escorted by a squadron of dragoons under May, to examine Santa Rosa Pass
and rejoin the command at Linares. Ten men of May's rear guard and the
baggage were cut off in the pass (Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 387-8, 1095. Maury,
Recolls., 31. Henry, Camp. Sketches, 284).
18.21. "Norther" was the name given to an extremely violent wind
which blew at frequent intervals from October to April, lasting usually
about three days. During Scott's operations one lasted seventy-six
hours. It grew more violent as one went south toward Vera Cruz,
probably because the cordillera approached the coast and produced
somewhat the effect of a funnel. Its merit was that it prevented yellow
fever.
18.22. The real Mexican cavalry numbered about 1000 under Gen.
Romero, who was sent by Valencia, now commanding at Tula, because the
governor of Tamaulipas had asked for 1000 infantry. The cavalry arrived
at Victoria on Dec. 24. Only 200 were regulars. The rest were badly
armed and munitioned, and cavalry were not suitable for a region covered
with woods and intersected with rivers. The people, however, prepared
to coöperate with them; but arms were lacking, and the revenues of the
state had mostly been cut off by the occupation of Matamoros and Tampico
(_Gaceta de C. Victoria_, July 23, 1846). Valencia was very anxious to
attack the Americans, but Santa Anna would not permit this--probably
because he did not wish Valencia either to be defeated or to win éclat
by succeeding. December 26 Romero received positive orders not to risk
an action, and two days later he retired (=82=gov. Tamaul. to gov.
Puebla, Jan. 6, 1847. =77=_Id._ to Relaciones, Apr. 23). Taylor
strongly desired to capture Valencia (Roberts, diary).
18.23. _Taylor's march to Victoria (including Worth's alarm)._
Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 513 (orders 156); 361, 379, 381, 385, 387-8, 848,
1100 (Taylor); 839, 851, 1156 (Scott). Meade, Letters, i, 170, 172.
_Autograph_, July-Aug., Nov.-Dec., 1912 (Taylor). Diccionario Universal
(_Itinerario_). =307=Roberts, diary. Sen. 32; 31, 1, p. 8, note.
Henshaw narrative. Velasco, Geog., iv, 150. Claiborne, Quitman, i, 277
(Holt's journal). Henry, Camp. Sketches, 262-287. Robertson, Remins.,
185-198. _Vedette_, ii, no. 9 (Townes). =193=Foster to father, Dec.
10. =139=W. B. Campbell to D. C., Jan. 2, 1847. =69=Worth
to Bliss, Dec. 16; to Butler, Dec. 18. =69=Butler to Bliss, Dec.
20. =69=Wool to Worth, Dec. 24. =69=Riley to Bliss, Dec.
10. =69=Quitman to Bliss, Dec. 30. =69=Worth to Bliss, Dec.
4. =65=Taylor, gen. orders 160, Dec. 22. =169=_Id._ to
Crittenden, Jan. 26, 1847. _Id._, Letters (Bixby), 180. Wilhelm, Eighth
Inf., ii, 300-1. =61=Clarke to McCall, Dec. 27. Apuntes, 86-7.
Scott, Mems., ii, 402. =69=Wool to Butler, Dec. 25. _Delta_, Jan.
24; Feb. 13, 1847. =52=Black, Oct. 8. =299=Posey to Gordon,
Feb. 19, 1847. N. Y. _Herald_, Feb. 6, 1847. Scott wrote privately
(=256=Jan. 16) that "friend Taylor ... turned his back upon the
appointment I gave him ... saying he would be back, at Monterey, in
36 days, the 1st of February!!" Taylor actually wrote that he _might_
return "early in Feb." (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 848). Also the following
from =76=. S. Anna, Dec. 22, muy priv. _Id._, Dec. 24; Jan. 1.
Gov. Tamaul., Oct. 22; Dec. 3. E. González, Dec. 29. Comte. Nat. Gd.,
Catorce, Dec. 30. Instead of admitting that his journey to Victoria
delayed the receipt of Scott's letter of Jan. 3 to him, Taylor
complained in his characteristic fashion that it should have been sent
by a special messenger (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 1101).
