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uv TIFT A EOl'Ci!T3S....Proprletors.
** r , fE —OiTOSITE TliE AMERICAN HOTEL.
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“WISDOM—JUSTICE—MODERATION.”
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y insert*! at t>
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itfivin-! the J!"J br .
J i^j i! :in'l Negroes by Executors, Admirf-
• anJ <* n ar!nn^. are required by law to l*e
adtcr.brcl i:i a public guzottee sixty days previous to
the day o-
“•'^les of Personal Property must be advertised
ujb* bwii^t f°rty days.
Notice to D. biers an l Creditors of an estate must
teDnUbluNl fury day '
N'rt'.cc that application will be made to the Court
•Qriinirv for b ave to s< 11 Land and Negroes, must
!<lv for four months.
Mont iH’ advertisements, one dollar per square for
the number (10) required by the commanding
general.” ”
The date of this memorandum is December
15, more than three weeks after my requisition
and departure from Washington. Of not one
of the “ten vessels” in ballast, or with stores
(leaving room lor troops,) have I h*ard up to
this day. Relying upon them, confidential}’, the
embarcation was delayed, in whole or in part,
at the Brazos ami Tampico, from the 15th of
January to the 9th of March; leaving, it was
feared, not hr If the time needed for the reduc
tion of Vera Gfitz and its castle before the re
turn of the yellow fever. But half the surf-
boats came at all; and of the siege train and
ordnance stores, only abput one-half had arriv
ed when the Mexican tlags were replaced by
those of the United States on those formidable
places. We succeeded, at last, iu reaching the
point of attack, in the midst of frightful northers,
~ A'! L
1 hu^i
irt 1*
dier General Cadwalader to the Rio Grande
frontier!
In my letter to the department, written the
day after, I said I had expected that—
“ Detachments of the new regiments would, 1
as you had promised me begin to arrive in this
month, and continue to follow perhaps into
June. IIow many [volunteers] will re-engage,
under the act approved March 3 (only received
two days ago) 1 know not; probably but few.
Hence the greater my disappointment, caused
by sending the new troops to the Rio Grande;
for by sides there keeping the road in our pres
ent rear open for many weeks by marches in
successive detachments, I had intended, as I ad
vanced, to leave strong garrisons in this place,
(Jalapa,) in Perote, and Puebla, and to keep at
the bead of the movement a force equal to any
probable opposition. It may now depend on
the number of the old volunteers who may re
by means, in great part, ot trading craft, small [ engage, and the number of the new troops that
icate; 2. His bad health in May and June,
which I am happy to say has now become good;
and 3. The extreme mistification into which
your letter, and particularly an interlineation,
unavoidable threw me. So far as I am con
cerned, I am perfectly willing that all I have
heretofore written to the department about Mr.
Trist should be suppressed. I make this de
claration as due to my present esteem for that
gentleman; but ask no favor, or desire none,
at the hands of the department. Justice to
myself, however tardy, I shall take care to have
done, • * I do not acknowledge the jus
tice of either of your rebukes contained in the
letter of May 31, [in relation to Mr. Trist and
the prisoners at Cerro Gordo;] aud that I do
not here triumphantly vindicate myself, is not
from the want of will, means, or ability, but
time. The first letter (dated February 22) re
ceived from you, at Vera Cruz, contained a
censure, and I am now rebuked for the una-
nml hazardous, jacked up accidentally at the j may arrive from the Brazos in time, .ns also in j voidable-—nay, wise, if it had not been una-
Rrazos and Tampico; and when the army got! some degree, upon the advance of Major-Gen.
all mere soldiers, however great their experi
ence in the field.
I have not in this placo time to do more than
hint at the fatal consequences of the novel doc
trine in question. According to the depart
ment, any factious junior may, at his pleasure
in the midst of the enemy—using ‘the pretext
and form of an appeal’ against his commander
insult and outrage him to the grossest extent—
though he be the general-in-chief, and charged
with the conduct of the most critical operations;
and that commander may not arrest the incipi
ent mutineer, until he shall have first laid down
Ids own authority, and submitted himself to a
trial, or wait at least until a distant period of
leisure for a judicial examination of the appeal!
