ment. Those members, who had denounced the
conduct of the President because he had " coni-
tnenced an unconstitutional war," and who had with
extreme bitterness assailed him because that war
had not been prosecuted with more energy; at a
later period in the struggle, voted to lay upon the
table a resolution, declaring that it was inexpedient
for our army to retreat from the position- which
they had won in Mexico, for the purpose of falling
back upon a defensive line* This resolution was
laid on the table upon the motion of Mr. Stephens,
of Georgia, by a vote of 96 to 89. All who voted to
lay the resolution on the table were whigs, and all
who voted againsl it were democrats.

After the war with Mexico was recognized by
the Congress of the United States, it remained to be
seen whether the ranks of the army could be filled
by volunteers. A feeling of indignation was aroused
from Maine to Texas, that Mexicans, who had SO
frequently violated their most solemn treaty sti-

" Mr. Chase offered the following resolution : " Resolved, that it is in-
expedient to order our troops to retreat from the positions which they have
gallantly won in Mexico, for the purpose of falling back upon a defensive
line." — < \al (llnl>,>. \si session, SOthCongrrss, p. 179.



POLK ADMINISTRATION. 145

pulations, should consummate their folly by the
invasion of our territory; and the alacrity with
which our peoj:>le responded to the call upon their
patriotism, proved at once that they would defend
the honor of our country, by whatever nation as-
sailed ; and the ardor with which they rushed to the
field, proved them the most warlike people of the
age. Wherever was unfurled the stripes and stars,
and whenever was heard the roll of the drum, there
were gathered the volunteers of every age and con-
dition ; and where only 50,000 volunteers were au-
thorized, 500,000 gallant spirits responded to the
call. The spectacle witnessed, was literally that of
a nation in arms. The organization of the volun-
teers was promptly attended to by the President ;
and for this purpose officers were appointed, who
subsequently distinguished themselves. Two Major-
Generals were commissioned — Butler and Patter-
son; and eight Brigadiers — Lane, Smith, Hamer,
Quitman, Pierce, Cadwallader, Pillow, and Shields.
The President of the United States . promptly
availed himself of the authority granted by Con-
gress for the purpose of prosecuting the war vigo-
rously against Mexico. He had several times an-
nounced to Congress that the war was not waged
with a view to conquest, but for the purpose of
obtaining an honorable peace, and thereby to se-
cure ample indemnity* This language may be re-

* " The war has not been waged with a view to conquest ; but having
been commenced by Mexico, it has been carried into the enemy's country,
and will be vigorously prosecuted there, with a view to obtain an honor-
able peace, and thereby secure ample indemnity for the expenses of the
10



146 HISTORY OF THE

garded as rather equivocal. It is difficult to con-
ceive bow indemnity could be obtained from Mexico
in any other way, than bj thai which a subsequent
message of Mr. Polk expressed to be a dismeuiber-
ment of the Mexican territory*

That the attention of the adniinistratioii was at
an early day directed to the acquisition of Cali-
fornia, there can be no doubt. Confidential instruc-
tions were issued from the Navy Department to
Commodore Sloat as early as June 24th, 1845, in
which it was intimated that hostilities would ensue.
Sloat was directed particularly to avoid any act of
aggression, but in case Mexico should declare war
againsl us, he was directed to employ the force
under his command to the best advantage.! This

war. as well as to our much injured citizens, who hold large pecuniary
demands against Mexico." — Message of President Polk, December, 1846.
* "The extensive and valuable territories ceded by Mexico to the
United Slates constitute indemnity for the past, and the brilliant achieve-
ments and signal successes of our arms will be a guarantee of security for
the future, by convincing all nations that our rights must be respected."
—Message of Mr. Polk to Congress, July 6lh, 1848.

\ "Should .Mexico, however, be resolutely bent on hostilities, you will
be mindful to protect the persons and interests of citizens of the United
State,, near your station, and should you ascertain beyond a doubt that the
Mexican Government has declared war againsl as, you will at once cm-
ploy the force under your command to the best advantage. The Mexican
port Pacific are 6aid to 1 pen and defenceless. If you ascer-

tain with certainty that Mexico has declared war against the United
. jrou will at once poss — yourself of the port of San Francisco,
and i upy such other ports as your force may permit.

