) Iff JOHrB.'BRATTON. VOX*. '3d. THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER, ir- tnilillpliefl every Thursday, -at Carlisle, fa.; by JOHN D nRATTON, itpon.thO following conditions, which will bd rigidly adheredjip: • TERMS Or.BOBSORIPTIOR. Pornnoycar, madoanep, ; . • . . $2 00 Porsi* months, In advance, • , ; . . , 100 . j7 O S ubBcri|>tion tukcn for a less term 'than six hionlhs.ann odiscontiiluancOpormiltoil until all arrearages arepaid. • D Tweilty-llve per cent, additional an the price of mibscripliod w ill be required of all those who do not pay in advance. RATES Of ADVERTIBINQ, One squnro, one insertion,, . ' ♦ One square, tyvo insertions, .. . . One square, three insertions, p.vcry subsequent insertion, per square, A liberal discount will be made to those who advertise by lie year,ior for three or six months. nni'cft —Tlio office of the .American Friuntscr is In tlio sec* rtorv of James H. Graham’s new stone' building, In South iinnorer street, a ftw doors from Burkholder’s hotel, and di . redly opposite the Post-office, where those having business will pleaspckll- • REPLY OF SIR* DIAROr, go General Scott’s- AttocU upon the War De partment! , ,WAR DEPAIITMfINT, J Washington, April 21,1848..{ Sir: It would,not bo respectful to you to pass unnoticed your extraordinary letter of tlie 24th of February, nor just to myself to permit it to remain, unanswered on tho files of this department. To attempt to dispel tlio delusions which yon seem to have long pertinaciously cherished, and to correct the errors into which you have fallen, devolves upon me a duty whlfch I mukl not decline; but in perfor* miaff it, I moan to bo as cautious, as you profess to have been, to abstain from any “wanton discourtesy nnd 1 hope to be alike successful. Your prudent re* sped for the «slh article of war” has induced you to hold me ostensibly responsible for many things which vou ore aware bromol fairly chargeable to me*. Ihe. device you have adopted to assail the 'President, by aiming your blows at tho Secretary of-Waivdoes more credit to your ingenuity' ns an accuser, than to your character us a soldier. A promeditoted contra ynneo to avoid responsibility decs not indicate an intention not to do wrong. , The general aspect of your letter discloses an evi dent (design to create abelief that yon were drawn forth from your’quiet position, in'a huronu of this , department, nhd assigned to the command of our or. mice in Moaico, for the purpose of being sacrificed: and, that to accomplish this end, “ neglects, .disap pointments, injuries, and rebukes” “were inflicted an yon, and the necessary means of prosecuting the war with success withheld; or, in onhor Words the . government, after preferring you to any oilier ofthc gallant generals within llio range of its choice, had labored la frustrate its own plans, la bring defeat npun its own armies, ami involve itself in nun and disgrace, for an object bo unimportant in its bearing upon public affairs. A charge so entirely preposte rous, so utterly repugnant to oil the probabilities of human conduct, culls for no refutation. , For other purposes thou to combat this fondly clicrishcd chimera, it is proper that I should notion some of your specific allegations. . ' ', It is true llmVaftcr you were'designated for the chiofeommand of our armies, the President was do. tirous that your departure should not bo unnecessarily delayed: hut you were not restricted, as you allege, to “only four days” to make the necessary prepara tions ot Washington. ■ You were not ordered away unlit you hud reported that tlieso preparations were so fat completed that your pretence here was no longer required.. Then, instead of going directly to flfuioo, yon were pormlUsd. nt your own roquoalfto tube a circuitous route through Now York, and there' (a remain a few days. You staid at N. York nearly an entire week; ond, not until the Iftlh of December, (lwcnly*s»x days after leaving Washington,) did you reach New Orleans, where you would have arrived tu seven days if you had been required to toko the direct route. This solicited indulgence, by which •our arrival ul New Orleans was delayed nesrly three veeks.is incompatible with your allegation that you mo ollowcd “ only four days at Washington, whore [wcnly might have been most advantageously cm* ployed.” This complaint has relation to facta within our own knowledge; error, therefore, is hardly re* oncilablo with any solicllude'lo be accuratOs As bis is your opening charge against the War Depart* lent, and may bo regarded as indicative of those finch follow, 1 shall make tho refutation of it still ioro complete, for the purpose of showing with what ecklcssness you have functions of an ccuser, nnd how little reliance, in the present stalo f your feelings, can bo placed on your memory.— 'ouaro tho witness by whom your allegation is to e disproved. On the day of your departure from Washington, you left with me a paper, in your own and-ioriliagi dated November 23,1846, with the Mowing, heading-: t ’ 1 , . 14 Notes suggesting topics to bo embraced in the mclary’e instructions to Gen. S., drawn op (in ante) at tho request of tho former.'* -, From that poper I extract the following para* '“I (the Secretary of War) am pleased to learn from ou (Gen. Scott) thot you have In a very few days heady, through tho general stuff of tho army here, lid a sufficient basis for the purposes with Which ouaro charged, and. that .you now think it rocecd at once to the. touthifieet t In order to organize bo largest number of troops that can bo obtained in into for that most importanlcxpcdition”—(the oxpe fitiou against Vera Crux.) , - . ... Hero is your own most explicit admission that you to the Secretary, of War, before, leaving Washington, that orrangemenU were so fur compju* :d, tjiat you thought t toetlto proceed at.once (o the rmj in Mexico} and yotyoa make it your opening hurgo against tho department, that you woro fore* d away to Mexico boforoyou had Umo lornoccasa* f preparations. , ■ I present the noxt charge in your own languages “I handed to youa.wriUen request that ono oi ircoof our accomplished captains, therein named, light bo appointed assistant adjutant gonorol, with rank of major, for duly with mo in tho hold, and hero teas a vacancy* at tho time, forgone. My re* ucst baa never been ptlondpd to, ond thus 1 have [id no officer oftho Adjutant General's Department |hh mo in tho campaign. Can