The New York Herald Newspaper, May 6, 1848, Page 1

<== Whole Ho, 8190 THE CORRESPONDENCE BRTWEEN Gen. Ecott and the Secretary of War. GENERAL SCOTT TO SRERETARY MARCY. Mexico, Feb 24, 1948, On the 18th inst., 1 received your two letters of th ultimo, and immediately issued the General No. 69 (a copy enclosed) devolving the command ico upon Mejor General Butler. A % ied for the Court of Inquiry be- fore which | sm ordered to appear as a criminal, ere not Known to have arrived im the country, ! avail myself of a moment's leisure to recall come of the neglects, disap- pointments, injuries and rebukes whic! fileted upon me by the War Department alo parture from Washington. Nov 23, 1846. To mo the business of recriminatiou, however pro- yoked, has ever been painful. In this summary, I shall, therefore, indulge in no wantonness of languege, but confine myself to neked bistorical facts, leaving conclu sions to men of sense und candor. in the hurry of preparation for Mexico, only four days were allowed me ut Washington—when twenty might have been most advantageously ‘employed in the great bureaus —thore of the Chief of Engineers, Chief of Ord- nance, Chief Quartermaster, and Chief Commissary of Subri-teno»)—| handed toyou a written request that one of three of our mplished captains theroia nemed, A might be appo mt Adjutant General, with the rank of Mojor, for duty with me im the field, and there wae a vacancy at the time, for one. My request d thus [ have had no offi- partment with me in the ‘nm another instance be cited of denyin, hier, in the field, at the head of a eo the selection of his chief of in the Department of Orders ced that a General part of the Pre- (named by me) a4 ig specially re: ad reas, (May 29. 1830.) which prohibited me, as the accu- OF prosecutor from ordering the court for the trial of the cases My application has never been noticed. This neglect, alone, ought early to heve admonished me that T had no: hope of support at Wasbington, in any attempt I might make (against certain officers) to maintain ne- cessary disoip! in the army I was about to lead to the field. “I lett Washington by ly flattered with the confi- dence and kindness the President had just shown me in many long personal interviews on military matters For more than two months my expressions of gratitude were daily and fervent, uor were they much less empha- tic toward the head of the Wa~ Department. Proceediny with zeal and confidence in my most hazardous duties, learned, January 27, st the Brazos Santiago, that an at- tempt on foot to create a Licutenant General to take command in the field over me. Shooked and distressed, T allowed of no relaxation in my efforts to serve my country, resolved, for the ebort time I was likelyto re- main in commission, to be “True as the dial to the sun, Although it be not shined upon ” A yet greater outrage soon followed: failing to obtain enact for the citizen Lieutenant General, a bill was pressed upon Congress to authorise the placing a junior Mejor General jast sppointed (the samo individual) in command over all the old Mejor Generals then in front of the enemy. I will not here trust myself to add a soldier’s comment upon those attempts, but | may thank God that He did not allow them, or subsequent injuries. ‘to break dewn, entirely, the spirit aud abilities, (such os they are,) with which he bad endowed me. Forseoing at Washington that, from the great demands of commerce, at the moment, it would be difficult. if not impessible, to take up, perhaps at any price, a sufficient mumber of vessels at New Orleans and Mobile to trans- tee the fog, sag of my expidition from the Rio Grande ‘ontier to Vera Crus, | endeavored to im, Upon the ‘War Department the necessity of sending out, from the Northern aud Eastern ports, a certain number of Jarge ships, ip ballast. in order that the expedition might not be deiaye4; and in view of * the fixed fact,” tu of the yomito at Vera Cruzin the spring of the year—a delay of a few weeks was likely to prove @ total defeat. In « paper transmitted to me—her “« Memoran- dumm for the Quartermaster General,” marked“ War De- partment, December 15, 46,” and signed by the Seorata- Ty, which | received January 8—it is said : — “ Indipendently of this number of transports for troops and ordnance stores (from the North) there will be re- quired say five ships fer the transportation of the (surf) Doats now bei g prepared, besides which ten vessels must be taken up snd sent cut in ballast (for troops) un- Jess stores cam be put on board, to make up the number [40] required by the Commanding General” he date of this memorandum, is December 15, more than three weeks afther my requisition and departure from Washington. Of not ono of the * ten versele,” in ballast, or with stores (leaving room for troops) have | heard up to this day. Relying upon them, confidently, the embarkation was delayed. in whole or in part, at the Brazos and Tampico, from the 15th January to the 9th Mareh, k it waa feared, not half the time needed for the reduction of Vera Cruz snd its castle before the return of the yellow fever. But balf the surf boats came Gt all, and of the seige train and ordnance stores, only about one halt* had arrived when the Mexican fisgs were replaced by those of the United States on those formideble places. We succeeded, st last, in reaching the poiat of attack, in the midst of frightful northers, Dy meane, in great part,’ of treding craft, small and ha- sirdous picked up accidentally at the Br ind Tem- ico; and when the army gota shoro, itescience and valor forte supply ail deficiencics in heavy guns, mortars and ordnance stores. The first letter that I received from the Department, after evtering the captured ciiy, contained an elaborate rebuke (dated Feb. 22) for having ordered Colonel Horney, 24 dragoons, to remain in the command of the oavalry with Msjor General Taylor, so a8 to leave Major Sumner, of the same regiment, the senior of that arm in my expedition. There was no great difference in the number of cavalry companies with the two armies ‘This rebuke wan written with » complacency that ar- gud tho highest professional experience ia such mat- tere, snd could not bave beem more confident in its tone, if dictated to the greenest general of the recent appointments Yet, without the power of seleoting com manders of pariioular corps, no General-in-Chisf would mture to take upon himself the conduct of a critical mpaign Such elections were tlways made by the ther of hiscountry and the priccipal generals under him, 8» in the campaign of 1814,1 myself rent away, against their wishes, threo senicr field ¢flicers, of as many regiments, who were infirm, uolnstrooved and inef- ficient, in fever of tore juniors,and with tho subse- quent approbation of Mejor General Brown, on his jolr- jag me, sud the head ot the Wat Department. Both were well acquainted with the customs of war in like c-assat bomeand abroad; and without thet energy on my pars, itis higbly probable that no American citizen would ever have cited the battles of the Niagara with- out arigh for hiscountry. I am happy, however, that before a word had been received fom the Department, indeed, before it could have had any knowledge of the queation, | had decided to take with me the frank and g-llant Colonel, and hops soon to learn that he, and yory many other officers, have been rewarded with bre- vets sor their Led Gistinguished services in the campa'ga that followe: It wus in reference to the same rebuke, that in ac- knowle¢giog your communication I ssid, from Vera Cruz, April 6: - m “| might very well controvert the military principlen t0 confidently laid down by the department [in the let- ter of the 22d February;) but believing, that the practice ot the United States army, in tho two wars with Great Britain, would bave no weight, in the particular case, | woive further reply. having xt the moment no leisure, d no inclination for controversy.’ ‘Aluding to the heavy disappointments, in respect to transports, siege train and ordnance stores, then already sienced, | wrote to the department from Lobos, Feb. Perhaps no expedition was ever #0 unaccountably delayed—by no want of foresight, arrarg ment or ener- gy On my pert, a8 | dare affirm—and under clroumetan- va ‘hs mort eritical to this entire army ; for everybody relied upon, knew from the first, ss well asl knew, it would be fatal to us to attempt military operations on this coast after, probably, the fret woex im April; and here we are at the end of February Nevertheless, this army is in heart, and crippled as [ am in the means re- quired and promised, 1 shall go forward, and expect to taks Vera Crea and its castle in time to escape, by pur- suing the enemy, the pratilence of the coast” ‘The city end oustls were csptured Maroh 3 with abcut one fourth of the necessary means for train (no fault of mine) the retreat, in pursuit of the enemy, was vigorourly commenced, April 8 The battle of Cerro do 8000 followed, and we oocupied Jalapa and Prrote, where we were obliged to wait tor supplies fron Vera Cruz. In those positions | was mado to ‘writhe under auother cruel disappointment. In my four momorinls to the department, on tho further rosecution of the war ega Mexioo, written at RWrorbiegton, aud d ted respectively October 27, Nov 16, ard 21— (ic wan only intimated to me in the night I might prepsre myself for the tod that Vera Crus id . / the enemy's capital could not probably ed fre io Granite, I estimated that, after taking that great sea- port, “about 20,000 men,” or “an army of more than 20,000 ment may bo needed :— “1, To beat, in the field and in passes, any acoumu- lated forcs in the way. 2, To garrison many important ree communication with tar ‘And that foreo I suppored, including volunteers, and alded by land and mony unties, might be raised, time. by adding ten or twelve new regiments of regulars, and filing up the ranks of tho old A bill wan introduced for raising ten additional regular regiments; and I, certainly, do not mean to charge tl rtment with the whole delay in passing the bill ugh Congress. But it was passed, Fobruary My \d under it, by early in April, some few thousan: men had been alroady raised and organised. My tress may be conceived by any soldier, on learning ps, April 27, that the whoie of that force had been nent under Brig. Gen. Cadwalader, to the Rio Grande frontier. + In my letter to the Department written the day after, jd; ~L had expeoted that Detechmente of the new re had promised me, begin to Has tallow Panel tadit tee set epieoren Mines by {ouly teosived two Gays 9g0,) Ihnow wok probably bub fow. Henoe the greater my disappolatment caused by sending the new troops to the Rie Grande ; for beside their Keeping the road, in our present rear, open for ms- ny weekn, by marches in successive detachments, | had yatended, as I advanced, to leave strong garrisons in this place, (Julapa,) in Perote and Puebla, and to keep at the head of the movement, a force equsl to any probable opporition It may now depend on the number of old volunteers who may re-engage, and the number of now troops that may arrive from the Brazos in time, as also, in some degree, upon the advance of Mejor General Taylor, whether I shall find this army in strength to leave the garrisons and to occupy the capital ” | may add that only about fifty individuals of the old volunteers re-engaged under the provisions of the act of March 3; that the remainder were discharged May 4; that Mejor General Taylor made no movement in ad- vance of Saltillo, and that the new regulars, including Cadwalader’s brigade, only began to come up with me, at Puebla. in July, but not in sufficient numbers till Au- gust@ The next dey, the army commenced its advance upen the capital, witha little more than 10,000 effective men, It is not extravagant to say that, if Brigadier General Cadwalader’s forces had not been diverted from mo. to the Rio Grande, where he was made to lose, without any benefit to Major General Taylor, much precious time, } mins easily have taken this city in the month of June, and at one-fifth of the lors sustained in August aud Sep- tember. The enemy availed himself of my forced delsy at Puebla, to collect, to treble, to orgauise and discipline his forces, as also to erect numerous and powerful de- fences with batteries. Nearly all these extraordinar: preparations for our reception were made after the mid- die of Jane. And it is known that the news of the vic- tory of Buena Vista reached Weshington in time to countermand Cadwalader’s orders for the Rio Grands, before his departure from New Orleans ‘T'wo rifle com- panies with him, received the countermand there, and joined me early. I know that I had the misfortune to give offence to the Department by exp! myself, to the samo effect, from Jalapa, May 6. In a report of that date, I said: — “The subject of that Order (No, 135—old volunteers) has given me long and deep solicitude. ‘To part with 00 large and so respectable « portion cf this army, in the middle of a country which, though broken in ite power, is not yot disposed to sue for peace; to provide for the roturn home of seven regiments, from this interior posi- tion, at a time when I find it quite difficult to provide transportation and rene for the operating forces which remain—and all this without sny prospect of suc- cour or re-inforcement, in, perhaps, the next seven months, beyond some 300 army recruite—present n0- velties ‘utterly unkwown to any invading army before With the addition of ten or twelve thousand new levies in April or Mey—aeked for, and, until very recently ex- pected--or even with the addition of twoor three thou- and new troops, destined for this army, but suddenly, by the orders of the War Department diverted to the Rio Grande frontier—I might, notwithstanding the un- avoidable cischarge of tho old volunteers-—seven regi- ments and two independent companies —advance with confidence upon the enemy’s capital. | shall, neverthe- less, advance; but whether beyond Puebla will depend rvening information and reflection. The generel panic (is to the enemy at Cerro Gordo still remain- ing, I think it probable that we shall go to Mexico; or, if the enemy recover from that, we must renew the con- sternation by another blow.” Thus, like Cortez, finding myself iso'ated and aban- doned; snd egein, like him always afraid that the next ship or messenger might recall or farther cripple me, I resolved no longer to depend on Vera Cruz or home, but to render my little army “a self-sustaining machine’ a6 | informed everybody, including the head of the War Department, and advanced to Pueble. It was in reference to the foregoiog sorious causes of complaint, and others, to be found in my reports at Jarge—perticularly in respect to money for the disburs- ing staff officers, clothing, and Mr. Trist. Commissioner ~ looncluded my report from Puebla, June 4, in ase we 2 onsidering the many eruel diseppointments and ortit.cations I have been made to feel since I left Waah- ington, and the total want of support or sympathy on the paté of the War Department, which I have 80 long od. 1 beg to be re-called from this army, the it may be safe for any person to embark at Ve- ta Cros~ which, | suppose, will be early in November Probably all fleld operations will be over long before that (July 25) from Puebla, has, no ven deemed more unpardonable by @ depart: t. Im that paper, speaking of the “happy change in my relations, both oficial and pri- vate, with Mr. Trist.” I continued: “Since about the 26th ultimo, (June) our intercourse has been frequent and cordial, and I have found him (Mr. T.) able, discreet, ot us and amiable. At he it so chanced, that had bat the slightest pos- sible acquaintance with other. less of reciprocal prejudice ry x! feelings toward me, 1 knew (by private letters) before “ _ that atlesst a part of tae cabinet had a full in- don, “ Still, the pronounced mi derstanding between Mr. Trist and myself could not have occ ut for other ciroumstances: 1. His being obli od forward it in person, veri lanatory pépers which he desired to com- 2 His bed healthin May and June, which | am happy to say, has now become good ; and 3 ‘The ex- treme mystifioation into which your letter—and parti- oulerly an interliaestion—unavoidably threw mo. “So far as Lam