"The greal distance of your squadron, and the difficulty of commu-
nicating with you, are the causes lor issuing this order. The President
hop â–  irnestly that the peace of the two countries may not be dis-

rbed. The object ol these instru possess you of the views

iment, in the event ol a declaration of war on the part of
! oited States —an event which you are enjoined to do



POLK ADMINISTRATION. 147

order was followed by the expedition under General
Kearney. I do not make these observations for the
purpose of condemning the object which the Cabi-
net desired to accomplish ; on the contrary, to ac-
quire " indemnity for the past and security for the
future " is perfectly justifiable, and especially where
a war is forced by a perfidious people upon us.
And under all circumstances, the avowal should
have been boldly made that we prosecuted a war
of conquest, if necessary, for the purpose of accom-
plishing that result. If that had been done, an
obstinate enemy would soon have been brought to
terms, when they ascertained that the longer the
contest was protracted the greater indemnity would
be demanded.

The energy which the President always dis-
played, did not fail him in the prosecution of the
war, and what was regarded as the dilatory move-
ments of General Scott, produced a personal inter-
view between the Secretary of War and the Com-
mander-in-chief of the army. The result of this
conference seems to have given oftence to General
Scott, and produced from him a letter which ex-
cited much ridicule, and caused mingled feelings of
sorrow, surprise, and indignation. To receive the
command of the army in person, as was subse-
quently exemplified, could but add new laurels to
those he had already won. The secret of his prov-
ing so sensitive has been ascribed to his aspiration
for political honors. If that was the correct solu-

every thing consistent, with the national honor, on your part, to avoid." —
Letter o/Mr. Bancroft, to Commodore Sloat, JunelUh, 1845.



148 HISTORY OF THE

tion of the difficulty, it is strange that a person so
conscious of the influence which military achieve-
ment exercises over the American people as Gene-
ral Scott must be, should hesitate to place himself
at the Lead of the army, for the purpose of adding
fresh brilliancy to that reputation which in early
life immortalized his name. There was no necessity
"to protect himself from a fire in his rear from
Washington.''* The administration could have no
motive whatever in embarrassing the movements
of the Commander-in-Chief. He ought to have
been satisfied that his own success would add to
the reputation of the administration, and that the
defeat of the army would prove as disastrous to
the Cabinet as to himself. As it was, the course
which he thought proper to pursue in a moment of
error, resulted in the withdrawal of the leadership
of the army which had been tendered. It required
the effect produced by his brilliant campaign in
Mexico, to eradicate the unfavorable impression pro-
duced upon the minds of the American people by
his letter to the Secretary of War.

Under the act of May 13th, 1846, requisitions
were immediately made upon the Governors of the
States of Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia,
Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana,
< mio, and Texas, for a volunteer force amounting
to twenty-sis regiments, which, with a battalion
from the District of Columbia and the State of
Maryland, numbered in all about 23,000 effective
men, to serve for the period of twelve months, or

• I, otter of General Scott to the Secretary of War, May 21st, 1846.



POLK ADMINISTRATION. 149

to the end of the war. A large portion of this
force was placed under the command of General
Taylor, who had made the Rio Grande the base of
his operation.* The plan of operations designed
by the administration, was to attack Mexico in
several directions. Taylor was to advance in the
direction of Monterey ; General Wool was to march
from Antonio De Bexar, in the direction of Chi-
huahua ; and General Kearney was to assemble the
volunteers from the State of Missouri, and a few
hundred regular troops at Fort Leavenworth, and
make a descent upon Santa Fe, and from thence
with a portion of his command was to advance
rapidly upon California. Any one, by glancing at
a map, will at once discover the comprehensiveness
of this plan. The advance of General Taylor and
General Wool into that portion of the Mexican
territory, would be calculated to convince the Mexi-
cans of the importance of re-opening negotiations,
whilst the expedition under General Kearney would
obtain possession of that portion of Mexico which it
was desirable to retain.

