limited placed
ct my disposal cannot msunderstand the object Of
the arrangements indicated in your letters. feel that
have lost the confidence OF the government IL would
Of its intentions when vitality affecting interests COM
mitted 10 my charge But however much may feel per-
songly mortified apd outraged at the course pursued
Unprecedented at least in history. will carry
out in good faith while remain in Mexico the views
Of the government though may be sacrificed in the e
fort deeply regret to find in your letter Of January
10 Major General Butler and myself alluson 10 my
position here which cannot but consider nsiuua-
ton that have put myself willingly out Of the reach Of
your communication beg leave 10 remark that the
movement Of the troops in this direction, and my
march hher were undertaken for public reasons fully
set forth IN my reports to the Adjutant Generals Of
thtm bcog my desire to place position for embtcra-
ton 20 Vera Cruz should the government order exps
clifton 70 that point tile force u 900 regulars and 100
yoluntetrf) which reported Right he spared for that
serIice bale the honor 70 be, sir very respectfully
your Oh. dent seTysnt, T. TAYLOR.
Msior General y. ; l.. Comma ndinG.
Major General WINFIELD scolr, Commanding u. s. Ar
my, Brazos, Texas.
But it was not merely the quan'um Of force taken
from him, tut the manner oftakiug il, which sp-
pcarcd IN the sequel TO have had the effect Of
weakening Taylor. and Of exposing him with less
than five thousand men TO the attack Of Santa