concerned, | am perfectly willing that all I have heretofore written to the Department about Mr. Trist, should be suppressed. I make this declara- tion as due to my present esteem for that gentleman; favor and desire none, at tho hands of the it. JI ee to myself, however tardy, I shall one. it my next re doubt, in the end, your letter of April 14, instead of d with t] . . . the justice of either of your of May 31, [in relation to Cerro Gordo,) and, that { do not here triumphantly vindicate myself, is not from the want of will, meaps or ability, but time “The first letter (dated Feb. 22) received from you, at Vera Cruz, contained a censure, and Iam now rebuked unaveidable—nay wise, if it hai not beea una- voldable—release, on parole, of the prisoners taken st ro Gordo: ren before one word of commendation oa [ie pres had reached th's army on account of ita gallant conduct in the capture of those priso: {No such commendation has yet been received, Feb. 1848] So, im regular progression, | may—shouid the a antly bear me into the city of Mexico, inthe next six or ssvon weeks—which is probable, if we are not arrested bya peace or @ truce—look to be dismissed from ice of my country! You will perosive that | am re (as I have long been) of dangers whieh bang over meat home; bat I too am citizen of the United States, and well know the obliga tions imposed, under all cirsumstances, by an enlighien- ed patriotiem. “[n respect to monsy, I beg agein to report that the \ chief commissary (Captein Grayson) of thi not received dollar from the United 8S! eRe hief quartermaster ry Irwin) has received, perhaps $60,000, and labors under like incumbrances. Both have sold drafts to small amounts, and borrow*d largely of the Pay Department, which has received about helf of the money estimated for. Consequently the troops have some four months pay duetbem. Our poverty, or the neglect of the dis- bursing departments at ho has been made known, to our shame, iu the papers of the Capital here, through a letter from Lieut Col. Hunt, that was found on the person of the special messenger from Washington. “Tke army is also suffering greatly from the want of neoessary olothing—including blankets and great coa’ The new troops (those who have last arrived), as desti- jute as the others, were first told that they would find abundant supplies at New Orleans; next, a: Vera Crus and, fisally, here; whereas we now have, perhaps, a thousand hands engaged in meking shoes and (out of rials and at high cost) pantaloons. These ar- about 3 000 pair of each, are abs: lutely necessary a8 of the troops “Febrasry 23, off Lobos, 1 wrote to Brigadier General Brooke to direot the Quartermaster at New Orleans to ond me large supplies of clothing. h 16 - 26, Brooke replied that Qaartermaste: New Orieans had ‘neither clothin, yr shoes,’ and that he war ‘fsar- tnl that unless they have been sent to you direct, you will be much disappointed ° “Some small quentity of clothing—perhaps one-6fih of our wante—oame to Croz from some quarter, and followed us to Jalapa and this place.”” It was that budget of papers that caused the blow of power, #0 long suspended, to fall on @ devoted head The throe arrested officers, and he who had endeavored to enforce @ suet, Ce sgainet them, are all {0 be placed together before the same court; the inno- cout and tye guilty, the accuser and the accused, th» Jadge and the prison are dealt with slike. Most im- partiel justice’ But e is a discrimination with a vengeance! While the partics are on trial—if the ap- pealer is to be tried at ali, which seems doubtful—two are restored to their corps—one of them with his brevet rank-and lem deprived of my commeni! ‘There can be but o1 i throw the in the arm: ral scramble for pre favor. The pronunciament Janiors, is most triumphant My reoall—under the circumstances, a severe punish- ment before trial—but to be followed by a trial here, that may run into the sutumn—acd on matters | am bat partially permitted to know by the Department and my accusers, is, very ingeniously, placed on two grounde:— 1, My own request, meaning that of June 4, (quoted above, and there wasno other before the Depertment,) whioh had rosie July 12) acknowledged and rebuking! lined; 2. The arrest of Brevet Mejor General Werth, for writing to the Department, “ under the pretext and form of an appeal,”} an open letter, to bo sent through me, in which tose grossly and falsely ac- cused of “malice” and conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman,” in the matter of the General Order No. bey on the subject of puftieg letters, for the newspapers at home. On that second point, ths letter from the Departmont oi January 13, is more than ingenious: it is elborate, subtle and profound—a professional dissertation, with the rare merit of teaching principles until now wholly unknown to military codes and treatis nd of course & A bp soldiers, however great their experience in the field. Thave not, in this place, time to do more than hint at the fatal consequences of the novel doctrine in question Acoording to the Department, any factious junior may. ‘at his pleasure, in the midst of the onemy, using “ the pretext and form of an appeal’ against his commander— insult and out him to the grossest extent, though he ho the General in-Calef, and changed with the conduct i of the most critical operations: commander may authority and executive mn the part of my factious not arrest the incipient mutincer until he shall have first laid down bis own authority and submitted bimself to « trial, or wait 6t least until a distant period of leisure for a judicial examination of the appeal. And this is pre- olsely the cass under consideration. The Department, in its eagerness to condemn me, could not take time to learn of the experienced that the Geveral-in-Chief who once submits to an ontrage froma junior, must lay hie account to suffer the L.ks from all the vicieus under him, at least town toa rank that may be supposed without influence, in high quarters, beyond the army. But this would not be the wole mischief to the public service. Even thegrrat mara of the spirited. intelligent and well- affected, among his brothers in arms, would soon re- duce such commander to utter imbecility by holding him in just scorn and contempt for his recreancy to himself and country. Audare discipline and efficiency of no value inthe field? . But it was not my request of June 4, nor report No. 30 (of July 25) so largely quoted from above, nor yet the appeal of one pronunciady that has, at length, brought down upon me this visitation, eo clearly predicted That sppeal, no doubt, had its merits—considering it came from an erratic brothe deserter from the other extreme—who, having just made his peace with the true faith, was bound to signalize spostacy by acceptadle denunelations of one, from whom, up to Vera Cruz, had profeesed (aud not without cause) the highest obli- gations. (Tt was there he learned, from me, that I was doomed at Washington, aud straightway the apostate began to seek, through a quarrel, the mesos of turning that knowledge to his owo benefit) No. There was (recently) stil: another clement associsted io the work — kept, os far as practicable, cut of the Istter of recall ; an influence proceeding from the other arrested Gsneral— who is quite willing thet it should generally be under- stood (amd who shall gainsay his significant acq' cence?) that all rewards apd pupishments in this army were from the first, to follow his recommendations This, the more pewerful of pronunciados, against No: 349, well knew at the time, as I scon knew, that he was jastly obnoxious—not only to the animadversions of that ‘order, but to other censures of yet a much graver cha- raoter. To respect to this General, the letter of recall ob serves, parenthotically, but with an acumen worthy of more than “a hasty” notice, that some of my sptcifics- tions of bis misoonduct are hardly consistent with “your [my] offisial report and oommendations.”” Seemingly, this isa most just rebuke. Bat, waiting for the trials, I will bere briefly state that, unfortuna'ely, I followed that General’s own reports, written and oral ; that