Before General Taylor took his departure from
Camargo, considerable embarrassment was experi-
enced for the want of transportation and supplies
for so large a force. These difficulties were made
the subject of complaint by General Taylor. f This

* Report of the Secretary of War, December 5th, 1846.

f " Headquarters, Army of Occupation, )
Camargo, September 1st, 1846. \
" Sir : Before marching for the interior, I beg leave to place on re-
cord some remarks touching an important branch of the public service, the
proper administration of which is indispensable to the efficiency of a cam-



150 HISTORY OF THE

dispatch was referred by the War Department to
the Quartermaster General, Thomas S. Jesup* Tlie
complaints of General Taylor were triumphantly

paign. I refer to the quartermaster's department. There is at this mo-
ment, when the army is about to take up a long line of inarch, a great de-
ficiency of proper means of transport, and of many important supplies.

■• ( )n the 26th of April, when first apprising you of the increased force
called out by me, I wrote that I trusted the War Department would ' give
the necessary orders to the staff department for the supply of this large
additional force ;' and when first advised of the heavy force of twelve
months' volunteers ordered hither, I could not doubt that such masses of
would lif accompanied, or preferahly preceded, by ample means of
transportation, and all other supplies necessary to render them efficient.
But such has not been the case Suitable steamboats for the Rio Grande
were not procured without repeated efforts directed from this quarter, and
many weeks elapsed before a lodgment could be made at this place, the
river being perfectly navigable. After infinite delay- and embarrassments,
I have succeeded in bringing forward a portion of the army to this point,
and now the steamers procured at Pittsburg are just arriving. I hazard
nothing in saying that if proper foresight and energy had been displayed
in sending out suitable steamers to navigate the Rio Grande, our army
would long since have been in possession of Monterey.

■• Again, as to land transport. At this moment our wagon train is
considerably Ann than when we left Corpus Christi — our force being in-
creased fivefold. Had we depended upon means from without, the army
would not have been able to move from this place. But fortunately tho
of land transport existed to some extent in the country in the shape
of pack-mules, and we have formed a train which will enable a small army
to advance perhaps to Monterey. I wish it distinctly understood, that our
ability to move is duo wholly to means created here, and which could not
have been reckoned upon with safety in Washington.

" I have adverted to the grand points of water and land transportation.
Of the want of minor supplies the army has suffered more than enough.
The crying deficiency of camp equipage has been partially relieved by the
cotton tents of indifferent quality. Our cavalry has been para-
lyzed by the want of horse-shoes, horse-shoe nails, and even common black-
smith's tools, while many smaller deficiencies are daily brought to my

" I respectfully request thai the above statement, which I make in jus-
I tter of the Secretary of War to General Jesup, Sept. 21,1846.



POLK ADMINISTRATION. 151

answered by the Quartermaster General .* Being,
at the time he answered the charges of General
Taylor, near the scene of operations, and at the

tice to myself and the service, may be laid before the General-in-chief and
Secretary of War.

" I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

"Z. TAYLOR,
Major General U. S. A. commanding.
" The Adjutant General of the Army,

Washington, D. C."

* " New-Orleans, December 5th, 1846.
" Sir : When I received your letter of the 21st of September, on the
subject of Major General Taylor's complaints, I was apprehensive that
neglect or omissions had occurred on the part of some one or more of
the subordinate officers of the department, by which his operations had
been seriously embarrassed ; but I have looked into the whole matter, and
I am bound in justice to say that no class of officers, not even General
Taylor and the most distinguished men around him, have better or more
faithfully performed their duty ; and if any thing has been wanting which
they could have supplied, it has been because the proper orders were not
given, or timely requisitions made.