another instance bo bed of donyjng to a gonoraHn.ohlcf, in tho field at ho head of a largo army—or oven o small one—tho election of his chlcfor the staff— thatla, tho chlofm :o department of orders and correspondence ?” < Word tho caso precisely us you huvo slated it to °i you have given lob much prominence, as a matter I" complaint, to the President’s rofusul to bo con* ’oiled, in lua exorcise of tho appointing power, by our wishes. Had there been a vacancy such as °u mention for “ one of the accomplished captains on named,no ono knows belter than youdolhul °ur request could not havo boon acceded to without e psMlng from the uniform rule of selection fur staff 'pohUmonlß, without violating tho right of several [beers to regular piomolioh, and offering on Indig* % to all those who'hold llio position of assistant general, with the rank of cuplain, The >'o of regular promotion iqtho staff Is us inilcxlbjo, ll d has been as uniformly, observed, os that in the It must appear surprising that you, who wore Jdeeply “shocked and distressed" at the suggestion . “ppotntlng, by authority of Congress. R ‘‘cilusn 3 u(onani general," or vesting (ho President .with l wer to devolve tho command of tho.army-on a W r general without'regard to priority In the dale j * commission, should, In yoqr ,first request,,after }»B. aouigned to command, ask, tho President to •regard the rights of at least four bißpor# as men* ous as “ tho three accomplished captains’’ nomod Tlio Prcsidont’s'viows on this rubjoci un* tuolcdly differ from yours. , Disregard for tho ms of officers is not graduated by their rank.— <° of captains and major generals halm squal ? 11 , estimation, and pn equal claim to his re* i, n,, d protection. I cannot admit that it is a »,B r^* n d of censure nnd robukb against the ''head J,: '/“fHepartmont" that tlio President did not ((O' 1 * (UP*’ .I-H in."' llie assistant adjutants general of the rank, of captain then in commission, ' But t so fap os it is made a ground of bomplaint and reproof, this is ..not the worst aspect of the case.. You fare ehtircly mistaken ini‘the assertion that there was thtiiV a vacancy 1 in' the adjutant general’s staff, with the'-,rank of which either of the captains | recommended by you could have been.properly, ap -1 pointed. There was nosuch vacancy. To.show the correctness ‘of ‘this'siatement, and to demonstrate your I hppcul to the Army Register, and the records of the , Adjutant’s General Office.' Yonr mistake r.s to,nnobyious fact lying,w.ilhin, the range of matters with which you are presumed to be fumil ior, has less surprise, the declaration, that by the non-compliance with your request) you ••have.had m> officer of the Adjutant General’s Dev 'partmc.nt with, rue [you] in tjie campaign.’’ Every officer briiint'department—at least eight—was, as you Well' know, subject' to your command. ’ When you arrived in Mexico, there rwero willi tlie nrmy at least five assistant adjutants.general, allot your ser vice. That you chose to employ none p( them at your head-quarters, and detached froip other appro priiito dutlcß on.officer load as an assistant adjutant general, may wcll.be regarded as a! slight to the whole' of that stuff, then with you in Mexico, and a cause of complaint; hilt certainly not a complaint to ema nate from you ogqinst the War Department.. .Will- Ing as I am to,presume, though,unable io conceive, that Circumstances justified you in passing over pll tho ussistant adjutants general .then with the army, I and in selecting.an officer of the line to perform the duties of adjutant general at your headquarters, 11 was. much surprised to learn from you that, when 1 General Worth sent to you one of these “accomplish ed captains,” the first oh,your list, under the belief i that you desired his services as an .acting assistant I adjutant general,you declined to in that capacity; and 1 am still more surprised to perceive (hat you havo made U d distinct ground of charge m your arraignment oflheWor Department, that you were not permitted to have him os on assistant adju tant general atyour,headquarters. Had you selected him instead of another, ap you might have done, you .would have been bereft of all pretext for complaint Thobgh,there ,was no vacancy in the Adjutant Gen eral’s stuff pf (he grade of major, for, which only you recommended the “accomplished captains”—and to which, onlyi they were prpp'orly cllgiblc-r-llicrowas a vacancy In‘.it of (lip ranh of captain. . For this po. sitlon’ you recommended ah officer in v Gen., Woofs staff, (hen the Chihuahua expedition. Thisjofficer was subsequently appointed assistant adjatagt'gen oral with Hid 'rank of'captain, as you,desired,, and has evt r since been at the head quarters of that gen oral.* Thus it will bo perceived that your request, so fir as it Was proper und reasonable, was. actually compiled with. .. ~ . . . The next specification in the-catalogue of charges 'preferred against me, is that’a court martial was not instituted by the President for tho trial of Gen. Marshall and Captain, Montgomery.on your charges against them. Tho offences imputed to them were certainly not of an aggravated character. The one, as was alleged, had been Incautious in relation to a despatch under clrcumsilffliccs that.might admit of Us coming to (ho knowledge of the enemy, and tho other had not'carrled a despatch With ae much expe dition as you thought ho might havo done, As one was a general officer, a court to try him must havo bepn composed of officers of high rank. Before the older for assembling it could have reached Mexico, it was foreseen that your command would bo at Vera Cruz, and probably engaged in on active siege ofthat city.', Officers could not therefore, have, been..then sent-- from ymir~ Coldnift lo‘ Mdntbrey 'or (ns. Rip Grande, (where tho court /must- have been held,) without great detriment to the public service. Had you been deprived of several officers of high rank at (hat critical; period by the order of tho President, it would havo afforded a better pretence of complaint than any one in your extended catalogue. Had the court been composed of officers taken from General Taylor’s command, it would have still further weak, ened his,condition, already weak in .consequence of Wo’ Very largc forcc you had withdrawn from him.