my confidence, lent him in advatce, had been but very slightly shaken os early as the first week in Octo- ber; that up to that time, from our entrance into this city, had been at the desk. shut out from personel in- trreourse with my brother officers,and that it was not til after that confiaemen:, that tacts, conduct and motives began to pour ia upon me ‘A word as to the Sth article of war. I can truly say thet, in this and other communications, I have not de- tigned the slightest disrespect to the Gommander-in- Chief of the army and navy of the United States. doubt he, like myselt, and all others, may fall into mic- takes as to particular men; and [ caunot, having myself been behind the curtain, admit the legal fiction that all acts of a secretary are the acts of the President. Yet, in my defensive statements, i have offered no wanton discourtesy to the head of the War Department, though that fanctionary is not in the eaumeratton of the above mentioned article. Closing my correspondence with the department until after the epnroeching trial, I have the honor to remain, respectfaliy, Your most obed’t sers’t, WINFIELD SCOTT. The Hon. Secretary of War, Washington, D. C. BECRETARY MARCY To GEN. EcOTT. Wan Derantment, Wasuixarton, April 21, 1843 Sra:—{t would not be respectful to you to pass unno- ticed your extraordinary letter of the 24:h of February, nor just to myself to permit it to remain uaanswered on the files of this department. To attempt to dispel the delusions which you seem to have long pertinaciously cherished, and to correct the errors into which you have fallon, devolves upon me a duty which I must not decline; but, in performing it, I mean to be as cautious, as you profess to have been, to abstain from mg wanton discourtesy;” and I he be alike successful. Your prudent respect for tl article of war” has induced you to hold ible for many things which you ai rly chargeable to me. The device you adopted to assail the President, by aiming youc blo the Secretary of War, does more oredit to your ty as an accuser, then to your character as a soldier. A premeditated contrivance to avoid responsibility does net iadicate an intention not to do wrong. ‘The general aspect of your letter discloses an evident design to create a belief that you were drawn forth from your quiet position, in bureau of this department, aud assigned to the command of our armies in Mexico, for the purpose of being sacrificed; and that, to accomplish this end, * ta, disappointments, injaries, and re- Dukes” “ were inflicted” on you, and the necessary means of proseouting the war with success withheld, or, in other words, the government, afer preferring you to any other of the jant general within the range of Zz ite choice, hed wed to frustrate ite ¢wo pisos. to bring defeat upem armies, and involve itself in ruin and disgraee, ‘Otjeot so” unimportant in its bearing upon publio passe. A chatge 00 entirely pr- posterous, so utterly repugnant to all the probabilities of human conduct, sails for ne refutation. For other purposes than to combat this fondly-cherish- od obimera, it is proper that I should notice some of your specific allegations. Tt is true that after you were designated for the chief command of our armies, the President was desirous that our departure should not be unnecessarily delayed; Sat you were not restricted, as you allege, to “only four days” to make the necessary preparations at Washing- ton. You were not ordered away until you had report- ed that these preparations were so far completed that your presence here was no longer required. Thon. in- stead of going directly to Mexics, you were permitted at your own request to take @ circuiteus route through New York, and there to remain a few days. You stayed at New York nearly an entire week; and not until the 19th of December (twenty-six days after leaving Wash- jogtop) did you reach New Orleans, where you would have arrived in seven days, if you had been required to take the direotroute. This solicited indulgence, by which your arrival at New Orleans was delayed noariy three weeks, is Incompatible with your allegation that you were allowed “only four days at Washington, where twenty might have been mort alvantagrous!y employ- ed.”” This complaint has relation to facts within your own knowledge; error, therefore. is hardiy reoonciiable with any solicitude to be accurate. As this is your cponing charge against the War Department, and ‘may be regarded as indicative of those which follow, [ shall make the refutation of it still more complete, for the pur- pose of showing with what recklessness you have per- formed the functions of an accuser, and how little reli- ‘ance, in the present state of your foelings, can be placed on your memory. You are the witness by whom your allegation is to be disproved. On the dey of your depar- ture from Washington, you left with me a in yourown hand-writing, dated November 23, 1346, with the following heading : “ Notes suggesting topics to be embraced in the Secre- tary’s instructions to General S., drawn up (in haste) at the request of the former.’’ From that papsr I extract the following piragraph : “T (the Secretary of War) am pleased to learn from you (General Scott) thet you have in o very few days already, through the general staff of the army here, laid @ sufficient basis for the purposes with which you are charged, and that you now think it best to proceed at once to the south-west, in order to organias the largest number of troops that oan be cb:ained ia time for that most important expedition” (the expedition against Vera Crus). Here is your most explicit admission, that you repre- sented to the Seoretary of War before leaving Washing- ton, that arrangements were go far completed,that you thought it best to proceed at once to the army in Mex- loo; and yet you make it your opening charge sgainst the department, that you were forced away to Mexico before you had time for necessary preparat'ons. I [yom the next charge in your own language: “{ banded to you a written request that one of three of our accomplisned captains, therein named, might be appointed assistant adjutant general, with the rank of ir, for duty with me in the field, and there was o vacaaoy,at the time, for one. My request has never been attended to, end thus bave had no officer of the Adjatant ' Department with me in the cam- patgo. Can another instance be cited of denying tos general in-chief, im the field at the head of a large army n a small One—the selection of his chiefon th» the chief in the department of orders and correspondence ?”” Were the caso precisely as you have stated it to be, you have given too much prominence, a8 ® matter of complaint, to the President’s refural to be controlied, in his exercise of the appointing power, by your wishes Had there been @ vacancy such as you mention for “one of tho accomplished osptains’’ you named, no one knows better than youdo thut your request could not have been scoeded to without departing from the uni- form rule of selection for staff appointments, without bm | the right of several offionrs to regular promo- tion, and offering an indignity to all those who held the position of assistant adjutants gonerel, with the rank of captain. The rule of regular promotion in the staff is as tnflexible, and has been as uniformly observed, #6 that in the line. It must appear surprising that you, who bate patna “shocked and distressed” at the suggestion of appointing, by authority of Congress, @ “ oitizen Heatenant genersi,” or vesting the President with power to devolve the command of the army on & major general, without regard to priority in the date of his commission, should, in your fret request, being assigned to command, ask the President to disregard the rights of at}least foar officers, as meritorious as ‘the three scoompiished” captains named by you. The Pre- sident’s views on this subject undoubtedly differ from yours. His regard for the rights of ofloers is not gra- duated by their rank. Thoso of captains and major ge- nerais bave equal velue in his estimation, and an equal claim to his respect and protection. [ cannot admit toat {tis a just ground of