" In conducting a war, it is the duty of the Government to designate
the object to be accomplished : it is then the duty of the General who
conducts the operations, to call for the means required to accomplish that
object. If he fail to do so, he is himself responsible for all the consequences
of his omission. General Taylor complains of want of water and land
transportation, camp equipage, and shoes for his cavalry horses. As to
water transportation,! find that he called for a single light-draught steamer
early in May. Lieutenant Colonel Hunt could not at once obtain a suita-
ble boat, but he executed the order as soon as it was possible. Late in
May, or early in June, General Taylor considering four boats necessary,
appointed his own agents to obtain them. I was at the time engaged in
taking measures, under the orders of General Scott, to obtain suitable
boats for the navigation of the Rio Grande ; but having no reliable infor-
mation in relation to the navigation of that river, and believing General
Taylor's agents possessed of the requisite knowledge, I preferred that
they should execute his orders ; and I limited my action in the matter to
doubling the number called for by General Taylor ; and authorizing a
further increase if considered necessary by his brother and one of his
agents. The number required by the General was, I believe, nearly
quadrupled ultimately by the officers of the department. As to the com-



152 HISTORY OF THE

place through which most of the supplies passed,
General Jesup could speak understanding^ upon
the subject. He declared he was bound in justice

plaint of the General that the steamers from Pittsburg were then (Sep-
tember 1st), just arriving, it is proper to state that these were the very
procured by one of his own agents. When at Pittsburg I inquired
into the delay of those boats, and it is but justice to Captain Sanders, Ge-
neral Taylor's agent, to say that no effort was spared to get them into ser-
vice as early as possible.

"As to the complaint in regard to the want of land transportation, it is
proper to remark that there was no information at Washington, so far as I
was informed, to enable me or the War Department to determine whether
wagons could be used in Mexico. General Taylor, though he had both
mounted troops and topographical engineers, had not supplied the want of
that information. Besides, he had not, as far as I know and believe, inti-
mated to any department his intentions or wishes in regard to the means
of transportation to be used. It was known that he had a wagon train,
amply sufficient for double the force he commanded before the arrival of
the volunteers. Added to that, he had General Arista's means of trans-
portation ; and he was in a country abounding in mules — the means of
transportation best adapted to the country, and the only means used by
the enemy. A general is expected to avail himself of the resources of
the country in which he operates. If General Taylor failed to do so, and
ithout the necessary transportation, he alone is responsible. Those
were limited only by his own will. He had officers of the Quar-
termaster's Department able to have executed his orders, and willing to
carry out his views : his authority alone was wanting.

" As to the camp equipage, you are aware tliat the appropriation which
' for last year was stricken out, and that not a cent was appropria-
ted, which could be legally applied to that object, before the 9th and 13th
of May. When the appropriations were made, the officers of the depart-
ment v. lied to obtain materials wheresoever they could get them,
and such as the] could get. Cotton cloth was necessarily substituted for
linen in the fabrication of tents. I have no doubt a great deal of the ma-
terial was of the quality represented by General Taylor; but that was, un-
inces, unavoidable. The officers obtained the best they
could get, and deserve credit for their exertions, in place of the censure
they have received.

I imewhat at a loss to imagine why the deficiency of shoes for

the drag on horses was made a subject of complaint against the Quarter-

- Department. A blacksmith is allowed by law to every troop of



POLK ADMINISTRATION. 153

to say that no class of officers, not even General
Taylor, and the most distinguished men around him,
had better or more faithfully performed their duty
than the officers of his department ; and that if
any thing had been wanting which they could have
supplied, it was because the proper orders were not
given, or timely requisitions made. Any one who
will read the letter of General Jesup, will come to

dragoons. It is the duty of every commander of a troop to have his shoe-
ing tools complete, and to have at all times the necessary shoe and nail iron ;
and it is the duty of the regimental commander to see that timely requisi-
tions be made. Now, if those officers failed to have what was necessary to
the efficiency of their commands, let General Taylor hold them accountable.
The Quartermaster's department is not responsible for their neglects.

" As I came through the western country to this city, I was informed
that a report was circulating that General Taylor would have taken for-
ward to Monterey a much larger force of volunteers, but for the neglect
of the Quartermaster's department to furnish the means of transportation.
In reply to that report, I respectfully ask your attention to the letter of
General Taylor of the 2d of July to the Adjutant General. There he
tells you. through that officer, that he proposes to operate from Camargo to
Monterey : he tells you that he will operate with a column of about 6,000
men : that he must rely on the country for meat, and deput at Camargo for
bread ; and adds, as the reason for not taking a greater force, that a column
exceeding six thousand men cannot be supplied on that route with bread
alone.