| Subsequent events have proved that it was most for* lunate the President did not comply with your request, fbr had ho done so, some of the officers highest In rauh, anil most'conspicuous at Buena Vista, might, at that critical conjuncture, have been separated from their commands, and engaged on a court at a distance from that glorious scene of action. Ills not fanciful to suppose (fiat llioir absence might have changed the . fortune of that eventful day { and that, instuud of rejoicing, os wo now do, in a triumphant victory—among tho most brilliant in .the. whole course of the war—we might havo had to lament a mast disastrous defeat, and tho almost total loss of tho whole force you had 101 l to sustain that frontier. No npm has mnro reason than yourself to rejoice that no order emanated from Washington, .though re quested by you, which would havo further impaired tho efficiency of General Toylor’s command in the crisis that then awaited him. • My letter of lhc22d of February, conveying.the President’s views In regard to your order depriving Col Ilurncy of his appropriate commum), is severe ly arraigned matter. ‘ / Tho fads In relation to Inis Case of alleged grie vance arc now before the public, and a brief allusion, to them w>H place tho transaction in its true light. Under your orders Col Harney lint! brought seven companies of Ids regiment—Uio 2d dragoons—from Monterey to the Brazos. U be under your immediate command; und two others—being all of the regi ment in Mexico—wore expected to follow within a few days. In the midst of his high hopes and ardent desire fur active service, yon look, from him the com mand of his own regiment, devolved it on ope of his junior officers, ond ordcred 1 hlln back to Gen; Tay lor's lino to look for whal was not Inappropriately denominated "an Imaglnory command.” Outraged iahis feelings und injured inlhis rights, lie respect fully remonstrated! his appeal to your sense onuir lice was unovailing, . Neither to tins gallant officer nor to the President did yon assign any sufficient or even plausible 1 reason for this extraordinary proceed ing, Tho whole army, I believe, und the whole country, whon/thc transaction became known» enter, luined but one opinion on t lho subject—and that was, that you hod inflicted an injury und on outrage upon a bravoond meritorious officer. Such an,ocl, almost tho first off your assuming command—bodod disas trous consequences to Uio public service, ond devol ved upon tho President tho' duly of interposing to protect the injured officer, This interposition you have made a grave matter of laoousutlon against tho lioad of the War Department, and havo characterized it os a censure and a rebuke. It may imply both, ond still, being merited, may loovo.you withoi/t a protcitCo fbr complolnt. The Prosidont, uflor-ollu dingito his duty to sustain the rights of under your command, as well as your own rights, informed you llml ho did not discover In the owe, as you had 'presented it, sufficient cause for such an order; that, In his opinion, Col Harney had a jus cause to complain; ond that ho hoped the matter lad boon reconsidered by. you, and the .colonel roso led to his opproprlalo cbminand.. Your own subsequent course !ii this ooso demonstrates the unreasonableness of your complaint, and vindicates tho correctness of the President’s proceedings. You hod really robuk* od and cenpurod’your own cohduclj for ° vcn |^ o . r you had received iho'ftcsldorit’a views, you had, os ho honb'd you would, reconsidered tho matter, become convinced of your error, reversed- your own order, and restored Col Hornoy to his command , thus giving the 'strongest evidence in favor of tho proprle ty and oorroctno 4 "H tho Pre.ldenl had dono In tho cn.o. I L'ivo ynu too muoli credit for sloadlne.. of purno.o. to ...peel that yon, retraced, your .l.p. from mere caprice, or for any other c.u.o than a conviction that you bud fallen Inlo .orror. After the Sor had tho. it appear, unaoonnla bloloma that you,-who abo.o “1"” It to naes lnto oblivion, havo again called, ailonllcn to ll by maklhg llan item In your arraignment of (ha War Department. ,i •• , ... u You etrpggla In vain to vindicate your ooorao ip thin cuoo] Ly ri)fetr(ng- In your ortnacl. In tho hath. • ft 75 • 1 00 “OUR tfOtJfcTRY—MAY IT ALWAYS OK RIGHT OR.WRONG, OUR COUNTRY^* Carlisle; pa., thersMy, may ii, isis paign of 1814. You then sent awayioVyod allege, against thp|r wishes, “ three senior field officers of as many regiments, wl;o were iq/iTOtUmnslrucfed, and favor of three juniors, dnd'wilh the tub* sequent approbation-of Major General Brown, and the hood of tho War Department.' 1 This precedent docs not, in my, judgment, change (the; aspect of lhe present case. ; Colonel Harney was not “ihfiirm, un*' instructed, and Inefficient;" you did hot assign, and, 1 . in deference to the known opinion, of tho army and country, yon did not venture to assign, that reason for.depoaing him. 1 do. not understand,the.force of ! your logical .deduction, that because you, on a former occasion, hod deprived officers, under you of their commands for good and/sufficicnt reasons, with sub* sequent, approval,,you may now, and at any lime, do tho sarno tiling without any reason whatever} and if thq-.President Interposes to correct the pioceaurc, you have a just cause lu.complain of on indignity, and d right to arraign tho War Department. ..As your animadversion upon'lho lone of my lellor is probably not a blow.aimed ala much mote con spicuous object, to be rdaclied through me, I ought, perhaps, 1 to pass it without notice.' On revision of that letter,,l'canhol perceive that U iS not entirely respectful in manner and language. The Views of tho President arc therein confidently expressed, be cause they were.confidently entertained. It seemed to bo admitted by you, that “if dictated to the green, est general oflhe recent appointments, the letter would nolhavc been exceptionable. I was notawato that it was mydhtylo modify and graduate ray style, Bo os to meet, according to your fastidious views, the various degrees of greoness and ripeness i of the generals to whom I am required to conycy 1 tho • orders of the President *, and for any such defect in f my 'official communications I have no apology to L offer. - . In the Fame,loiter, wherein you complain of being censured (01 your course in relation to Col. Haincy, now rebuked for the unavoidable— nay, wise, if It'had not been unavoidable—release, on parole; of the prisoners taken at Cerro Gordo, even before one word of commendation from government I haH reached this army on account of its gallant con* j I duct-in'the capture of thoao prisoners.” Accident alone—not oiiy oversight or neglect on my part—has given you the apparent advantage of the aggravation which you have artfully thrown..into tins charge.