And this is precisely the case under considera
tion. The department, in its eagerness to con
demn mo, could not take time to learn of the
exjierienced, that the general-in-cluef who once
submits to an outrage, from a junior, must lay
his account to sutler the like from all the vic-
monthly line of steamers from Valparaiso, touch*
ing at the “ Intermedios,” Callao and Guyaquil* •
to Panama. Under your bill of the*last session*
and by the energy of the Navy Department ihf
giving it effect, Aspimvall & Co., of New York,
have the contract lor another monthly line of
steamers, from Panama to the mouth of th»
Columbia River. Tins lino, no doubt, will con
nect at Panama with Wheelwright’s, and with
one or more lines on this side of Chagres. Tho
steamers of A spin wall’s line, are to touch at
. *1.
heller froLa General Scott to Secretary
Marry.
Mexico, February 24, 1P48.
ashore, its science and valor had to supply all
deticieiujes in heavy guns, mortars, and ord
nance stores.
The first letter that I received from the de
partment, after entering the captured city, con
i oiduble—release, on parole, of tho prisoners ious under him—at least down to a rank that
taken at Cero Gordo—even before one word j may be supposed without influence, in high
of commendation from government has reach- quarters, beyond the army. But this would not
ed this army on account of its gallunt conduct i l»e the whole mischief to the public service.—
in the capture of those prisoners. [No such j Even the great mass of the spirited, intelligent,
commendation lias yet been received—Februa- ami well affected, among his brothers in arms,
ry, 1848.] So, in regular progression, I may, would soon reduce such commander to utter
TV lor, whether I shall find this army in
strength to leave the garrisons and to occupy
the capital.”
1 may add, that only about fifty individuals of
. .. , .. w ,— tlie old volunteers re-engaged under the provis-
Ffr:—Gn the 18th, I received your two letters j t.'lined an elaborate rebuke, (dated February 22) j ions of the act of March 3 ; that the remainder
(if the 13th ultimo, and immediately issued the [ for having ordered Col. Harney, 2d dragoons, j were discharged May 4; that Major-General j should the same arms gallantly bear me into j imbecility, by holding him in just scorn and
general order No. 59 (a copy enclosed) devolv-J1 to remain iu the command of the cavalry w ith I Taylor made no movement in advance of Sal- the city of Mexico, in the next six or seven j contempt for his recreancy to himself and coun-
fcf the command ol the army, in Mexico, upon j Major Sumner, of the same regiment, the senior! tiilo ; and that tlie new regulars, including Cad-1 weeks—which is proable, if we are not arrested j try. And are discipline and efficiency of no value
.Major General Butler. jof that arm iu my exjKHlirion. There was no j walador’s brigade, only began to come up with ■ by a peace or a truce—look to be dismissed | in thefield ?
me at Puebla iu July, but in sufficient numbers 1 from the service of my country! You will per-1 But it was not my request of June 4, nor
till August. The next day the army eommenc-1 ceive that I am aware (as 1 have long been) of J report Vo; 30, (of July 25) so largely quoted
ed its advance ujion the capital, with little more J tlie dangers which hang over me at home; but from above; nor yet the ajqieal ol one pronun-
than 10,000 effective men. I, too, am a citizen of the United States, and j eindo that has at length brought down upon
It is not extravagant to say that, if Brigadier well know, tlie obligations inqiosed under all me this visitation, so clearly predicted. That
General C’ndwalader’s forces had not been di-1 circumstances by an enlightened patriotism, appeal, no doubt, had its merits—considering
rted from ino to tl.e Rio Grande, w here lie J In resjieet to money, I beg again to report that it came from an erratic brother—a deserter from
As the officers detailed for the court of in- [great difference in tlie number of cavalry com-
qiirv, l*efore which I am ordered to apjiear ns i panics with the two armies. This rebuke
criminal, arc not known to have arrived in j written with a complacency that argued the
t!.e country, I avail my self oft moment's leisure : highest professional experience in such matters,
{,> recall some ot the neglects, disappointments, j mid could not have been more confident in its
(.juries, and rebukes which have been inflicted , tone, if dictated to tlie greenest general of the
ipon me by the War Department, since my! recent appointments. Yet, without the power
(torture from Washington, Nov. 23, 1840. Jof selecting commanders of particular corps,
To mo, tlie business of recrimination, howev-! no general-ill-chiii* would venture to take upon
tr provoked, has ever been jminfuL In this himself the conduct of a critical campaign.-—
lammary 1 shall, therefore, indulg* in no. w ant-1 Such selections w ere always made by the Father
fanfss of language, but confine myself to naked of Ids country, and the princijml generals under
