Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-08-30
"REMINISCENCES OF 1847.

In view Of the critical state Of affairs in Mexico it Is
not strange find official Washington specutl.ing
to how large an be United States could send there
II became necessary to resort 10 such extremhss The
experts have figured IT that in weeks $4,000
Of the regular army could be modified for immediate
service, to which could addei 10000 marines and
10000 sailors from the navy. Probably this @ouid be
the most efficient and best commanded force the ;0uary
has seen Since the amertable breakdown Of the
Scandinavian var the a~ns Las been immense
improved, and the institution OF the General STAFF has
added wonderfully to its working value improbable
that there will be any occasion for armed demonstra
ton in Mexico If It should arise # is comforting to
know that the country would have admirably trained
and highly efficient force, though small to meet
the emergency.
These facts give interest to the condition of the
American army which invaded Mexico some 66 years
ago It small In numbers, between 10000 and 10000
men but according to General Grant who service
with It. admirable body. 1t composed Of
both regulars volunteers, whereas, II any hosties
should ensue in the near future, the army would prob
ably be made up entirely OF regulars In his Personal
Memoirs" General Grant interestingly upon
the American and Mexican armies follows:
"rhe Victories in Mexico were in every instance
vastly superior numbers. There two for
this Both General Scott and General Taylor had such
armies not often got together AT the battles OF
Palo Alto and Resacade-la Palma General Taylor had
small army but it composed exclusively of regu-
lar troops under the best of drill and discipline Every
officer from the highest the lowest educated to
his profession not West Point necessarily but in the
camp, in garrison, and many OF them in Indian wars
The rank and file probably inferior, as material
out of which to make army to the volunteers; but
they brave and their drill and discipline
brought all there In them. better army, man
for man, probably faced enemy than the one
commanded by General Taylor in the earliest two
gagements of the Mexican The volunteers who
followed of better material, but without drill or
discipline the start They were associated with so
many disciplined and professionally educated Off
GERS that when they went into engagements it with
confidence they would not have felt otherwise They
became soldiers themselves almost at All these
conditions we would enjoy again in of
The Mexican army of that day was hardly an organ
zation. The private soldier picked up from the
lever class OF the inhabitants when wanted; his
sent not asked; he poorly clothed, fed
and seldom paid He turned adrift when longer
wanted The officers of the lower grades but little
superior to the men. With all this have
stands made BY some of these have ever seen
made by soldiers. The trouble seemed be the
lack of experience among the officers which led them
after certain time to simply quit without being par
toulary whipped but because they had fought enough
From these statements it would appear that the rela
tive efficiency the armed of the countries
not materially different in 1913 from what it in
lS47