— My letter commending yourself and the gallant army under your command for the glorious achievement atCeno Gordo, was written and sent to you on the 19th ofMoy—eleven days before thuC which you arc pleased to consider as containing a rebuke. t Cut I inccl llie main charge with a positive denial. Yoii rtdver Word rebuked for discharging the pried* nefs taken-ut 'CurVd Gordo. This issue enn bo tried by the lecordi was ever said on-the subject is contained in extract fr.om my letter ofiho 3lsl of May ’* “Your course hitherto in relation prisoners of war, both men and officers, in discharging them on parole, has .bccn ; liberal ond kind; but whether it ought to be still longer continued, or in some respects changed, has been under. the consideration of the President, and he has directed mo to communicate to you his Views ou ‘the subject. Ho is- not una. Ware ofiho groat embarrassment their dolonllen,;or, the sending, of (S t cm to the United Slates, would oc casion, but, so far as relates lo the officers, ho thinks they should bb detained unliltduly exchanged. In that ease, it will probably bb found expedient to send .them, ojv.moet of them, Ui thc -Unitcd Stales. , .You*, will not, therefore, except for spcciai reasons in par-, ticular eases, discharge the officers who may_ bo lakop prisoners, bbl detain tlidirt them to thoU. States! os you shall diem most expedienti” . If.l understand the force of terms, there is noth ing in tjiis ,language which,-by fair, interpretation, can bo made lo express or imply a rebuke, I cannot conceive that any mind, other than one of a diseased sensitiveness, over-anxious to discover causes for complaint and accusation, could imagine that any thing like a rebuke was contoinud in lids extract; yet on this substantial basis iilono rests the charge, over dnd over again presented, that you were rebuked by the War Department fur discharging the pnso* saners captured at Cerro Gordo. If, in n ease where it was so easy tu bo rigid, and sp difficult to get wrong, you could fall into such an obvious mistake, what may not be expected from you- in other matters wliord your perverted feelings have as free and a wider range f . . . s Deforo considering your complaints for not -having been supplied with sufficient means of transportation for the ox; edition against Vera Cruz, 1 will notice your “‘four memorials 1 ’ lo the War Department, in which you demonstrated, as you slate, that “Vera Cruz was the true basis of operations, and that the enemy’s capital could not probably.bo reached from the Rio Grande.”; . • .. . I cannot discover the pertinency of yoUr allusion to these four memorials', except U bo lo pul forth a claim lo the menial*, originating the expedition against Vera Cruz, and of being Iho first to discover that the most practicable route to the oily, of Mexico was from that point on'the gulf; but your known abhorrence fur a “pruriency of fame not corned * might b shield you from the suspicion of such on Infirmity. - - ‘ ', r I utn sure you are not ignorant of tho fuel —but I. you ore, it is nevertheless true —that the expedition against Vera Cruz had been for some time under consideration; that great pains had been taken lo get infoi million as to the defences of that city, the strength ofiho Castle, and tho difficulties which would attend the doburcalioii of troops; that maps had been Pfo. cured and carefully examined; that persons who had resided there, ond officers of tho army ond navy, hud been consulted on the subject, and the enterprise uc tually resolved on before tho date of your first memoir, andi hoforo you wore thought of to conduct'll. . A« curly ni tiro !HU of July. 16«, wlllun two moo 1.. ' after tho declaration of war, mid before tho main bo. dy of iroopoTol.od for ito |irooooolioir hod roooliod (bo econo of operation., conaidorato attention hod boon given lo that Ouhjoot. On that day, a loiter from (his department to Gon. Taylor lliii. alluded to u movement from' Vprn Cruz into tho interior of llio cnoinyVcountryi, o If. from nil the Information which you may com. munioato lo Iho department, no well oa that derived from other eourooi, it ohould appoar tlial llio dilßoul. tiea mid ohatncloa to tho - conducting of a Oompnign from tho Rio ,Grand, tho prc.oht baaa of year opera tion., for any oon.idorablo dj.lanoo Into the interior of Mexico, will ho very groat, the department will consider wlioiher (Ijamain Invn.lon ahpulg not ulll mntoly iilm place from ioirio point on tljo ooaal-f ny Tampico, or eomo other point In.tho vioinily of Verfl Crux. Thin suggestion is mailii with a view to call your Attention V> it, anil lo nblaln from in. formation ns yon may bo able lo impart. Should,it bo, determined Unit tho mam ""Vi'n Mexico at anmo other point than IhoUioGrade any (hit .vicinity, of Vera Cror-a large nnJ aomolml nombCr of transport voaaeia could bo placed at the mouth of tlio Rio Grande by tho lime llio healthy aeooon aote in—aay early, in November. Tlio mam army, with all. iu munlllpne, could bo traneporled, loavmg a auftlcionl force behind to hold end occupy he Rio Graiide, end nil the loivns end provincoe which you may have conquered before that lime.- In tlio event of .ouch, being llio plan ofoporollonvyottr opinion le doilrod vyhot Inoreaepd force, If any. will bo required lo oarry It out with aiicoca.. Wo learn thAt the army could bo dlalmharhed a (bw mlloa die. loot front Vera Crux, and readily Invoal the town in Ua roar, without coming within range of the gim.of he fort e.. of San Juan d'U loa. The lowo.oould be readily talien by land, while the forlreea, being In v..ted by land,and aos, ond all communications out off, imi«t anon fall. From Vora Cruz lo the oily of Maxioo there la a fine road, upon which tho dllligan do.or .