k&iricnl facts—leaving conclusions to men ol him. So in the canqmigii of 1814, I myself
ien>e ami candor. j ^-rit away, against their wishes, three senior
In the hurry of preparation for Mexico, (only j fi< Id officers of as many regiments, who were
four days were allowed me at Vv ashington,; infirm, uninstructed, and inefficient, iu favor of
when twenty might have been most advnn-^ three juniors, and with the subsequent npproha-
ugeouslv employed in the-great bureaux—-t!io«c I tjon ci‘ Major General Brown, on his joining
of the chief engineers, chief of ordn.T.iee, chief! me, am! the head of the War Department,—
quartermaster, and chief commissary ol subsis-j Bod* were well acquainted with tlie customs of
fence) 1 handed to you a written request, that j W ar, in like cases, at home and abroad: and
one ot three ol our accomplished captains, theve-1 without that energy on my part, it is highly
innaniid, might be appointed assistant adjutant t probable that no American citizen would ever
general, with tlie rank of major, for duty with ; |, AV e cited the battles of tlie Niagara without a
mein the field; and there trai a vacancy at the i ►jr-h for bis country. 1 am happy, however,
time, for one. My request lias never been at-1 (fiat before a word iiad been reetbed from the
Icpartmcnt, and, indeed, before it could have
had any know ledge of the question, I hud devi
led to lake with me the frank and gallant colon-
tended to. and thus 1 have had no officer of tlie j
adjutant General's Dejiartment with me in tlie
campaign. Can another instance lx' cited o!
denying to a genetal-in-chief, in die field, at die
bead of a largo army—or even a small one—
tlie selection of his chief of his stall* that is, die
chief in flic department of ordeis and corres
pondence (
Early in the following January, I arked that
a general rourt-inartnl might be appointed on
the part of the I’resident, lor the trial of two
officers, (named bv me,) for conduct each bad
committed that endangered, in a high degree,
the success of the itnjKrndiug campaign; and I
specially referred to the auomehius and fatal
art of Congress, (May 23, ISoO,) winch pro
hibited me, as tlie “ accurcr or prosecutor,” from
ordering the court for the trial of tlie cases.
Mv application has never lx'en noticed. This
neglect alone ought early to have admonished
rae that 1 had no hope of suj>j>ort at Waskin,
Monterey’; aud Monterey is, therefore, tlie port
fin
for die American terminus of the Clijn^
It is in latitude 36 degrees, 38 minutes, north,
aud is one-third of the distance, and directly oa
the way-side from Panama to China; and from
Monterey by the Great Circle to Japan, is not
nearly so far as it is from Panama, by the com- \
pass, to the Sandwich Islands. The latter f$
4,500 miles, the former 3,700,
There is no stopjiing place, no land, be
tween Panama and the Sandw ich Islands; and
in the present stage of steam navigation, no
steamer can carry fuel for 4,500 mfles at a
stretch, and pay owners.
“ Midway between Monterey and Shanghao,
and immediately on the way-side, are the Fox
or Eleoutian Islands, where the Monterey line
can have its depot of coal. It is just about tho .
distance both from Monterey and Shangliae to
those Islands, that it is from Liverpool to Hal
ifax, where the Chnard line lias its depot;
though the lines from New r York to Liverpool,
Havre and Bremen, have proved that 3000 milpa
are not beyond the fuel limits of steamers.
“The great circle is the route for steamers,
both ways; and supposing the vessels upon the
proposed line to be equal in speed to the “ Great
Western,” in her palmy days, aud why should
they not be superior ?—they will make the pas-
lost, without any benefit to Major-General J the chief commissary (Caj/fain Grayson) of this, the other extreme—who having just made his sage to and fro, between Shangliae and Monte-
Taylor, much precious time, I might easily | army has not received a dollar from the States! peace with the true faith, was bound to sig-1 rey in 2G days, including the stoppage of a (lay
* ’ “ ‘ *■ ■ ‘ ’ 1 '* 4i 0. He nafize apostacy by acceptable denunciations of! for coaling at the Fox Islands.”
have taken the city in the mouth of June, and i rince we landed at Vera Cruz, March \
one fifth of tlie loss sustained in August and ! now owes more than 8200,000, and is obliged; one for whom, uj> to Vera Cruz, he had profess- Allowing a train to travel at the rate of twen-
Sej.tembc r. The enemy availed himself of my! to purchase on credit, at great disadvantages, j ed, (and not without cause, the highest ol.liga- ] ty miles an hour from Monterey to Memphis,
forced delay nt Fuel .la, to collect, to treble, to The chief quarter-master (Cupt. Irwin) has re-1 tions.) It was there he learned from me that I j the distance would bo run in three days; so that
organize and discipline his forces, as also to ceived perhaps $60,000, and labors under like | was doomed at Washington, and straightway China silks and teas w ould be delivered in the
ct numerous and jnnverful defences with bat.
