Year: 1861

AS General Taylor, coming out Of the
Buena Vista battle, officially reported
the great triumph TO the Government, he
thus named Gen. Wool "To Brigadier
General Wool my obligations are especi-
ally due. The high state of discipline
and instruction of several Of the volun-
teer regiments was attained under his
command, and to his vigilance and ardu-
Gus services before the action, and his
gallantry and activity on the field, large
share Of our success may justly be at
tributed. During most of the engage
ment he was in immediate command OF
the troops thrown back on our left flank.
l beg to commend him to the favorable
notice of the Government. 1t were
waste of words to add to this but we
have talked with under officers who went
all through Gen. Woors prior march,
when the discipline was well nigh like
West Point drill, and have heard related
how grevious and CALLING for the present
it seemed to the men, but those who the
day before this battle swore hard against
their great commando, when they saw
him fight, were so struck with admira-
ton at his conduct that they would cheer
fully have laid down their lives for his
life. The result of the battle of Bull s
Run is lesson on the necessity of mil
tary discipline that gives new signif-
cance to these words of General Taylor.


The record of the service of General
Wool is too familiar to his countrymen
to need rocapitulation now. When he
returned to his residence in Troy, after
the rich laurels of Buena Vista, New
York journal, after high commentator
of "the consummate skill and ndomitable
valor" that had marked his battle service,
remarked ale performed one of the
greatest marches of modern times, from
cur Western frontier to Saltillo in
Mexico, some nine hundred miles, with a
half-disciplined army, without losing
man or permitting an outrage and al
though an invader, was everywhere fol-
lowed by the blessings Of the Mexican
people. He trained the larger portion of
the army that fought the battle Of Buena
VISTA chose the ground, formed the or
der of the battle, and opened the glori-
Gus conflict That battle was won
through the prior discipline of the troops.


But this march and field were but the
browning glory of thisindomitable officer.
He has made war the study and pursuit
of life; and in the line of his profession
has well nigh traversed our own country
and visited Europe. He saw the field at
the siege Of Antwerp. His various re-
ports, made in the discharge of his duties,
show mind devoted to his profession
and those comprehensive views that mark
genius for war. But this theory work,
after all, is not the test of capacity. 1t
is service,-rea genuine work. Who
can say that General Wool has not done,
now for nearly half century, admirably
the work committed to him? Whoever
charged him with whatever stragetic Or
rors that might have been committed on
the Buena Vista field? Who did not speak
with admiration at what he did? II any
ever manifested, at critical hour, tho Ma
poleonic eye, it was General Wool on
this great field.


Capacity like this, experience in cv-
cry salient point Of war, is uncalled for;
while for want of capacity our noble
armies, with the grand exceptions Of the
fields of Missouri and Western Virginia,
have reeled on battle fields. Every ar
teccdent Of his life pointed out General