(ego coAchea run daily. Tho dlatanoo from Vera Ofiw to tho oily Af,Mexico more then one lh(rd of that from tho, plo Grando to tho city of Mox. * C °Tho subject was again brought Into vjow on tho ISU) of October, in tho aamo year, and more parltou* larly on the 23d pf Oolobor, in Jotter. addroHed to Gen. Taylori. .. At tho last date, the plan'had beon .o fat rrioujrod ilfbti ebvbial officer* of tho staff, and lino VfcVo indicated for that corvico. This was nearly a 1 thonlh before it waß determined to employ you with ! tho army In atiy part of Mexico. ; Was never contemplated here to strike at the city of Mexico from the line occupied by Gen. Taylor, or { through any other except that from Vera Crnz. If the war was to bo pushed to that extent, it required'; no elaborate demonstration—no profound military | talents—nothing more than common sagacity and ▼cry /light reflection on the sUbjcct to see the propri ety and the necessity of making Vera Cruz the base pr military operations. :> An alleged 'doficicrfty of means to transport tho troops jn the expediti&ft to Vera Cruz seems to bo ntWtlprominonlly p'rtfacriled, and most confidently rotted on, to sustain yourcharge against the War De partment for neglecting this branch of its duties. I issued, it scorns to oo admitted, the proper order, so Tu'r as tho means of transportation’ were ,td bb drawn from the northbut tho allegation Is lhat U was issued tdo lute, and was never executed. ‘ It was issued at least four, days before you arrived at New Orleans on your .way to the army.. If promptly ex edited, it was a reasonable calculation thrtithe “ten alluded to in your lelier, would have arrived in sedson (p receive the troops as soon as you could collect them from their remote and scattered posi tions in the interior of Mexico, bring thom.ld the sea coast; end’prepare for their cmbarcation, Whether Anftrdor for ships to be sent out In the ballast, Issued thcislh of December, was or was not in season for j the service they were designed for, depends upon the |(immwlicn the expedition could be got ready to sail. jTo determine this, a regard must be paid to what you required to be done preparatory to the expedition, Iraljier than to what you may have said on that sub je’olw,' . ■preference to two or throe of your requisitions will show that no rational hops could.be entertained that the expedition would set forth before the middle or thb last of February. You required os one item of thp outfit one hundred and forty surf-boats, all to he poHstruclcd after you left Washington. Though the department urged a less number, you insisted on all, fc.You estimated the expense of each at $300; an|l {nought,'by putting the principal ship yards on 1 tho.Atlnniic coast in requisition, they might bo slructbd by tho first of January.*' To show what re liance,was to bo placed on your calculation, 1 re- fact that, though duo regard,to economy 'wae Irtd in, procuring these boats, each cost on an average s9so—nearly five fold your estimate. Con ccdinSlhat you erred much less as to tho tilde with in vvßljph'thcy could bo constructed—nay, more, ad milting they could have been ready by the first of January—and sooner you did not expect they could bo mado-ljby no reasonable calculation could they haVe rcachyflihc coast of Mexico before the first of Feb ruary. The expedition could not go forth without \hcni.‘* Jn yotir .letter to mo dated the 28lh of Fob ’ ruary, off Tjubds, you state that hut a pmall part of tho transports engaged at New Orleans, under your the 28th December, &c., had arrived, and i “not oho of the ten ordered by your (my) memorand-. utn of Ills 15lh of that month, and the whole was due at Dmpoe on the 1 5th of January”, Having thus shown by your own opinion, that under my order ‘‘tho ten vessels” ought to have been at the Brazos at least /ifUen days before the expedition could have been j ready tq.eait, I have vindicated myself from your charge of having neglected my duty by not issuing I that order ut an earlier date. If issued earlier, it « wouldjmve involved a largely increased expenditure fyf.illamjirfoge, and resulted in no public benefit. IhinllicvgrhVer nart'of ,l.he charge Is; that none of •n)e^t«is^fsse)s A ovhr arrive J. “ Relying (you say in ’llio* Idler *now under consideration) upon them (the ten vessels) confidently, the embaroutlon was de layed ju whole or in part at the Brazos and Tampico, from the 15lh of January to the Dili of March, leav ing, it was (bared, not half tho time needed for the reduction of Vera Cruz and its castle before the re turn of the yellow fever.” To whomsoever tho cal amitous consequences of the non-arrival of these “ ten vessels,” and your “ cruel disappointment” in 1 relation to tpem, arc imputable, he has certainly in* . volvcd himself in a serious responsibility. 1 hope to i remove the whole of it from " the head of the War Department,” mid entertain somo.opprehensions.lhal it Will fall in part upon tho commanding general of the. expedition. Tho execution or (he whole of tho most difficult branch of duties appertaining to a military expedition —provided for transportation—is, by the distribu tion of tho business in the War Department, allotted to the Quartermaster General. As an expedition against Vera Cruz had been resolved on some time before you were assigned to taka command of it. Gen. Jcsiip had gone to Now Orleans to be in the best po sition to make tho necessary preparations for such an enterprise; From his great knowledge and long ex perience in military affairs, not onlyj.in his appropri ate department, but ns a commander in the field, the government thought it fortunate that you could have tho advice and assistance of so able a counsellor. Yotir suggestion that It mlghtbo necessary tosend ships in bnllabt from the, north for transports whs not neglected or unheeded by mo. Whether it Would bo necessary or not, depended - to your state ment to me, upon tho moons of transportation which could be procured at New Orleans, &.c.; My first slop, was to write to the Quartermaster Geherol.thon at that place, for information on that subject. Inmy letter to him of the lltli of December, I said s «|t is expected that most of the vessels In the scr-1 vice of the Quartermaster's department can bo used as transports for the expedition. It will bo necessary I that the department hero should know what portion I of the transportation can bo furnished by the ordina • ry moans which the quartermaster's department has , now under his contrpl for the purposes of ifs expedi tion. I have to request that Information on this point I i should ho furnished without delay. f Another point on which (he department desires in formation is,.what amount of means of transporta tion for such an expedition can bo furnished at New Orleans, Mobile, and in that quarter. The