censure and rebuke against the “head of the War Department,” that the President did not see fit, in order to gratify your feelings of favorit- ism, to disregard the claims and violate the rights cf all the assistant adjutants general of the rank of captain, then in commirsion. But, so far as it is made @ ground of complaint and reproof, this ie not the worst aspect of ths case. You are entirely mistaken in the assertion that there was then a vacancy in the adjatant general's staff, with the rank of mejor, to which either of the captains recom: mended by you could have been properly eppointed, There was no such vacancy. To show the correctness of this statement. and to demonstrate your error, | appesl i] = to the Ar: ‘and ube records of the Asjutant General's Office, Your mistake as to an obvious fact lying within the range of matters with which you are NEW YORK, SATURDAY MORNING, MAY 6, 1848. presumed to be familiar, has excited less surpriee than the declaration, that by the non-compliance with your request, you “have bad no officer of the Adjutant Ga- neral’s Department with me (you) in the campaign” Every officer of that department—at least eight—was, 28 you well knew, subject to your command. When you arrived in Mexico, thero were with the army at least five aesistant adjutents general, all at your service. ‘That you obose to employ none of them at your bead- quarters, and detached from other appropriete duties an offlcer to act an an aasistant adjutant general, may well be regarded as a slight to the whole of that staff then with you in Mexico, end a cause ct complaiut; but osr- tainly not a complaint to emanate from you against (he War Department. Willing as am to presume, though unable to conceive, that circumstances justified you in passing over all the assistant adjutants geveral then with the army, and in selecting an officer of the line to perform the duties of a*jutant general at your head- quarters, | was much surprieed to learn from you that, when General Worth sent to you one cf these “ accom: plished Captains,” the first on your list, under the belief that you desired hie services as on acting assistant ad- Jutant general, you declined to employ him in that ca- pacity; and | am still more surprised to perceive that you have made its distinct ground of charge in your arraignment of the War Department, that you were not permitted to have him as an assistant adjutant general at your headquarters. Had you selected him instead of another, as you might have done, you would have been. bereft of all pretext for complaint ‘Though there was no vaesucy in the Acjutant General’s staff of the grade of major, for whic. ouly you reoommended the “ accom- plished captains’’—and to which, only, they were pro- perly eligible—there wes a vacancy in it oi the rank of captain, For this position you recommended an offloer in General Wool’s staff, then on the Chihuahua expedi- tion, This officer was subsequently appointed assistant adjutant general with the rank of captain, as you de- wired, and has ever sinco been at the headquarters of that general. Thus it will be perceived thut your re- quest, so far as it was proper and reasonable, was actual- ly cowplied with. The next apecification in the catalogue of charges pre- against me, is that.a court martisl was not insti- tuted by the President, forthe trial of General Marshall and Captaia Montgomery, on your charges lost them, The offences imputed to them were certalnly not of an aggravated character. The one, as was alieged, had been incautious im relation to a despatch under circumstances that might admit of its coming to the Knowledge of the enemy, and the other had uot carried a despatch with as much expedition as you thought he might have done. As one was a general officer, a court to try bim mast have been composed of officers of high rank. Before the order for assembling it could have resohed Mexico, it was foreseen that your command would ba at Vera Crus, and probably engaged iu an ac- tive siege of that city. Officers could not, therefore. have been then sent from your column to Monterey or the Rio Grende, (where the court must have been held) without great detriment to the public service. Had you been deprived of several officers of high rank, at that critical period, by the order of the President, it would have afforded a better pretence for complaint than any one in your extended ca‘alogue. Hai the court bsen composed of offivers taken from General Taylor's com- mend, it would have still furthor have weakened his oon- dition, already weak in consequence of the very larga foree you had withdrawn from uim Subsequent events have proved that it was most fortunate the l'resident did not comply with your request, for had he done so, some of the officers highest in rank, and most conspicuous at Buena Vista, might, at that critical juncture, have been separated from their commands, and engaged on a court et s distance from thai glorious scene of action. It is not fanciful te suppose that their absence might have changed the fortune of that eventful day; and that, in- stead of rejoloing, as we now do, in a triumphant victory mong the most brilliant in the whole course of the war—weimight have had to lament a most disastrous defeat, an | the almost total loss of the whole force you had left to sustain that frontier. No man has mot eon than yourself to rejoice that no order emanate from Washington, though requested by you, which would have further oe Sorts the efficiency of General ‘Taylor’s command in the that then awaited him My letter of the 22d of February, conveying the Presi- 4-nt’s views in regard to your order depriving Colonel Harney of his approp! rely arraign- ed _by you as of id matter, The fects in relation to thie case of alleged grievance ‘ol Harney had brought soven companies regiment—the 2d dragoons—irom Monterey to the Bra our immediate comman pected to fellow within fe 5 high hopes and ardent desiro for active service, you took from him the command of his own regiment, de- volved it on on his junior officers, and ordered him back to General Taylor’ 10 look for what was not inappropriately denoi 4 “an imaginary command.” Outroged in his feelings and injured in his rights, he spestfally remonstrated ; his appeal to your sense of jus- tice was unavailing. Neither to this gallant offoer nor Pi in any sufficient or even for xtreordinary proceeding. T' my, I believe, and the whole country, when the transaction became known, entertained but one opinion on the subject - and that was. you had inflicted an injury and an outrage upon a brave and meritorioua of- ficer. Such an act—almost the first on your assuming oded trous consequences to the pub- lic service, and devolved upon the I'resident the duty of interposing to protect the injured officer. ‘This inter- Position you ade ® grave matter of accusation agsinest the head of the War Department, and a cha- racterized it censure anda rebuke. It may imply both, and still, being merited, msy leave you without a pretence of complaint. The President, efter alluding to his duty to sustain the rights of the officers, un- der your command, well as your own rights, in- formed you that he did not discover in the case as you had presented it, sufficient cause for such an or- der; that, in his opinion, Col. Harney had a ju se to complain; and that he hoped the matter had been recon- nd the oolonel restored to his appro- it course in this i plaint, and vindicates the correctness of the President's proceedings. You had really rebuked snd censured your own conduct; for even before you had received the Pre- sident’s views, you had, as he hoped you would, reconsi- dered tho matter, becom: inced of your error, re- versed your own order, ‘olonel Harney to bis command; th it evidence in fa- all the President ty and correctness of had donein the case [give yeu too much oredit for eadiness of purpose, to suspeot that you retraced your from mere caprice, or for any other osuse thi @ conviction that you bad fallen into error. After the ter had thus terminated, it appears unaceountable to hat you, who, above all others, should wish it to into oblivion, have again