18.24. One naturally inquires why Taylor concentrated more than
5000 men at Victoria. He stated that he went in that direction to
examine the passes and establish one or more posts, and that he sent
Patterson's command there because Mexican parties were going from Tula
to that point; but he had been ordered, Oct. 22, to have 4000 men ready
to embark for Vera Cruz, if he could spare them (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 366),
and presumably had this in mind. But see his letter, Bixby coll., 72.
18.25. Such was the regular Mexican measure. In this as in some
other cases the American estimates were higher.
18.26. _Patterson's march to Victoria._ Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 358
(Marcy); 379, 387-8 (Taylor); 383 (Bliss); 383-4 (Patterson); 569,
571 (Jesup). =60=Patterson, Dec. 8. =292=Pillow to wife,
Dec. 15. _Amer. Flag_, Matamoros, Dec. 26. =332=Tennery, diary.
=254=McClellan, diary. =322=Smith, diary. Diccionario
Universal (_Itinerario_). Ho. 13; 31, 2 (G. W. Smith). Engineer School,
U. S. A., Occasional Papers, no. 16 (G. W. Smith). =60=Belknap,
memo, (with Patterson, Nov. 1). =193=Heiman to Mrs. Foster, Feb.
28. Lawton, Artillery Officer, 16. Furber, Twelve Months Vol., 275-318.
=335=Trist, draft of address. Welles papers (Pol. Hist. of U. S.).
=139=Campbell to D. C., Nov. 2, 1846; Jan. 2; Feb. 19, 1847. Scott,
Mems., ii, 423. =159=Collins, diary. _Hist. Teacher's Mag._, Apr.,
1912, p. 75. Smith, Annex. of Texas, 250-1. N. Y. _Herald_, Nov. 3,
1857 (Scott). =146=Caswell, diary. =275=Nelson to Coe, Oct.
14, 1846 ("The General in making a speech to us a day or two ago said
that we should go on, or if it so happened that we _had_ to stay that he
(Pillow) would remain with us. This would make our situation _deplorable
indeed_. Our Brigadier General I am sorry to say is universally
unpopular"). Two soldiers wrote: "We do not charge Gen. Pillow with
that wholesale abuse that has been heaped upon him by many. It is his
misfortune to be cursed with unalloyed selfishness" (McLean County Hist.
Soc. Trans., i, 24). =280=Nunelee, diary. Claiborne, Quitman, i,
277 (Holt's journal). =180=Pillow to wife, Oct. 27. Taylor, Letters
(Bixby), 180. Trans. Ills. State Hist. Soc., 1906, 177-8. McCall,
Letters, 474. =273=Mullan, diary. Bishop, Journal.
18.27. _Scott's operations, Dec. 27-Jan. 7, including the division
of the troops._ =61=H. L. Scott, Dec. 28. Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 842,
844, 848, 851, 853, 875, 1156 (Scott); 858-9 (Butler); 860-1 (Worth).
=61=Butler, Jan. 8, 1847. Wash. _Union_, Jan. 13, 1847. (Suggested)
Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 353; Taylor, Letter to Gaines. (Ordered) Polk, Diary,
Nov. 17-19. (Appointed) Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 372 (Marcy). (Authority)
Polk, Diary, Mar. 21, 1847; _Cong. Globe_, 30, 1, p. 502 (Douglas).
(Condition) Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 390, 1276. (Admitted) _Ibid._, 1102.
(Manner) _Ibid._, 373, 839, 848, 851. (Purpose) _Ibid._, 373, 839;
Scott, Mems., ii, 403. (Reach) Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 848, 852. (Required)
_Ibid._, 864; Sen. 1; 30, 1, p. 47. (Recognized) =169=Taylor to
Crittenden, Jan. 26, 1847. ("Wormed") _Ibid._; =370=Taylor to
Davis, Apr. 18, 1848. (Kill) =330=Taylor to brother, May 29, 1847.
