The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-09-03
CONQUESTS OF MEXICO.
The Last Two Have Been Costly, Even
Though Successful

AWiCe SlHce MEXICO ga ned lnde-
pendence an outside power has step.
ped in and conquered the country.
says The New York Evening Sun.
We have available the statistics of
each of these military operations.
The present is suitable time to open
the foliOs of the old ledgers and scan
again the cost Of sending an armed
force into the land of the children OF
Montezuma. Neither our own Mex.
lean war nor the French conquest of
the country is likely to form a suffi-
ciently up-tO-date guide to afford any
interventionist of the present hour
an exact knowledge of what Mexican
operations would cost today. None
the less either of the wars in ques-
tiOn furnishes recent enough prece-
dent to reverse the old judgment
based on the exploits of Cortez, who
conquered the country at profit.
Intervention in Mexico does not ne
cessarily imply war. Neither does the
fact that a policeman enters a mans
house necessarily imply that the in
vader will be saluted with a brickbat.
Only there are some houses known
by reputation as not to be entered
without due preparation on the DO.
liceman's part. Mexico is a land which
has put up determined fight against
each Of the two historic invasions of
her territory.
What, then, did our Mexican war
of 1846-1848 cost, whether in dollars
or in magnitude Of the effort invOlv-
ed? To cite c. NJ Wilcox, 1.-The Mex
lean War;" to the effect that the war
cost us between $130,00O,O00 and
100000, is the most direct an
swer to the question. This figure, he
explains, Is exclusive of pensions. AL
though he does not so specify, it is
doubtless likewise exclusive OF the
$1S,O00,O0O obligation which the coun-
try assumed by the treaty o. Guada-
lupe Hidalgo.
In all, according to this authority,
the United States had under arm and
employed about 100000 men in the
course of this after all thoroughly
successful war. More than three
quarters of these were in the army,
volunteer and regular. The remainder
were in the navy and in commissary
and transportation employment. This
is not saying that the actual army of
invasion actually at any time totalled
anywhere near $4,000 troops in Mex
lean territory. Major Gen. Scott when
he proceeded against the City Of Mex
leo had under his command an effec-
tive force of little over $4,000 men.
The enlistments Of many of the vol
unteer troops were discharged at the
conclusion Of such brief terms of
service after they had been brought
to the front at large expense.
Leaving out Of the question the
volunteer forces, we find that the
regular army of the United States. af-
ter being about doubled by reason of
the necessities of the Mexican cam
paigns, amounted to some 26,690 Of
ficers and men engaged in Mexico.
This force was Of three regiments of
dragons, one Of mounted rifles, four
Of artillery, 16 Of infantry, and one
OF foot riflemen. While this force
may have formed the chief depend
ence of the American cause the reg
mental casualty lists show that
thousands of the State volunteer
troops were heavily engaged in the
chief battles of the war.
In the great majority Of engage
ments our troops were the inferior
in number, and superior only through
their experience and organization, ov-
er the i'll trained and poorly armed
MeXicans. The invaders superiority
over the MeXicans in these respects
was less observable in the French in
vasion Is years later. How far the
Mexicans Of today, with their thor
Ough course in warfare during the
past three years, are still inferior
when on their own ground to stand
ard troops is hard TO settle.
The Americans, with an effective
force at the front of $4,000 to 45,-
600 men and large reserve, were
able to capture the capital and over
run great remote area little popu-
lated and febly defended. The op-
erations consumed nearly two years
in day of slower transportation than
the present. The money cost was
great. partly because the era was one
Of high prices, but more because the
seat of war was remote and trans
portation expensive. Twelve thous-