WAR DEPARTMENT,
_March,1 1847_.
The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
SIR: With a special reference to the resolution of the Senate of the
27th ultimo, requesting to be informed "why the name of Captain
Theophilus H. Holmes was not sent in for brevet promotion amongst the
other officers who distinguished themselves at the military operations
at Monterey," I have again examined the official reports of those
operations. I do not find that Captain Holmes is mentioned in General
Taylor's report, nor in that of any other officer except the report of
Brigadier-General Worth. The following extract from the latter contains
all that is said having relation to the conduct of Captain Holmes:
"My thanks are also especially due to Lieutenant-Colonel Stanford,
Eighth, commanding First Brigade; Major Munroe, chief of artillery,
general staff; Brevet Major Brown and Captain J.R. Vinton, artillery
battalion; Captain J.B. Scott, artillery battalion, light troops; Major
Scott (commanding) and Captain Merrill, Fifth; Captain Miles
(commanding), Holmes, and Ross, Seventh Infantry, and Captain Screven,
commanding Eighth Infantry; to Lieutenant-Colonel Walker, captain of
rifles; Major Chevalier and Captain McCulloch, of the Texan, and Captain
Blanchard, of the Louisiana, Volunteers; to Lieutenant Mackall,
commanding battery; Roland, Martin, Hays, Irons, Clark, and Curd, horse
artillery; Lieutenant Longstreet, commanding light company, Eighth;
Lieutenant Ayers, artillery battalion, who was among the first in the
assault upon the place and who secured the colors. Each of the officers
named either headed special detachments, columns of attack, storming
parties, or detached guns, and all were conspicuous for conduct and
courage."
It will be perceived that in this list there are twenty-one officers
(besides the medical staff and officers of volunteers) who are highly
commended by General Worth for gallant conduct. That they were justly
entitled to the praise bestowed on them is not doubted; but if I had
recommended all of them to be brevetted, together with all those in the
reports of other generals also in like manner highly commended, the
number of officers in my list submitted for your consideration would
have been probably trebled. Indeed, the whole Army behaved most
gallantly on that occasion. It was deemed proper to discriminate and
select from among the well deserving those who had peculiar claims to
distinction. In making this selection I exercised my best judgment,
regarding the official reports as the authentic source of information.
Six or seven only of the officers named in the foregoing extract from
General Worth's report were placed on the list. A close examination of
the reports will, I think, disclose the ground for the discrimination,
and I hope justify the distinction which I felt it my duty to make.
Without disparagement to Captain Holmes, whose conduct was highly
creditable, it appears to me that a rule of selection which would have
brought him upon the list for promotion by brevet would also have placed
on the same list nearly everyone named with him in General Worth's
report, and many of the reports of other generals not presented in my
report to you of the 19th ultimo. There is not time before the
adjournment of the Senate to make the thorough examination which a due
regard to the relative claims of the gallant officers engaged in the
actions of Monterey would require if the list of brevet promotions is to
be enlarged to this extent. Such enlargement would not accord with my
own views on the subject of bestowing brevet rewards.
There are on file other papers relative to Captain Holmes. They were not
written with reference to his brevet promotion, but for an appointment
in the new regiments. Copies of those are herewith transmitted. The
letter of the Hon. W.P. Mangum inclosing the statement from Generals
Twiggs and Smith is dated the 26th, and my report the 19th ultimo, and
was not, consequently, received at this Department until some days after
the list for brevets was made out and presented to you.
From the facts and recommendations of the official reports of the
actions at Monterey I should not feel warranted in presenting Captain
Holmes for brevet promotion without at the same time including on the
same list many others not recommended in my report of the 19th ultimo;
but as his conduct fell under the immediate observation of General Smith
(General Twiggs commanded in a different part of the town), it may be
proper to regard their statement, received since my former report was
prepared and handed to you, as additional evidence of his gallantry and
of claims to your particular notice. I therefore recommend him to be
promoted major by brevet.