expense of procuring transports from the At lantic cities will bo exorbitant, Freight is very high and most of the good vessels arc engaged for the or dinary purposes of commerce.” It Is important to bear In mind that you saw this letlor on your first arrival ut Now Orleans. In wri ting to mo .from, that place, December 21, you ob serve: ”1 have soon your letter (In the hands of Lieul, Col, Hunt) to the QuurtormuslorGonoral, doled 1 llh. Yhu could not mistake its object, because it was ploorly expressed. , I.oskod distinctly, whol means of transportation ftjr thooxpodllicm could bo furnished jit Now Orleans; &oi, und referred to the expense and difficulty of procprlng trunsporta from the Atlantic cities. You could not; therefore; but know that my dourflo as to sending ships n\ ballast from the north would bo regulated oy the Quartermaster Generals I reply, . While wailing for this (nformnllori; and In 1 order to provept delay, arid bo cute, not Id deserve tlio imputation you now,cast ppoii mo, I issued the order of the 15th of pocombor, to which you refer, knowing that it could bo modified and. conformed to the exi gencies of,the service,according to the answer which I should receive .from Gen.Josup. - His reply is dated the 271 h of December, and in it ho says j “Transportation can ho.proyided hero.for all (ho troops that may bo drawn from tlio army under the command of Gen. Taylor, and for all the ordnance, ordnance stores, and other supplies, which may U drawn, cither, from llils depot (the Brazos) or (rom New Orleans, The public transports—l mean those owned by Hie United Sialoa-fthat dad “ tho contemplated operation,,' V«. rv throe thousand men with all their PP, • Bel.oan be ob.rt.red onfavornblelorm. for-ny ad. i-arsaaraat^.. umi conclude your endorsement as follows i , * ro I?' 91, c ® nil n rvo i Mnidr Gen. Jeaup’s suggestions hoHdonlcd.” This fact shows that the letter received south'was unfounded, and that il could be provided ; In th&t quarter In tfreal abundance oh favorable termsi i — my order ofthe ISlh of Dcboirtber;so far, and only j sofar as it related to sending biit Vessels in ballast; 1 [ was countermanded, li is strange indeed, that, after you were mode acquainted with the object of my in* , quirlcs and Gen. Jesup's letter in reply to them, you [should have looked for transport vessels in ballast • from the Atlantia cities, and still moro strongo that their non-orrival should be the proof you roly on to convict me of having neglected my duty in this In* Stance. If, in truth,you delayed the expedition hour* ly two months for these transports, 1 am blameless. .Tlid responsibility is in another quarter.- It cannot bo said that this’statement as to the sufficiency of transports to be obtained at the south hud an implied reference, to what I had ordered from the Atlantic cities, for my order Was then unknown to yourself and the Uuartehriastbr General; - You first received & bhpy of it sßvcral days after tho date of Gelii Jc-s up’s letter to me, and of your endorsement thereon. [See your IcMcr to me of the 12th January;} Uesis* ted ns you were' by •• head winds,” enveloped In “frightful nofthfers,” and oppressed with complicated and perplexing diltles in arranging and preparing the expedition against Vera Crux, some temporary I bewilderment may bo : excused; to charge the Wat Department-witli^ymii 1 oivri.misapprehensions I and mistakes, is-inexcusable, i My reply to your accusations forces mo to expose ■some of your misstatement-* of fuel.- You allege that the expedition, for Want of iho 'Hen vcsaels,” was delayed from tho 15th of January to Hie 9th of March. 1 You certainly mean lobe understood that on the 15lh i of January your troops were ready to embark, and Were delayed for want of these transports. But tills wa‘s not so; and I am indebted to you for most abun* dant proof to establish your inaccuracy. Tho great body of your troups fo'r’Hho'expedition was drawn from Gen, Taylor’i command at Monterey and in he interior of Mexico; and* no pttrl of therfl had^ reached either thoDrazos or Tampico—llio points of embarcallon—on the 15th of Joniiury. In your lei* ler of the 12th of that month to Gen. Brooke, at N. Orleans, you said j ** I have now to slalo that It is probable the troop** I have called for from Gen. T.iy tor's immediate command to embark here (the Brazos] and at Tampico, will not read* those points till lalo in the present month, (January,) say uaoul the 25th, 1 ’ In a letter to mo oflho 261 h of January, you toinurk 1 that,Gen. Butler responded to your call for the troops I with the utmost promptitude, and that Gen. Worth made an admirable movement. “The head of Insdl. vision arrived with'him at the mouth of the Rio Grande the,day before yesterday," (241 h January.) When the remainder came np, is not slated; yet one of your" naked' historical facts'-’ places whole command at the points pf embarcollon wolting for the " ten vessels" at iebst nine days before the aclu* at arrival of any part of them. But if they had been there, why should they have been detained for these vessels? -Jtn.lho samo letter—wHllen hut two days alter the arrival of the hbud of the first, division, and probably before the other, troops had come up—v ou say that “the QMariormaslor'Gc'nerol, (Brevet Major Gen. Jesup, at Now Orleans,) I find, bat taken ull proper measures with judgement and promptitude to provide everything depending on his department for the despatch and success of my expedition." If more was wanted, cumulative proof might be drawn from the same source—ybur ocorrespondence—to show not only that lilts charge against me has no founda* tion in truth, but thul'you can li'avb no apology for having preferred it. • \ .Altcc.showlrig how anfortUnalo yoa |n your specific charge#, 1 may. with propriety .meet those ol' tt.gcncrul and sweeping character with a less particular detail of proofs (o show their ground* Icssncss. 1 '■ ’ '...* , , 'Though lUcVlen vessels”.worn not,for (he very* sufficient reasohb I have assigned,'sent out in ballast from the Atlantic cities, yet u very largo number were sent thence with stores, supplies and troops, to co operate in the expedition. In Gen. JcsupVlctler.lo me of the 17lh Instant, a I copy of which is sent herewith, ho stales that fifty.i throe ships, brigs, and schooners -were from the north - , and tho department actually furnish ed at Now Orleans, Bruzos and Tampico, for the myV before It look'np,tho llne of march' inlo tlie tcrior, ono hundred and sixty«threo vessels. : .