Neaaily all those extraordinary prej*a
<4, and hojie socn to learn that he and
many ether officers have boon rewarded with
brevets for their highly distinguished services in
the campaign that followed.
It was in reference to the same rebuke, that,
in acknowledging your communication, I said,
fiom Vera Cruz, A jail 15th:
“ I might very wcil controvert tho military
priticijdcs so confidently laid down by the
paitmont [in the letter of the22d of February;]
i»ut lit liming that tiic practice of the United
States army in the two wars with Great Britain
would have no weight in the particular case, 1
waive further rej ! v—having, at the moment, no
leisure and no inclination for controversy.”
Alluding to the heavy disajijiointuients in
rrspect to transport, scige trains, and ordnance
tores, then already exjicrienced, I wrote to the
him received tho countermand there, and joined
me early.
1 know’ that I had the misfortune to give of
fence to the department, by expressing myself
to the 6ame effect from JaJupu, May 6. In a
lejiort of that date, I said:
“ 'Flic subject of that order (No. 135, old vol
unteers) lias given me long am! deep solicitude.
To jHirt with so large and so respectable a por
tion of this army, in tho middle of a country
w liirh, though broken in its power, is not yet
disjtosed to sue for pence;—to provide for the
return home of seven regiments from this inte
rior jtosition, at a time when 1 find it quite dif
ficult to jirovnlctruiisjioitation and sujijdies for
ton* in anv attempt 1 might make (against cer-! department, from Lobos, Feb. 28—-
tout officers) to maintain necessary disci;line in
the army I was about to lead into the field. 1
left Washington highly flattered with the confi-
<knce and kindness the President had jmt show n
it*, in many long personal interviews on mili
tary matters. For more than two months my
ttpressionso r gratitude were daily and fervent,
nor were they less cmjihatic towards tlie head
Perlrijis no cxjiedition was ever so unac
countably delayed—by no want of foresight,
arrangement, or energy on iny part, as l dare
iiflinn—and under circumstances the most criti
cal to this entire army; for every body relied
upon and knew’, from the first, as well as 1
knew, it would be fatal to us to attempt mili
tary ojx?rations, on this coast, after, probably,
of the War Dcjiartinent* Proceeding with zeal! tlie first week in April; and here we are at the
confidence in my most hazardous duties, 1
tarned, January 27, at the-Brazos £ an Jago,
that an attempt was on foot to create a lit uten*
*01 general to take command in the field over
toe - Shocked and distressed, I allowed of no
taxation in my efforts to sene my country,
resolved that for the short time I was liHely to
teoain in commission to be—
‘•True as the dial to the sun,
Although it be not shined upon.**
A yet greater outrage soon followed; failing
*• obtain an act for tho citizen lieutenant gener-
a bill was pressed upon Congress to author-
fce the placing a junior ma jor general just ap-
pomted (the same individual) in command over
"Hhe^old major generals then in front of the
I trill not hero trust myself to add a soldier’s
jf^ment upon those attempts; but I may thank
. °o that He did not allow them, or subsequ
bsequent
Lr** 8 ’ t0 ^ re ak down entirely the spirit and
1 I J J ties (such as they are) with which He had
e *Wed me.
Foreseeing, at Washington, that, from the
» i j demands of commerce at tlie moment, it
°uld be difficult, if not impossible, to take up,
P 8 any price, a sufficient number of ves-
J* 18 at New Orleans and Mobile to transport
K-ghnents of my expedition from the Rio
■ud of February! Nevertheless this army
heart! and crippled as I am in the means re-
quired and promised, I shall go forward, ami
expect to take Vera Cruz and its castle in time
to escape, by pursuing tlie enemy, the pesti
lence of the coast.”
