The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-04-20
THE TAKING OF VERA CRUZ.

=
BILE book, and indeed what seems TO US q very
just one in most Of its opinions, while ifs de-.
scriptons have the appearance Of accuracy,
entitled, Autobiography of an English Sol
dier in the United States Army" a large
portion OF il is devoted to the march of Gen.
ScoTr's line from Vera Cruz to Mexico. The
accounts Of the battles on the route, though
not comprehensive. relating chiefly to the per-
sonal observations Of the writer in the differen,
engagements, are, nevertheless, remarkably
| clear and interesting. He speaks always in
terms of just eulogy of General ScoTT. We
we're particularly pleased with his brief but
| complete defence of the plan of taking Vera
Cruz, and copy il below. We all recellect
the manner in which General ScoTT was cen.
sured abroad for his mode of the reduction of
that city. He needs no better defence than
| he has here at the hands of an English Sol.
dier:
A great deal of virtuous indignation has
been exhibited by the English press on the
subject of the bombardment Of Vera Cruz,
which it has generally stigmatzed as barba-
| rous slaughter OF women and children, having
| no parallel in modern history. Ii was assert
ed that Wellington, or any of his generals, had
never bombarded an open city, and gre,t
| deal more OF a similar tendency, all calculated
| 10 show that war is carried on in highly hu
name and civilized mode by the enlightened
nations of Europe and that the Americans,
| and Gen. Scott in particular, had behaved in a
very barbarous manner. Now all that sort of
,waddle seems excessively weak to any one
| at all acquainted with the circumstances the
truth being notorious that Gen. Scott, besides
bsing one of the most skiIful and scientific
| generals of modern times, is also one of the
| most humane men in the world. For my part,
| have not the slightest doubt that his charac.
| ter, in respect of the noblest attributes of hu.
| manity, may bear triumphant comparison with
| that of the most praiseworthy and philanthrO-
pic members OF any society, order, or profes-
| sion, in the world. The real fact being, that
his humanity, and desire to spare needless
| effusion of blood, caused him to adopt the mt
| thod he took for the reduction of Vera Cruz
| being anxious to avoid repetition OF the hor.
| rlble and savagely barbarous scenes cOnse-
quent on the storming OF city, OF which the
| history of the Peninsular war may furnish a
few examples illustrative Of the humane prac-
tees of European armies. To understand this
apparent paradox, one should know few of
the facts of the case. In the first place, Vera
Cruz, so far from being an open city, is very
we'll fortified, having a wall and ditch all
| round if, and a series of halfmoon batteries,
not deficient in the requisite ordnance to make
| a stout resistance. These batteries sweep a
perfectly level plain, extending from half
mile to mile between the walls and the sand
hills, and would have proved very destructive
| to an assaulting party. Now, If the inhabi-
tants, receiving as they did two or three weeks
previous notice to quit, preferred remaining in
the city, General Scott having plainly signi-
| fed that, for certain economical reasons, he
declined taking their batteries swth the bayo.
| net, and intended TO try game OF the long
| bowls, which the Mexicans are SO fond Of
| themselves-if, being duly warned, they chose
to remain and be killed, do not see how Gen.
Scott should be blamed for the result. But
let US suppose that, with the intention of spar
ing tine lives of the inhabitants, by the very dis
interested sacrifice of the lives of few of the
troops under his command, he had decided on
carrying the place by assault, which would
probably have cost the assaultin2 force from
| 1000 to 1900 men does any person, in the
possession of sound intellect, imagine that, in
| the latter event, Gen. Scott could have pre-
vented scenes of plunder, the resistance of in.
| habitants, and the commission of deeds OF
| crime and horror, fearful to contemplate 2
| Those who think that troops, even Of well-dis.
| eipiined armies IA character | would by no
means claim for the army under Gen. Scott,l
can be held in subordinate check by any
amount cf exertion on the part OF their officers,
| on an occasion of the above nature, are not
likely, apprehend, to form correct idea on
I the subject. But to any impartial person, ia
king an prejudiced view of the case, think
| it will appear tolesably obvious, that the mo
thod adopted by Gen. Scott was the most hu.
name even for The inhabitants.
| THE NATIONAL IsTELLIGENcER.-There
| was debate recently in the Senate on a pro-