The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-08-06
fi0n he Ruj",, hmr,icn.
PALMETTO REGIMENT.
ny oNH OF lIrE rwo HUNDRED.

events that followed the battles of the Sll,
and 9th of May, on Taylor's line of opera,
tions, and pass on to tho change of tho
plan Of tho war, and the invasion Of the
heart of Mexico, through, the City Of ver,
Cruz. To this is my narrative properly
confined, and the preceding chapters arc
merely introductory to this subject. The
President Of tho United States, by virtue
of lis olficc-Commander-in.C Chief Of the
Army and Navy, began this war under the
most suspicious circumstances.
lie was supported by a wild popular cn-
thnsiasm in favor Of the war. Congress
voted llim ten millions Of dollars, an au-
thorzcd him TO call into service fifty thou
sand nlcn. Two hundred thousand men
Immediately offered themselves as volun-
tccrs.
Eut both the President and Taylor were
puzzled rs to the proper plan of ACTION
HE invasion OF MaXico was Il work Of great
difficulty. Nearly a thousand miles, of
which two hundred was m arid desert, in
tcrvcncd between the Rio Grand and the
Capitol, anl rendered march from that
point upon the Capitol impossible. The
country was too poor to supply the army,
and it WAS impossible to transport over such
Il distance, provisions and munitions Of war
for 10000 men.
On the other line, was Vera Cruz, and
its terrible castle Of which indeed little
was known. 1t had been taken by the
French in 1920, hy mere accident,
but it was known to be Of formidable
strength. But still more terrible enemy
than the castle stallicd around Vera Cruz,
Mt the bare mention Of whose name, the
bollcst held his his breath, and the proud
est hero turned pale. That enemy was tic
vomito, .Ocll fevcr) against whose n-
sidious approach, and destroying power,
courage and skill were unav,ilin.. An at
tack upon Vera Cruz was not even to be
thought OF, until The return Of winter, and
the termination Of the vomito.
And thus Mexico found defence in her
natural barriers, and alid deserts, and her
lnhospitablc climate, which she might
Yainly have sought III The valor Of her sons.
iourmonths were srcntin preparations for an
invasion. The McXicans spent this interval in
collecting their routed army, adding rein
iorcements to it, and fortifying their towns.
Taylor spent it in receiving and drilling
his volunteers. In September he marched
upon Monterey, which he captured after
fight of three days. lie took possession of
Monc!oya, Camargo, Saltillo, Ccrralvo, and
tho other important towns without rcsis
tancc.
In November, 1916, the administration
determined upon an invasion from another
point. The war was becoming unpopular
i'll the Northern States. There were clam
ors against it, and its expenditures in Con-
gross. Another Presidential election was
approaching, and it was rs necessary for
the purposes OF party, as for the national
honor, that the war should be prosecuted
with vigor, and to Lii,';;.snt and successful
conclusion. Thus far the war had lecn
confined to the Mexican frontier, Us disas-
ters had been scarcely felt, and had only
exaspcrated the Mexicans, instead of in
cl'nlng them 10 peace. There was but ono
alternative. To retro from tho country
and glveaup our conquests, which would
nave been national adi,gIace. like
selp'o' TO fesasefo "carrys the war into
(Mexjse9 Africa Tile latter alternative
WIS accepted. The City and centre of
Mexico could have been approached from
TWO points, about, equally distant: Tam
pIco' and Vera Cruz. Each was about
800 miles from the capital. The approach
of each was through mountain passe S, mar
row defilcs, and strong defensible and de-
tended positions. Tampico could be easily
taken, and in fact, was voluntarily aban-
doncd by the Mexicans. But between
Iampico and the Capitol, was San Louis
lotos', city of formidable defcnces. and
then the head quarters of Santa Anna with
an army Of 10000 men. On tho other
''nc' frowned the grim and defiant castle of
Ol'oa. and tho "hcroic" city of Vera
Cruz.
Bctwccn these two points tho choice
was to be made, and the belief was en-
couragcd by tho administration, that tho
San Louis route would be adopted. This
was my belief even as late as January.
1877, when we embarked from Mobile un-
der sealed orders. 1t was the opinion of
Col' butlcr also, who told us the day be-
ioro cmbarking, that in eight days, our sur
bones would be bleaching on the soil of
Mexico.
It was tho general opinion uptoAhc timo
OF embarkation, that Scott and Taylor would