T he city’ and castle were captured Match
20th, and with about one-fourth of.the necessa
ry means for abroad train, (no fault of mine,)
the retreat, in pursuit of the enemy, was vigor
ously commenced April 6th. Tlie battle of
Cerro Gordo soon followed, and we occujiied
Jalapa and Perote, w here we were obliged to
wait for supplies from Vera Cruz. In those
positions, I was made to writhe under another
disappointment.
In my four memorials to tlie department, on
the further jirosecution of tlie war against Mexi
co, written at Washington-—and dated, respec
tively, October 27, November 12,16, and 21—
(it was only intimated to me in the night of
incumbrances. Both have sold draughts to! the ajiostate began to seek, through a quarrel,
small amounts, and borrowed largely of the ■ the means of turning that knowledge to his own
•aliens for our reeejition were made after the j pay department, which has received about half, benefit.) No. There was (recently) still an-
mithllo of June. And it is known that the news jof the money estimated for. Consequently, j other element associated in the work—kept as
of the victory of Buena Vista reached Wash- the troojis have some four months’ jvay due fur as practicable out the letter ot recall—an
ington iu time to counte!aiand Cadwnlador’s them. Our poverty, or the neglect of the dis- j influence proceeding, from the other arrested
orders for the Rio Grande, before his dejiarture s horsing dejiartments at home, has been made general—w ho is quite w illing that it should
from New Orleans. Two rille cornjianies, with j known, to our shame, in the jiajiers of tlie cap- generally be understood (and who shall gain-
“ ‘ ifid here, through a letter from Lieut. Col.: Bay his significant acquiescence l) that all re-
Hunt, that was found on the jierson of tho j wards and punishment, in this army, were,
special messenger from Washington. The from tlie first, to follow- liis recommendations,
army is also suffering greatly from the want of! This, the more powerful of tlie pronunciados
necessary clothing—including blankets and j against No. 310, well knew-, at the time, as I
greatcoats. Tho new troops, (those who have | soon knew, that he was justly obnoxious, not
last arrived;) as destitute as the others, w ere j only to the animadversions of that order, but
first told that they would find abundant sup-1 to other censures of yet a much graver charac-
plies at New Orleans; next at Vera Cruz, and j tor.
finally here; w hereas, we now have, perhaps, In respect to this general, the letter of recall
a thousand hands engaged in making shoes and i observes, parenthetically, but with an acumen
(out of find materials, and at high rates) panta-1 w orthy of more than a ‘hasty’ notice, that some
loons. These articles, about 3,000 pairs of: of my specifications of his misconduct are hard-
each, are absolutely necessary to cover the ly consistent with ‘your [my] official reports
nakedness of the troojis. February 28, off, and communications.’
tho ojicrnting forces w hich remain—mid all j Lobos, I wrote to Brigadier General Brooke to Seemingly, this is a most just rebuke. But
this w ithout any jirosjiect of succor or rein- direct the quartermaster at New Orleans to j waiting for tlie trials, I will here briefly state,
forcemeats in, jierhajis, the next seven months send me large supjJies of clothing. March! that, unfortunately, 1 followed that generals
—beyond some 300 army reciuits—present 10—23,General Brooke replied that tho quar- own rejxirts, written and oral; that my con-
noveities utterly unknown to any invading ar- temuw>ter at New Orleans had ‘neither clothing; faience lent him, in advance, had been but very
niy before. With tho addition of ten or twelve nor shoes ;* and that he w-as ‘fearful that, un- [ slightly shaken, as early as the first week in
less they have been sent out to you direct, you • October; that up to that time, from our en-
will be much disnjqminted.’ Some small quail- j trance into this city, I had been at the desk,
tity of clothing, jwi hajis one-fifth of our wants, 1 shut out from personal intercourse with my
came to Vera Cruz from some quarter, and brother officers, and that it was not till alter
followed us to Jalapa and this place.’ that confinement, that facts, conduct, and mo-
I mvl here specially remark, that this report, live* began to pour in open me.
