The daily union., 1852-10-08

communicate IN thai direction with the Gull
Scott says 10 Butler, (January 3, 1870
..You win therefore without waiting 10 hear from Gem
erai Taylor and without the least unnecessary delay IN
that they may be ~ lime as above, put In movement
for the mouth OF The Rio Gtande, The following troops
Eoons. Including Lieut. Col Kearny's noop 800 vol
aa.ssr essary rely on yaa 70 select Toe oeswo s nela
iorsand 1000 regulars foot including artillery acting
v %ol about his s y
vet and assigned % daty according 20 tue latter rank
barkaon fhe Bazos and be here usabove, 1000 vol
uneer niantry."
When Taylor was informed Of SCOTS movement he
returned TO Monterey and although little addicted TO
complaining, he addressed him this letter
et0f44 HEApquAnrrRs, AMY OF ooouPArIoN.
NJ 2s Camp Monterey, tVicoria) Jan l5, 1917
Sin la accommodation addressed this day your staff
officer, have replied to much OF your letter Of the Oh
instant, and It's enclosures, relates points Of detail
bur there other aud grave topics embraced IN those
communicstions, 10 which deem u my right and my duty
The sndln force TO be Withdrawn from this irontier
nevsr fully to my knowledge until yesterday, though
limited at IN your note Of November 2oth Had yon Gen
oral relieved in tue whole command, and as
signed duty under your orders or allowed me 10 re-
e iom the field be assured Tia, no complain. would have
regular force, and hall the volunteers (now IN respectable
am expected, with less ihan thousand regulars and
Volunteer force, partly OF new leves to hold defensive
line, while large army oi more than zoooo IS N my
speak only Of defensive line for the idea Of assuming
May with such troops then be at my dspo
son is quite preposterous be entertained for mo-
the subject Of such operations find it difficult TO believe
that seriously expected undertake them, with the
misunderstood the object of the arrangements
indicated In your letters feel that have lost the conf
denco ofthe would have suffered
remain this time ignorant OF intentions, when vi
sally affecting interests committed to my charge But how
the pursued az IN our own his
tory Twill carry out in good faith while lreman in Mexico
tha eyys ~ he poye ed
deeply regret 10 find in your letter OF January TO Ma
os General Butler and myself aIuson my position
here, which but consider insinuaion that
have put myself willingly ont OF the reach of your commu-
nications beg remark The movemen, OF the
troops this direction, and my march hither,
Adaan Of e being s u my
place in position enbakaton Vera Cruz should the
l3oOO regulars and 1000 volunesrs) which reported
might be spared for that service
The honor to be- s very espsoTaally yGp' obe-
Major General U. 5. A.. Commanding
Commanding U. $. A., Brazos, Texas
But was not merely the quantum of force taken from
him, but the OF taking it, which appeared in the
sequel to have had the effect of weakening Taylor and
Of exposing him with less than 5000 TO the attack
of Santa Annals 10000 Scott took regiments from Tay-
lor having three months TO serve, and could not, there
fore be expected TO throughout the campaign the
heart OF Mexico. and supplied tner place. consequently
by others that woad have served had he retained them
throughout the Wharf.-The whole effect OF which 10
blow Buena VISTA without either He took from Tay-
lor the Georgia and ----- volunteers, the Sd and
4th Illinois, and and aI Tennessee foot regiments and
Tennessee cavalry.
He sent to him the Massachusetts Virginia, North
Carolina M ieeisspp and Louisiana regiments in return
The fve regiments taken IRON Taylor had too shot,
leo, where the be decided and in fact he
them home from Pueba, and awaited the arrival OF the
other troops from the United Sales which he might have
taken with him. make his march the city of Mexico
The consequence oil taking the regiments named from
Taylor to reduce his force to less than 900
meet Santa Anna with 20 600, before the troops in
exchange for them would reach him Why did Scott take
Iaylors volunteer regiments from him such crisis and
under such circumstances, putting them their march
down on the ko Grande sending the Massachusetts Nr
gnia Louisiana North Carolina and Mississippi from his
iocs mp the river TO replace them the expense oil
double transportation OF two small armes' Was there
such superiority in the volunteers under Taylor over
those OF the States last mentioned that he felt compelled
TO reject the and take the other whatever cost
Let be remembered that the regiments Taylor
were TO serve during the war those taken from him had
only three months 10 serve; the former Scott had
tanned them would have accompanied him the city oil
Mexico the latter he obliged TO discharge, and
compelled, as he admits, 10 await the ARRIVAL OF other
troops from The United States, 10 supply their places
gyipK Santa Anna Time 10 his troops from their
successive defeats. and 10 organize new force for The
defence OF the city Why did Scot lay the foundation oil
his own complaints, by sending away from him troops for
the war on the way TO Mexico, and OF them already
advanced TO Lobos, to justify the withdrawal from Taylor
OF those having ony three months to server No man
can lock into anoibers breast but through his character
and Scots notorious envy aud jealousy of every rival
and the TACT that be was, Il the moment entering on
race with Taylor IN competition for the presidency TO
whom Palo Alto and Monterey had given the start. fur.
nshes clue 10 his motives. When Scots order for The
winnowing OF Tayor's remnant OF force, by taking
the volunteers, lbe regulars having been already de-
iuandedD was about 10 be executed, Colonel Duncan
predicted that Santa Anna (whO lay al san Luis
between The city oil Mexico and Buena Nisa) would
seize the occasion 10 attack and ogeTwhen Tay.
lor What The accomplished Duacan oresaw and pro.
nounced would be inevitable spprehended by many
even al Nashngton. 1t is not possible that the prob.
ability OF such result could escape the forecast OF Scott
who had made 1t The study OF hts life anticipate what
effect the movenent Of body OF troops would produce
IN the conduct OF the enemy opposed 10 them. Scott
could not shut bs eyes upon the certainty that the
ducton OF Iayors force TO less than 1000 men would
bring upon him Santa Anna's 2O,0 ,000 that lay between
him and the city OF Mexico to defend il fron his ap.
proach. The nation knows how truly the result an
swered all military calculations. While Scott was effect
ing HIS unnecessary exchange OF body OF State troops
ior another oil volunteers IN Taylors diminished army-
while The latter stripped OF large portion OF his
temporary troops well regulars and before those
exchanged ior them had arrived he assaed by San
Ia Anna, with an overwhelming force and saved from
uer destruction by his obstinate valor and the
chivalrous courage OF his handful Of troops II TAYLOR
had been defeated all the glores Of the Mexican war
would have been 10 Tor Scott The ardor OF his
coun'rymen would have been up and revenge and pa.
triosm could alike have rallied under SCOTS banner
10 seek explalon in the heart OF Mexico But Santa
Anna failed and barely failed at Buena Vista Scolrs
strategy however, did not fail there II Taylor had re.
tanned his regiments which idly made by Scott 10
paddle down The Ro Gfande, while others in exchange
were made as idly TO paddle The Rio Grande leaving
buena Nsta TO be maintained by the fragment OF an ar
my. ibe consequences OF that field would have been