called Pp by making it an item in your srraignment of the War Department. You struggle in vain to vindicate your course in this case, by referring to your own ects in the 181 of You then sent away, ‘three senior field offices who were infirm, uninstruct three juniors, and with the Mejor General Brown, aa of the War De; ment.” This pre does not, in my judament, chenge the aspect of the present c Colonel Harney was not “infirm, uninatructed and inefficiout;”’ you did not assign, and, in deference to the known opinion of the rmy and country, you did not venture to assign thet reason for deposing him. I do not understand the force of your logical deduction, that because you, ona former ocasion, had deprived officers under you of their com- nds, for goo d sufficient reasons, with eub approval, you may now, aud at any thing without any reason whatever; and if the Pres interposes to corroct the procedure, you haves just ca to complain of an indignity, and s right to arraiga the War Department. As your anim: sion upon the tone of my letter i probably « blow aimed at a much more conspic be reached through me, 1 ought nut, perhaps, vat notice, On revision of that |i I that it is not ou alleg of as many regiments, and inefMotent, in favor of sequent approbation of Confidently expressed, because they were cont- Ceara 3 It seemed to be admitted by you that it was my duty to modify y style, so as to meet, according to your fastidions views, the various degrees of greenness and ripeness of the generals to whom I am required to con- vay the orders of the Presid: ; and for any suoh defect in my official communications | have no apology to offer. 6 letter, wherein you complain of being your course in relation to Co! now rebuked for the unavot wise, if it had not been unavoidabl of the inonera taken at Cerro Gor commendation from govern my on account of its gallant conduct in the those prisoners.” Accident alone—not ge. My letter commond- ing yourself and the gallant army under your command jorious achievement at Verro Gordo, was wr it to you on the 19h of M before that which you are pleased to consider as contain- arebul tthe main charge with a positive denial. were rebuked for discharging the prisoners at Cerro Gordo, This issue oan ve trie record. All that was ever said on the subject is con- tained in the following extract from my Isttor of the Bist of May “ Your oourse hitherto in reletion to prisoners of war, in dischat,ing them on parole, tb both men and office: it ought to be e ects changed, has been under the consideration of the President, and ho has direoted communicate to you his views on the subject. t embarrass- ment their ted States, would occasion: officers, he thinks they should be detained until duly exchanged. In that cass, it will prodably be found ex- dient to send them, or most of them, to the United except for specisl rea- fons in particular oases, discharge the ofllcers who may be taken prisoners, but detain them with you or send pa to the United States, as you shall deem most expe- mt? You will not, therefor resta the charge, over and over again presented, that you ware rebuked by the War Department for discharging the prisoners captured at Cerro Gordo. If. in a case where it was #0 easy to be right and so difficult to get wrong. you could fali into such an obvious mistake, what may not be expested from you in other matters, where your perverted feelings have « freer and » wider range ? Before considering your complaints for not having been supplied with sufficient means of transportation for the expedition against Vera Crus, I will notice your “ four memorials” to the War Department, in which you demonstrated, as you state, that “ Vere Cros was the true basis ef operations, and that the enemy’s capital could not probably be reached from the Rio Grande.” Teannot discover the pertinenoy of your allusion to these four memorials, except it be to put forth a claim to the merit of originating the expedition against Vera Cros.and of being the first to discover that the most practicable route to the city of Mexico was from that point on the Gulf; but your known abhorrence for a Pruriency of fame not earned” ought to shield you from the suspicion of such an infirmity. I am sure you are not ignorant of the feot—but if you are, itis neverthelers true—that the expedition against Vera Cruz had bsen for some time under consideration; that great pains had beon taken to get information as to the defences of that city, the strength of the castle, and the difficulties which would attend the devarcation of troops; that maps had been procured and cerefally examined; that persons who had resided there, and offi cers of the army and navy, had been consulted on tho subject, and the enterprise actually resolved on before the date of your first memorial, and before you were thought of to conduct it. As early as the 9:hof July, 1846, within two months after the declaration of war, and before the main body of troops raised for its prosecution had reached the scene of operations, considerate attention had been iven to that subject. On that ‘ay, a letter from this lepartment to Gen. Taylor, thus alluded to a movement from Vera Crus into the interier of the enemy’s country: “ If, from all the information which you may eommu- nicate to the department, as well as that derived from other sources, it ahouid appear that the difficulties and obstacles to the conducting of a campaign from the Rio Grande, the present base of your operations, for any considerable distance into the interior of Mexico, will be very great, the department will consider whether the main invasion should not ultimately take place from some point on the coast—say Tampico, or some other point in the vicinity of Vera Crox, This suggestion is made with 8 view to call your attention to it, and to obtein from you such information as you may be able to impart. Should it Le determined thet the main army should in- vade Mexico at some other point than the Rio Grande — tay the vicinity of Vera Cruz—e large and sufficient number of transport vessels could be placed at the mouth of the Rio Grando, by the timo the healthy season sets iu—say early in November. The main army, with all its munitions, could be transported, leaving a sufficient force behind to hold and occupy the Rio Grande, and all the towns and provinces which you may have conquered before that time, In the event of such being the plan of operations, yonr opinion is desired what incrensed forcs, if any, will be required to carry it out with success. We learn thet the army could be disembarked afew miles distant from Vera Cruz, and readily invest the town in its rear, without coming within the range of the guns of the fortress of San Juan d’Ulloa. The town ceuld be readily taken by land, while the fortress, being invested by lend and rea, and all communication cut off must soon fall. From Vera Croz to the city of Mexico there isa fine road, upon which the diligences or sts coaches run daily. The distance from Vera Cruz to the city of Mex- i not more than one-third of that from the Rio ity of Mexico.” ‘The subject was again brought into view on the 13th of October, in the same year, and more particularly on the 22d of October, in letters addressed to General Tay- lor. At the last date, the in had been so matured that several officers of the and line we for that service. This was nearly a month lobia! to employ you with the army in auy part of lexico. It was never contemplated here to strike at tho olty of Mexico from the line occupied by General Taylor, or threugh boy deer cept that from Ver B If tl ‘war was to be pushed to that extent, it required no ela- demonstration—no found military talents— hing more than common sagacity and very slight re- flection on the subject, to see the propriety and the ne- create, of making Vera Cruz the base of military opera- ions. ‘An alleged defiolenoy of means to tra! port the troops in the expedition to Vera Cruz, seems to be most promi- nently presented, and most confidently relied on to tain your cherge agai War Department for ne; lecting this branch of its duties. I issued, it seems to be admitted, the proper