* I liuve alluded to tho largo number of surf boats And the great difficulty of procuring them, os the cause of the delay in their arrival. I hatfo, alsn o similar reason to offer in reply to your complaint for not having seasonably received the siege train and ordnance supplies. Tho delay is to bo ascribed to tho enormously large outfit you required. If It was necessary, and despatch was used In procuring it, no one is in fault. If 100 largo, you certainly should not regard as a reprehensible delay the time necessa rily taken up hi preparing it. To show that it was largo, and required much lime to procure it, I will select from many, a single item. You demanded from eighty to olio hundred thousand tcn*ineli shell*, and forty or fifty morters of like calibre. This en ormous quantity of shells—about four thousand tons —was mostly to bo manufactured after you Inft Washington. All the furnaces in tho country, will ing to engage In the business, were set to work; but, with the utmost diligence end despatch, the supply of this one orticle, or oven two thirds of it, having to bo manufactured and transported to tho seaboard from the furnaces, (located in most instances in the interior of the country,) ala season of tho year when water communications were obstructed by ice,could not bo roody lo be send forward to yon in many months after your departure from Washington, find your requisitions , been moderate—and undoubted y more modernW ones would have sufficed—they have been furnished at a much earlier period. < ■ Tho mombrandiiur which you lull “for the siege train and ammunition therefor,” was fcuhm'lted lo me by the Ordnance Department, - on ihd 26th ofNo vomber, with an’intimdtion that it could not bo coin piled with In season for’lhe expedition to go forward os curly as you had contemplated. I endured upon it, “comply with tho above,an fur us practicable,’ and this order, I bin satisfied, 1 aftef o fall examination, was failliftiHy cXebiUcd. „ , , What could be done at Washington, was promptly done. You had with you the Quarlormoßlor Gencr al, with all the means at the command of the War Department, and with unrestricted authority to do whatever you might require. Ho was nnilcryoUr supervision, and subject to your orders, able and will ing to execute thorn; You have never intimated that ha hi any respect, filled In his duty; hut on the ooh. Irpry, you have spoken in highly commendatory ■ term" of his efficient services, . ] I Imib already qifded yodr nfcknowlodgement that i |,o had takoriafl p'ropbr measures with judgement! and promptitude to provide ovnrylhlng depending on his department for Ihd despatch and suficcssb ofynun expedition. Iri ah Issdb of fiict bfelweert you and he head of the War Department, his testimony, nextlo your awn confoi.lon, I. tho but IM ca "L Z r to correct your nil»»tatcrmmte cud to refute your oll Ju g hU loiter to mo of tlio ild of January, 1847. ho ■ sav>: "General SeoltlotUor tho Interior on tho J!)th ultimo and I ant Inking. oclivo moaenroe to lta\o everything depending upon mo ready for lila opera, lion/ The nuartonnaiter'a department, I And, I. S upon to do « groat deal that .Itottld bo done by afhorbSlio. of if. .tulT. So far u.pen.Sonll. onorallon. go, I .ball Uavo everything done that 1. nocoarary, whether it bolonga to my deparlmeul or, to other deportments to do it. , 1 Yon had with you, nod .object to your order., not on(» tho (Juartdfoia.lof General, but qffloore of the I other gfaSf department.; Tho* did not look to tho t War Department, hill. IV fcrtWrtlf. lor dlreo lon.i and It wae your duty, and tint mine, to aim that your ro; , o u r« Jn wore*complied with. That they were eo. to the utmost practicable ottlcot, rha*, no roa.on to doubti but If they worn not, tho fault, If"!'?) *' n .° l . with tho War Department. Yon also fcayo.tho ln ilruotlone in relation to providing ho moan, of land | transportation, and the officer, charged with that dutv were under your immediate control, and if there in blame anywhere for any djfioUnoy in Ihl. roepeot, [lt cannot bo imputed lolhoWar Dopsrtmettt. Tour A.T42 m pkb Atiaiia. KQ. 48. whole corlcipondence with me, and the sliffoffictke with - yoo, shows (hat you very property took opdn yourself the whole charge of giving direction* In tfaU matter. In a letter to Captain Hellet, senior qusr tormaster ot'lhe Brazos, speaking on this subject of the land transportation which may bo needed aflfet the descent on the enemy's toast hear Veto Ortal you say : “ I have already discussed anlraftangeq wilh.yoii Ihb dbtell of.ilio kini.l land transportation train,” &c. On the 19lh of March, you furnished General Jcsup with your estimates and directions on this s Bubjcct. Tho staff officers being with .you, and under your orders, nothing further was, or property could.be, required or expected to emahato (Vbih i Washington, bbyohd the supply of funds; and; this being done, if you were disappointed In not realizing your expectations, you have not h Colorable pretence for imputing blame to “the head of the War Depin menu" , / ‘ M -' . As a just ground of complaint, and a matter of, cusntlon, you refer to your deficiency of mes'ns'W make the descent, and to capture the pity of Vefa Cruz and tho castle of San Juan d'UUos, ahd assomo that the bxlenl of that deficiency was the difference between what you received and what you required. It would bo quite as correct-reasoning ,to say, that what you had having proved sufficlcnlTor the (tarpoHi that difference showed the extent of the ertbri IH your eslimo to, Tho truth lies, pcrhapl; beiwcchthb two extremes. Voii had less, probably, than'you should have had, and you required much more than was necessary. -That you did not have more, end, indeed, all you asked for, I have already shown wls not the fault of the War Department. Gen. Jesop was.wlth you at Vera Crux; ••# yqttr mentis, and is capable bf forming ah cstlmateof their sufficiency. He is, nk his letters licrcwllh sliows,dla. posed to bo just, and even generous to your fame.