\o. B0, tl.mml, forwarded the night of its date, w0,d f s to . tho , ? ,U f tlte of war - 1 can
(July B.-,,) fee,,is to have miocanicd. 1’erceiv. tn,| y *ay that, in this and other commun.ca-
ing/about November 27, that it was not ac- t,0 "s> 1 have not designed the shghest disre-
know bulged by the department, I caused a du- f P° 1 ct to tl ' u Commander-in-chief ol the army
plicate to he made, signer! it, and sent it ofT by f.' 1 ' 1 nav y ° f tl,e , U 1 !“ ,l> 1 d btates - douU '!<“•
the same conveyance with my despatch No.! Ilk ,° "'J-f' and a 1 others, may fall into mis-
30, ami the charges against Brevet Major Gen- ! akcs as *“ ,P artlc “ lar "'7 i a,ld 1 ca " , ! ot ; ha '-
crul Worth, Major General Billow, and Brevet' ! n 6 b T' b< ,' “ nd ‘H CUrt!lln ' ad,,Ut tbe
Lieut Col. Duncan, together with the appeal: le S al f ' ct,an t ,at al aats ” fa so<,rctar y are '. he
against me of the fonner. All these are ac- ac ‘ 8 of die President let,m my defensive
- .... . . . . . 1 statements, 1 have offered no wanton discourte
sy to the head of the War Department, although
alley of the Mississippi in thirty days from tho
place of production. By steam, in sixteen days
more, they can be delivered in Liverpool.
An appropriation by Congress of five million^
a year for ten years, on the same principle that
tho great Cumberland Road was made, will
complete a continuous iron way from Memphis
to'the Pacific. ‘We fully concur with the re*
mark of the Southern Quarterly Kcvictc, (in
w hich, as well as in Hunt's Magazine, the rea
der will find the subject ably discussed,) “ that
Congress should not adjourn wi/hout direct
ing, as proposed by Mr. King, a careful re-
connoisance to be made of the country lying
between Memphis and Monterey.”
November 18, tyat I might prepare myself for
ficldV—papere in which 1 demonstrated that
q •'feimenis of my expedition lrom me juo
jaade frontier to Vera Cruz, I endeavored to
•fcpress
Te'yss ujion the War Department the neceB6i-
sending out from the northern and eastern
a certain number of large ships in baltist,
°>der that the expedition might not be delay-
oftU d in ' iew oI “^ 1C fixet * Fact”—the return
JeaZ_ VOmito at Vera in the spring of tlie
a delay of a few weeks was likely to
* a total defeat.
/*P a P cr transmitted to me,headed “Memo-
«ly 01 ^ or Quartermaster General,” marked
P e partment, December 15, 1846,” and
the Secretary, which 1 received Jan
it U said: J
Udei
h ^l*^nt\y of this number of transports
°F 8 an d ordnance stores, [from the north,]
tin*!? be required, say, five shipi
J^^tation of the [surf] boats in
besides which ten vessels must be
Be " t ° Ut ia ballast ’.I for tr ° opS, l
can he pit on board, So make up
thefield)- f _j-
Vera Crue was the true base of operations, and
that the enemy’s capital could not probably lx*
reached from the Rio Grande; I estimated that,
after taking that great seaport, “ about 20,000
“ men,” or “ an army of more than 20,000 men
“ may be needed: 1. To beat, in the field and
“in passes, any accumulated force in tlie way;
“2. To garrison many important points in the
“rear to secure a free communication with
« Vera Cruz; 3. To make distant detachments,
“in order to gather in, without long halts,
“ necessary subsistence.”
And that force I supposed, including volun
teers, and aided by land and money bounties,
might be raised in time, by adding ten or tw elve
mm regiments of regulars, and filling up the
ranks of tbo old. . .
A bill was introduced for raising ten nddi
tional regular regiments; and I certainly do
not mean to charge the department with the
whole delay, in passing the bill through Con
gress. But it uas passed February 11. 1B47.
and under it, by early in April, some few thou-
sand men had been already raised and organ
ized. My distress may be conceived, by any
soldier, on learning at Jalapa, April 27, tw»t the
thousand now levies in A jail or May—asked
for, anti until very recently exj>eoto«l---or even
with the addition of two or three thousand new
troojis, destined for this army, but suddenly, by
the orders of tlie War Dejiartment, diverted to
the Rio Grande frontier, I might, notwithstand
ing the unavoidable discharge of tlie old volun
teers—seven regiments and two indejiendent
coni|*anies—advance with confidence uj*on the
enemy's capital. 1 shall, nevertheless, advance;
but whether beyond Puebla, will depend on in
tervening inlbt(nation and reflection. The
general jinnic given to the enemy at Cerro Gor
do still remaining, 1 think it jirobable that we
shall go to Mexico; or, if tlie enemy recover
from that, we must renew the consternation by
another blow.”