order, so far asthe means of ti tion were to be drawn from the north; but tl ition is that it was issusd too late, aud was never exccuted. It was issued, at least, four days before you arrived at New Orleans on your way tothe army. if promptly executed, it was a rea- sonable calculstion that the “ten vessels,” alluded co in your letter, would have arrived in season 'to receive the troops as’ soon as you would oollect them from their remote and sccattering positions in the interior of Mexioo, bring them to the sea coast, and prepare for u embarcation Whether an order for ships to be sent out in ballast, issued the 15th of December, was or was not in season for the service they were designed for, depends upon the timo when the expedition could be got ready to sail. To determine this, regard must be paid to what you required to be done preparatory to the expedition, rather tuan to what you may have said on that subject. A reference to two or three of show that no rational hope could be expedition would set forth before th February. You requi 3 & r requisitions will tertained that the idle or the last jem of the outfit to be constructed r you left Wash Though the department ‘ged & less number, you insisted on all. You estimated the expense of exch at $200; and thought, by putting the principal ship yards on tho Atlantic coast in requi- sition, they might be constructed by the Ist of Januar; To show what relianve was to be placed on your calcul tion, I refer to the fact thst, theugh due regard to nomy was had in procuring these boats, each cost on an average $950—nearly fivefold your estimate. Conceding that you erred much less as to the time within which they ‘could be constructed could have been ready by the Ist of Jan er you did not expect they could bs made. sonable calculation could they have reached the coa: Mexico before the lst of February. The expedition could not go forth without them. In your letter to me duted the 26th of February, off Lobos, you state that ll part of the transports engaged at New Or- ‘our orders of the 28th December, &o , had not one of the ten ordered by your (my) memorandum of the 15th of that month, and the whole were due at the Brazos onthe 15th ot January.” Having thus shown, by your own opinion, that under my order “ the ten vessels”? ought to have been at the B: least fifteen days before the expedition could ha ready to suil, I vindicated myself from your charge of having neglected my duty by not issuing that order earlier date. If issued earlier,it would have in- ly increased expenditure for demurrage, in no public benefit. graver part of this charge is, that none of ‘veesels” ever arrived. “ Relying (you say now under consideratio: ‘th ‘the confidently, the embar: in whole or in part at the Brazos and Tampico, from the 15th of January to the 9th of March, leaving, it was feared, not half the time needed for the reduction of mitous consequences is,” and your tertain some he comman- pertaining to # military expedition —pro ‘ansportation—is, by the distrinution of the viding tor lot busigess in the War gone to New Crieans to necessary preparations for a reat kiowledge and lon, ia military affairs, not only in nis appropriate department, but as & commander in the field, the government thought it for- tunate that you could have tne advice and assistaace of counsellor it suggestion that it might be necessary to send abips im ballast from the north for transporte was not ve- gleoved or unheeded by me. Whether it would be ni oetsary or not, depended, according to your atutemen basis alone | that may pe to me, upon the means of transportation which could be procured at New Orleans, ko. My first step was to write to the Quartermaster ( then at tuat place, for information on that subject. In my letter to him of the 11th of Deoember I said: — “ It is expected that most of the vessels in the servic: of the qaartermaster’s department can be used as tran! ports for the expedition. It will be necessary that {i department here sheuld know what portion of t portation oan be furnishod by the ordinary the quartermester’s department bas now under its con- trol lor the purposes of itv expedition. | have to request that information om this polat should be furnishe witnout delay. * Another point on which the department desires in- formation is, what amount of means of transportation for such an Mobile, and “Tbe exp lantio cities and most of the good v ry pur of commerce Itis important to bear in mind that you saw thie it New Orleans seen your letter (in. the Hunt) to the Quarter Master General, dated the 11th.” You could not mistake its object, because it was clearly expressed. | asked distinotly, what means of travspor- tation for the expedition can be furnished at Now Or- loans, ko ,and referred tothe expense and difficulty of procuring trans; from the Atlantic cities You could not, thereforé, but know that my course 28 to diag ships in ballast from the north would be d by the Quartermaster General’s reply, W: ting for this iaformatior nd in order to prevent di lay, and be sure mot to di 4 the imputation you no cast upon me, I issued the order of the 15th of Decea- ber, to which you refer, knowiog that it could be modi. fied and conformed to the exicences of tho servire, ac- cording tothe answer which I shouid recetye from Gyn, His reply is dated the 27th of December, bw ortetion can be provided here for cil the troops vraag bo drawn from the army under the command a) of Generel Taylor, and for all the ordnance, ordasncs stores, and hee Oe jes, which may be drawn either feom this depot (the Bragos) or from New Orleans. The public transports—-I mean those owned by the United ‘States that can be spared for the contemplated opers- tions, it is estimated. will oarry three thousand men with sil their supplies. Vessels can be chartered on fevore- ble terms for any additional transportation that may be required.” This letter was submitted to and read by you. as appears from your endursement thereon. After referring to some other matters fa the letter, you conclude your endorsement as follows: * [ reeom- mend that Brevat Mejor Gen Jesup’s suggestions be adopted.” This fact shows that the letter reovived your ticular attention. When thie letter (which you ow was forwarded to the department) was here re- osived— showing that your apprehended difficulty in ob- taining sufficient transportation at the south was un- founded, and that it could be provided im that qusrterin great abundance on favorable terma my order of the 15th of December, so far, and only 40 far as it related to soning out vessels in ballast, was countermanded. It is strange, indesd, that, afver you were made acquatated with the object of my inquiries and Gen Jesup’s letter in reply to them, you should have looked for transpert vessels in ballast from the Atlantic cities, and still more strange that their non-arrival should be the proof you rely on to convict me of having neglected my duty in this instanoe. If in truth, you delayed the expedition nearly two months for these transports, | am blameless The responsibility ia isanother quarter It cannot be said that this statement as to the sufficiency of transports to be obteined at the south had an implied reference to what I had ordered from the Atlantic cities, for my order was then unknown to yoursef and the quartermaster general. You first received a copy of it several days sfter the date of Gen. Jesup’s letter to ma. and of your endorsement thereon. [See your letter to me of the 12th January | Resieted as you were by “ head winds,” enveloped in “ frightful northers,” and oppressed with complicated and perplexing duties in arranging and pre- paring the expedition against Vera Cruz, some tempora. ry bewilderment ~~ be excused; but to charge the War Department with your own misapprehensions and mistakes, is inoxousable. My reply to your accusations forces me to expose some of your mis statements of fact. You allege thet the expedition, for the want of the “ ten vessels,” was de- layed from the 16th of January to the 9th of Maroh. You certainly mean to be understood that on the 16th of January your troops were ready to embark, and