" I feel, sir, that every officer of the department has performed his duty
faithfully, if not ably, and that the charges of General Taylor are both
unjust and unmerited. As regards myself, I feel that I have performed my
whole duty, both to the country and to the army ; and if the slightest doubt
remain on that subject, I owe it to myself to demand an immediate and tho-
rough investigation of my conduct, and that of the department, from the
commencement of operations on the Texan frontier, as well previous to as
during the war.

" I am, sir, most respectfully, your obedient servant,

"TH. S. JESUP,
Major General, Quartermaster General.
" The Hon. Wm. L. Marcy,

Secretary of War, Washington City."



154 HISTOEY OF THE

the conclusion, that the embarrassments of which
General Taylor complained, were the result of a
failure on his part to make the necessary demands,
or were to be attributed to the conduct of the
agents he had selected himself.

Another source of annoyance to the administra-
tion was the unauthorized conduct of General
Gaines, at that time in command of the Southwes-
tern division. He sent forward volunteers to Texas,
in number considerably, exceeding the call made by
Genera] Taylor, for that description of force* The
call of ( reneral (iaines was recognized to the extent
of the number of volunteers sent to the Eio Grande,
up to May 28th, 1846. The motives of that officer
no one was prepared to call in question ; but from
hi- advanced age, he was not in a condition to de-
cide with as much judgment as he once possessed,
as to the real necessities of the case. His action
caused the War Department much embarrassment.f
He called out and mustered into service, troops not
comprised in the den nun I of General Taylor, on
Louisiana and Texas. Volunteers from Alabama
and Missouri, who had left those States before the
call of General Gaines could be countermanded by
the President, were received into sendee. These
volunteers were not raised under the provisions of
the ad of May, 1846; they were, therefore, to be
regarded in service by virtue of the act of 1795,
consequently, for the term of thret months. There
was no authority to receive the volunteers into ser-

* Letter of Mr. Marry to General Taylor, May 28th, 1846.

f Letter of the Secretary of War to General Taylor, June 26th, 1846.



POLK ADMINISTRATION. 155

vice for six months. By the law of 1795, they were
to serve for three months, and by the law of May,
1846, for twelve months, or during the war. Tore-
fuse to receive them after the sacrifices they had
made, was the cause of much regret, but there was no
other alternative ; they were not legally in the pub-
lic service, under any existing law, and the Presi-
dent had no power to receive them, unless they
thought proper to offer their services under the act
of May, 1846.

It was deemed advisable, in the mean time, to
transfer General Gaines from the Southern to the
Northern department, and he was ordered to make
his head-quarters at New- York, instead of New
Orleans.

After the arrival of the requisite number of
volunteers from the United States, General Taylor
prepared to advance upon Monterey, by the way of
Camargo. He left Matamoras during the latter
part of August, with a column consisting of about
6,000 regular and volunteer troops, and arrived
before Monterey on the 19th of September, 1846*
Our troops were now in view of a large city, whose
natural defences and massive fortifications rendered
it almost impregnable. More than forty pieces of
artillery defended its frowning walls, and the battle-
ments were protected by 7,000 troops of the line,
and more than two thousand irregulars. It was
here that the chivalrous Worth obtained the op-
portunity for which he panted, to make amends for
his absence from the battle-fields of Palo Alto and

* Dispatch of General Taylor, dated Monterey, September 22, 184G.



L56 HISTORY OF THE

Resaca de la Palma. Believing himself injured by
the decision which permitted General Twiggs to
rank him, he left Texas, and appearing at Wash-
ington, tendered his resignation to the President.
Iii opposition to the opinion which prevailed at the
seat of Government, Mr. Polk refused to accept it,
and his military skill and daring courage were given
to his country in the struggle which ensued. When
he heard of the collision between the rival forces
on the banks of the Rio Grande, and which he did
not anticipate, lie withdrew the tender which he
had made of his commission, and repaired immedi-
ately to the seat of war. Although his gallantry
was conspicuous among all those leaders who sur-
rounded General Scott, I take this opportunity of
referring briefly to that commander. General