*— To his opinion on the subject, no wclhfounded el* I caption can bo taken. He says, In reference to your i complaint* on account of a deficient supply of ’stirf -1 boats, siege trait}, and ordnance stores: u Tbb result shows that ho (General Scott) had surfbosts arid •lores enough”* And of tho delay of which you complain, ho fully exonerates the War Department; and ascribes tho whole to yoafsbl/; spd to unavold able aceidouts. Tho Imputation that you were t*. sicNEDLY crippled in vour means, is a charge as pre- • poslcrous as it is unloundcd. I am aware that the execution of some of the many arrangement* for tho Vera Crux expedition was structcd and delayed by accidents, but they were such ns common sagacity could not foresee, or human agency control. They were not, however, more Ibid a considerate mind, bringing Into view ail (fib qlfll cullies uftho case;would have expected. Whenyottr coniplainls.bn tins subject were first received here,* evincing, as they did, that you intended, to hold lH«f department responsible for every untoward event,the heads of the several buresus wqro called on bv rod to show how they hild executed the duties which Han been confided to them, particularly in regard to ; maU ter* referred to by yon. The evidence they present* ed of having done all that was or could have been expected, convinced, me—and 1 venture to say.thal, on q full examination, U will satisfy any mind open to conviction—that air your complaints, so far as they imputed blame to the War or any of its brunches, are unfounded. It Will do much more— it will show that greallndiisify, prompt ness, uncommon capacity, and extraordinary exer tions, in relation to' connected with the war, have characterized the action of each of ihekk subordinate departments. As 0 cortimendstloii justly merited by theseaqvcral branches of the department* assailed as (hoy urc indirectly by you. I see no good reason for withholding my opinion,’ (hat afi instance cannot be found where So much has bfccn done; add, wbll donc,' In sd shbli a time, by any similar bqdy'df officers under similar circumstances; • As you have, by Implication; laid k heavy hsna upon tlie bureau which Is Charged with the oncroud duties of executing the laws and orders for raising and, sending fcilward the recruits and levies, ITeol bound to affirm that yml have done Iq that branch of the public service the greatest injustice. No Industry has been spared—n» possible effort omitted—to raise tho fortes which were authorized, snd to send them to their destination within the briefest practicable period. Tfio numerous orders issued from the Atljo* taut General's’ office, and Us voluminous correspond* ence on/hoi st/bjccl,'wifi jostafn this assertion. You hata preesrd with unwonted zeal Uio,charg<» In relation to diverting tho detachments of the new regiments tinder Gen. Gudwalader's command (btho I Brazos; and have indulged In the wildest speculations I as to tho sail consequences which attended this ImJ puled error. Assuming that my orders diverted these troops, tir any others, (an assertion which I shall controvert hereafter,) the circumstances justified tho measure. The critic.'*) condition of Gen. Tsyldr.'se* cording to all accounts received here at llinl timeylo stated In »ny. Idler to you of the 22d of March. / To show that tho Department acted properly, though incurred your reproof.il is necessary to recall the facts ns they then appeared here. They are presen ted in the following extract from that Idler: • , ’ “Tho information which has just reached os in. tho shape of rumors, os to llib situation of Goneial Taylor, and tho forces under his command, has sxcl-' ted the most painful apprehensions for their safely. It is almost certain ,lhnl Santa Anna has precipitated tho large orms ho hail collected at Son Luis de Po* tosl upon General- Tnylorj and it may he j that Ihq- General has not been able to maintain the advanced! 1 position ho had soon fit to lake at Agua‘Nuevo, hot‘ has been obliged to fall back on Monterey. Xt'ii; equally certain that q Moilfcan force has been Inter* Hdfied between Monterey and tho-Rio Grande, and* ' that it has interrupted tho lino of between the Iwo places, and seized large supplies* whiisli wore on the.way to General T«iylor , ssrih/." ,^i ••If tho hostile force between the Rio Grande and * Gen. Tayloi’s army is *• largo an report it, our troops now on that river may not be sble Ip reestablish lino, nor will it, perhaps; hh possible 1 lu place a force there sufficient for the purpose, In time to prevent disastrous consequences to our unions aid cun be afforded from the troops under your immediate bomfhand.' • ” ‘ ‘ ’ “From one to (wb thousand of the new recruits for the lon regiments, from this quarter, will be on tho way to the Brazos In the course of three er four ’ days. All the other forces will he directed to that' point, and cvcrv effort made to relieve General Tsy* lor from his critical situation. You will have been fully apprized before this osn we^voni of the con- • dition ofthlngs ln the valley of the Rio Orsnde, sod nt ll>o li«nrfiiu»rler, of 0.n.r.1 7*r'»V taken, I trust, such measures as the Importance of th 6 subject requires. 1 flood not nrgoupon you (“P, fatal consequences wliloh V.£S* U 1 siffSß*’ * ons disaster which mighttyf«1 I (hi r jjf nor do j doubt that you will do whet ie In your power to avert such a calamity."’ . Tho course pursued by tho War (hat occasion, which you convert Into a charge, most* r on revision, I think, commend iUelflqgensrslypprfc. , baiion. Had It been indifferent to the alarming qpn dllinii of General Taylor's army, and forbornq topee, 1 at the earliest moment, tho most energetic aieMorCiy to guard og-lnsl tho fatal consequences of its deffiqt,. then 100 probable.it would have deserved an urkidiu. ment ns severe ns that which you,have , It for having done Its duty in ,lhaj qfltlcalemergency.. r When you firs} received.the.reason* assigned for the , course adopted here, they appear to have been Mils, , factory. In.your despatch of tho 98th of AprlUyctf i say: “Yeslerqay.l learned, by your lultof of lhq?#da. And tiib (soperpl> of 1,16 the recrull* of thp reelmeflU—some ar.OOO—raieedf, or likely to bo raised in Cfmo, for 111 In hattf been ordered to (ho .Rip Grahdo.” Y 66 did not thea. ( ipllmalo the slightest,d(*satUfcilion—h6l dteA # 'premonitory syiqptdni of that deco’ dfslrw which. InslaqlWpji Mr- Trlsfa arrival Jrt WWQ I you ropresorilyoprselfio have been sclmo. fcolrioiueneo out unworthy of notice, W (.; , containing you? first condemns^ to *f !£* ’ ■ subject was written on (he ./ IS paft^e-your;-1 | Trial', fir.l nolo In .Lit Yli.',W J W; :* ,I.' '• •V.i.n *
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