Thus, like Cortez, finding myself isolated
and abandoned, and again, like him, always a-
frnid that the next shiji or messenger might re
call or farther cripple me—1 resolved no longer
to dejxuid on Vera Cruz or home, but to render
my little army “a self sustaining machine”—
as 1 informed everybody, including the head of
the War Department—aud advanced to Pue
bla.
It w-as in reference td the foregoing serious
causes of complaint, and others, to be found in
niy reports at large—particularly in respect to
money for the disbursing staff officers, clothing
and Mr. Trist, commissioner—that 1 concluded
my report from Puebla, June 4, in these words
“ Considering tlie many cruel disapjioint-
ments and mortifications 1 have been made to
feel since I lell Washington, and the total want
of support or sympathy on tlie part of tlie War
Dejiartnient, which I have so long exjicrienced.
I beg to be recalled from this army the mo
ment it may be safe for any person to embark
at Vera Cruz—which, I sujijwse, will be early
in November. Probably all field operations
will be over long before that time.”
. But my next report (July 25) from Puebla
has, no doubt, in the end, been deemed more
unpardonable by tlie department. In that pa-
jier, after speaking of the “happy change in
my relations, both official and private, w ith Mr.
Trist,” I continued:
Since about the 2Gth ultimo [June] our in
tercourse lias been frequent and cordial, and
l have found him [Air. T.l able, discreet, cour
teous, and amiable. At home it so chanced
that we had but the slightest possible acquain
tance with each other. Hence more or less of
reciprocal prejudice; and of the existence of
his feelings towards me, I knew (by private
letters) before we met, that at least a part of
the cabinet had a full intimation. Still, the
pronounced misunderstanding between Mr.
Trist and myself conid not have occurred but
for other circumstances: 1. His being obliged
to send forward your letter of Apnl H, in
stead of delivering it in person, with the ex
planatory papers which he desired to commun-
. , , A , « j that functionary is not in the enumeration of
tl.nt budget of papers-tlmt caused tho the aboTe mcnt f oncd article
know lodged by tlie # dej>artment in tho same let
ter (Jan. 13) that recalls
It w
blow of fiower, so long suspended, to fall on a
devoted head. The three arrested officers, and
he who had endeavored to enforce a necessary
discipline against them are all to be placed to*
gethcr before the same court; tlie innocent, tho
judge and bis prisoners, are dealt with alike.
Most impartial justice! but there is a discrimi
nation with a vengeance! While the parties
arc on trial—if tlie appealer is to be tried at
all, which seems boubtful—two are restored to
their corps—one of them with his brevet rank—
and I am deprived of my command! There
can be but one step more in tlie same direction
—throw* tlie rules and articles of war into the
fire, and leave all ranks in the army free to en
gage in denunciations and a general scramble
lor precedence, authority, and executive favors.
The pronunciamcnto, on the part of my factious
jurors, is most triumphant
My recall—under tho circumstances, a se
re punishment before trial—but to be follow
ed by a trial here, that tnay run into the au
tumn—and on matters I am but partially per
mitted to know by the department and my ac
cusers—is very ingeniously placed on two
grounds: 1. My own request, meaning that
of June 4, (quoted above, and there was no
other before the department,) which had been pre
viously (July 12) acknowledged and rebukingly
declined. 2. Tlie arrest of Brevet Major Gen
eral Worth, for writing to the department ‘un
der the pretext and form of an appeal,’ an open
letter, to be sent through me, in which I was
grossly and falsely accused of ‘malice’ and
‘conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman,’
in the matter of the general order No. 349, on
the subject of puffing letters for the newspapers
at home.
On that second point, the letter from the de
partment of January 13 is iwore than ingeni
ous; it is elaborate, subtle, and profbund-r-a
professional dissertation, which the rare merit
of teaching principles until now wholly unknown
to military codes and treaties* and of course to
Closing my correspondence with the depart,
ment, until after the approaching trial.
I have tlie honor to remain, respectfully.
Your most obedient servant,
WINFIELD SCOTT.
The Hon. Secretary of Wab,
Washington, D. C.
A JVor Route to China.