were delayed for want of these transports. But this was not . bre face Lg ope to you most bp any proof 0 at your inaccuracy. The great body of your troops for tile expedition was drawn from General Taylor's command at Mont-rey, and im the interior of Mexico ; and no part of them had reached either the Bra- 408, of Tamploo—the points of embaroation—on the 16th of January. In your letter of tha 12th of that month toGeneral Brooke, at New Orleans, you said: “(have now to state tbat it is probable the troops I heve called for from General Taylor's immediate com- mand to embark here (the Brazos) and at Tampico, will not reach those points till late in the present month, (January,) say about the 25th” In aletter to me of the 26th January, you remark that General Butler re- sponded to your call for the troops with the utmost promptitude, and that General Worth made an admira- blo movement. ‘The head of his division arrived with the mouth of tho Rio Grande the day before yes- »» (24th January). When the remainder came up in not stated; yet ome of your “naked histori facts” placos the whole command at the points of barcation waiting for th versels”’ at least nine days before the actual arrival of any part of them. But if they had been there, why should they have been de- tained for these vessela? Inthe same letter—written but two days after the arrival cf the head of the first di- vision, and probably before the other troops had cot up—yon say that “the Quarter r General, (Brevet Major General Jesup, at I fad, has taken all proper measures with judgment and promptitude to provide everything depending on his dopartment for the despatch and success of my exoedition ” If more was wanted, cumulative proof might be drawa from the same source —youl correspondence—to show not only that this chai ainst me has no foundation in truth, bat thet you can have no apology for having prefer- te ‘After showing how unfortunate you have been in your charges, | may with propriety meet tho general and sweeping character with » less particular de- tail of proofs to show their groundlessness A Bergen the ‘ten vessels” were not, for the very snf- oi t y thence with stores, supplic the expeditto tter to me of the 17th inst., a copy that fifty-thi ips, were sent from rth, . 8 RO and the department actually farnished at New Orleans, Brazos, and Tampico, for the army, before it took up the fe of mai rm into the interior, one hundred and sixty- three vei juded to the large numbor of surf boats, and the great diffloulty of procuring them, as the cause of the delay in their arrival. I have also a similar reason to offer in reply to your complaint for not having season- ably received the siege train and ordaance suppli The delay is to be ascribed to the enormously large outfit you required. If it was necessary, and despatch was procuring It, no one isin fauit, If too large, tainly should not regard a2 @ reprehensible delay the time necessarily taken up in preparing it. To show that it was large, sad required mueh time to i I will select from many s single item. You d from eighty to one hundred thousand ten-inch she! and forty or fifty mortara of like calibre. This enor. mous quantity of shells-about four thousand tons. was mostly to be manufactured after you left Wi ington. All the furmaces in the country, willing to en. gage in the business, w et to work ; but with the ut- H 4 despatch, the supply of this one arti- en two-thirds of it, having to be manufactured ransported to the seaboard from the furnaces, (le- cated in most instances in the interior of the country,) on of the year when water communications were obstrusted by ice, could not be ready to be sent forward to you in many months after your departure from Washington. Had your requisitions been mod te—ond undoubtedly more moderate ones would have ficed—they could have been furnished at a much lier perio The memorandum which you left “ for the and ammunition therefor,” wi Ordnance Department, on the fn intimation thet it’ could not be complied with in season for the expedition to go forward as early had contemplated, I endoreed upon it, “ comply the above as far as practicable ;” and thie order, I satisfied, after full examination, was faithfully exec ‘What’ could be done at Washingtom, was prom| done. Youhad with you the Quartermaster General, with all the means at the command of the War Depart- ment, and with unrestricted authority to do whatever you might require, He wes under your supervision, and subject to your orders, able and willing to execute them. You have never intimated that he, in any re- spect, failed in his duty ; but, on the contrary, you have spoken in highly commendatory terms cf his efficient services Ihave already quoted your acknowledgment that ho had taken all proper measures with jadgment and promptitude to provide everything depynding on his department for the despatch and succes of your expe- dition. In an issue of fact betwoon you and the head of the War Department, his testimony, next to your own confession, is the best that can ba offered to correct ments and to refute your charges r to me of the 2dof January, 1647, he says: ‘General Scott left for the interior on ths 29ch ultimo, andIam taking active depending upon me ready for hi q termaster’s depertment, | find, is cailed uponto do great deal that should be done by other branches of tl staff. So far as Gon. Scott's operations go, I shail h everything done that is necessary, whether it belon; my department or to other departments to do it ”” You had with you, and subjsot to your orders, not only the Quartermaster Generul, but officers of ti ste departments. They did not look to the partment, but to yourself, for directions; and it was yor duty, and not mine, to see that your requir with. That they were s0, to ta prac- xtent, | have no resson to doubt ; but if they t, the fault, if any, is not with the War Depart- You aleo gave the instruotioi i ment. viding the means ot charged with that duty wer trol; aud if there is biame ia respect, tt partment Your w correspondence with me, and the staff oflcers with you, eh that you very proper!: took apon yor if the whole chi fog directions in this matter In @ letter to C; Hetai quartermaster at tho Brazos, speaking on th che land transportation, which may bs needed after the descent on the enemy’s coast near Vera Cros, you have already discussed and arranged with you of the early land transportation train,” &c. 9th of March, you furnished General Jeeup with your estimates and directions on this subject The staff cficers being with you, and under your orders, no- ching farther was, or properly could bs, required peoted to emanate trom Washington, beyond th funds; and, re disapp you have not a color- sto “the head of the able pretence for imputing DI War Dopartment ” As a just ground of complaint, and s matter of scousa- t to your deficiency of mrsns to make the to capture the city of Vera Cruz and the n Juan d’Ulda, and assume that the extent of that deficiency was tl i you re- ceived and what required, It would be quite os correct reasoning to sey, that what you had having d sufficient for the parpore, that difference showed tent of the errors in your estimate. The trath lies, perhaps, between the two extremes. You had |: ss, probably, than you should have hai, and you required much more than'wes necessary. Thet you mors, and, indeed, all you asked for, I hi shown was not the fault of the War Department. Gen. Jerup was with you at Vera Crus, saw your and is capable of forming an estimate of iheir as his letter herewith shows, disposed en generous to your fame. To his abject, no well founded exception can be ur complaints on ao- train, and sufficiency. to be just, and th Soott) hi boats and stores enough!” And of the delay of which you complain, he fully exomerates the War Department, and ascribes the whole to yourself, and to unavoidable accide: ‘The imputation that you wore designediy crippled in your meaus, is a charge as Preposterous as it is unfounded. Tam aware that the execution of some of the many ar gements for the Vera Croz expedition wes obstruct ‘end delayed by accidents, but were such as com,