Lieutenant Maury’s plan for constructing a
Railway from the city of Memphis m Tennes
see to the port of Monterey on the Pacific to
connect with a fine of steamers thence to Shan
ghai, is beginning to command public attention
not only in this country but in London. It un
questionably possesses many and decisive ad
vantages over Mr. Whitney’s scheme of making
a similar road from lake Michigan to the mouth
of Columbia river through a cold snow and frost
bound region, and the project of a ship canal
across the isthmus of Darien to Panama.
By looking on a map it will be seen that
Memphis i3 a little north of 35 degrees north
latitude, and Monterey in California north of
36 degrees. This secures mildness of climate
tlie year round; and if there be any country
worth emigrating to tills side of the Pacific, it
will be found within one hundred and fifty miles
of this fine across the Continent In his letter
to the Hon. T. B. King, the distinguished Chair
man of the Committee on Naval Affairs, Lieut
Maury, thus speaks of the harbor of Monterey,
and of several lines of steamers soon to be es
toblishcd :
“Tho harbor of Monterey is said to resemble
the beautiful Bay of Naples. It has water and
capacity for the combined navies and this c?f
From the Washington Union, May 11.
Antiquities of Mexico.
Extract from a letter written at the city of Mexi
co, the 15/A March 1818, by Lieutenant
Francis Henry, of Wisconsin, to a gentleman
in this city.
f ‘ Tlie antiquities of Mexico certainly pre-
sent a w ide and interesting field for inquiiy;
they even possess great interest to the casual
observer. Upon first beholding the far-famed
sacrificial stone, which has been dyed with the
blood of countless victims, even the cold stone
impressed me with a feeling of horror. I could
imagine tlie fiendish priest bending over tho un*
happy victim, tearing the heart from his breast,
and throwing it palpitating at the feet of gods
(or images) more hideous than we can imagine
devils to be. You of course, are aware that
the Mexicans (aborgines) were in the habit of
propitiating the evil spirits rather than worship
ing the good ones; in other words, praying to
the devil to let them alone. From this I am at
a loss to conclude which they supposed the
most powerful, the good or bad spirits.
“ But these antiquities, aside from being in
teresting as a key to the Mexican religion,
shows the very great comparative advancment
which their makers had achieved in civilized
arts; for there are many of them that would do
credit to tlie stone masons, if not 'the sculptor,
of the present day. One can scarce conceive
of such huge stones being so scrupulously nice
with tlie rude tools of the Indian. The toils of
Robinson Crusoe upon his famous canoe must
have been mere child’s play in comparison.
They, of course, are savage in their epneeption, •
but in the execution very different * ‘ . .
“ Tlie country js also filled with many strango
pyramids; some of them I have seen, but never
have had sufficient time to give them that scru
pulous investigation which would warrant me in
giving an opinion or description of them.
“ Mexico was a semi-civilized nation as far
back as we have any acconnts. As it was, it
is; and I go farther than Brantz Meyer in say
ing—as it is it will be, until the present race
are ousted by, or intermixed with, a better
blood. Her history, as a nation of the present
day, I scarcely regard as worth knowing; but
inquiries into the history of the ancient Aztecs,
as by far the most advance-1 tribe on this con
tinents—their origin, dec., I regard as possessing
greaj interest for tlie scientific and industrious
searchers after the secrets of the olden time of
this hemisphere.
One of the finest drinks of the present day,
possessing all the exhiliarating effects of cider
in its finest forms, can be made in every family
in the most economical w?y* Take—for 3
gallons, in a jug—1 quart ejiellod com boiled
soft—I quart molasses-—fill the jug with water,
and in two or three days it js fit for use. When
drApk out to about the last quart, fill up again
The ‘
the wor ld. Merely as sheets of water, howevor,
both San Diego and San Francisco are, in
eyes’of tlie sailor, still more beautiful; but fjan
Diego is on the verge of a sterile country, v «hile
Sail Francisco is further out of the wav o the
ftthert
vrith molasses and water, as above. Tne beer
gets better—tlie com w r ill do for ten or fifteen
times full—and will always be ready to drink
the next day after replenishing. It will make
the finest kind of vinegar and can be made soon
er and cheaper than by any other way. Try
it and you will never want whiskey any more.
Madison Family Visitor, ,
Mr. Reynolds said in the House of Commons,
on the 11th April, that one million human be
ings had starved to, death in Ireland withi$
eighteen months. A revolution can hardly m$ke
'J&* ■
Great Circle route than either of the v
My enterprising friend Wheelwright has 5 the condition pf the people wprse.
. i -.'V ., LUL