("Contemptible") Taylor, Letters (Bixby), 180. (Suggestion) Ho. 60;
30, 1, pp. 337, 375 (Taylor). ("Intrigue") Taylor, Letters (Bixby),
84. (Outraged) _Ibid._, 180. (Degraded) _Ibid._, 181. ("Discourteous")
_Ibid._, 179. (Ruin) _Ibid._, 90, 95. (Expecting) =169=Taylor
to Crittenden, Jan. 26, 1847; Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 890, 1109-10, 1113.
("Sacrificed") _Ibid._, 863; Bixby coll., 114. The New Orleans _Comm.
Bulletin_ said a fearful responsibility rested on the government for
exposing Taylor. See also =330=Taylor to brother, Feb. 8; Apr. 5,
22; May 29, 1847; Jan. 19, 1848.
For a particular reason both Scott and Taylor (=169=to Crittenden,
Jan. 26) felt sure that Santa Anna would go to Vera Cruz promptly. This
reason was the capture of Scott's original letter of Jan. 3 to Taylor,
borne by Lieut. Richey (French, Two Wars, 71; Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 876,
890; Meade, Letters, i, 182; Taylor, Letters (Bixby), 82). It was
believed that the letter was in Santa Anna's hands by about Jan. 15. For
this reason and the tardiness of the new volunteer regiments Scott felt
that he needed more and Taylor fewer troops than he otherwise would have
estimated (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 893). Indeed, Taylor wrote to Scott on Jan.
26 that Santa Anna had already left the north (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 890).
Scott was so confident that he would meet serious opposition at Vera
Cruz that he employed five or six agents to obtain information about the
forces assembling there. Marcy entertained the same expectation (Ho. 60;
30, 1, p. 369). Ripley (_op. cit._, i, 358) argues that S. Anna had a
better chance of success in attacking Taylor than he would have had in
attacking Scott, and therefore Scott should not have believed that S.
Anna would oppose his debarkation. But Ripley could not have proved his
premise; and, even were that true, the additional advantage that would
have been gained by guarding the route from Vera Cruz to Mexico City
looked like a decisive consideration. S. Anna's moving against Taylor
was largely due to political considerations not understood by either
Scott or Ripley.
Taylor gradually settled down upon the idea that the aim of Polk and
Scott was to cause him to leave Mexico in disgust (=330=to brother,
Feb. 8; Apr. 5). Later he changed "Scott, Marcy & Co." to "Scott, Polk &
Co." (=330=to brother, Jan. 19, 1848), thus smiting at one stroke a
rival in his own party (see =330=letter to brother, Apr. 5, 1848)
and a supposed rival in the other.
The number of troops left with Taylor for defence against an enemy
who was not expected to advance was about 800 regulars and 6-7000
well seasoned and respectably trained volunteers (=169=Taylor
to Crittenden, March 25, 1847) besides several regiments of new
volunteers--say 2400-2800 men--who were expected to arrive soon; while
Scott had less than 13,000 to face (with all the disadvantages of
debarking) the garrisons of Vera Cruz and Ulúa, the army that Santa Anna
was believed to be leading against him, and all such reinforcements
as the Mexican government could raise when threatened at the vital
point. Moreover Scott's new volunteers were to land with practically
no training whatever, and could hardly be counted on for the initial
fighting. Taylor said that for a blow at the capital 25,000 men (10,000
of them regulars) would be required (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 353). As Scott
pointed out, Taylor now had really nothing to do except defend Texas
(Memoirs, ii, 409) and, should it be practicable, aid Scott's offensive
by threatening to advance. Scott took Robert E. Lee from Taylor's army.
On receiving Scott's orders of Jan. 3 Taylor replied in a style
corresponding to his state of mind (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 863). Scott
answered: "There are some expressions in those letters [of Jan. 15
which, as I shall wish to forget them, I shall not specify or recall"
(_ibid._, 864); and to Marcy Scott wrote privately: "However, he
[Taylor] is still the same excellent man" (=256=Jan. 23). In his
correspondence on this subject Taylor appeared to regard the troops
placed under his command as his personal property. The battle of Buena
Vista has commonly been cited as the cause of Taylor's election, but it
was the idea that he had been deliberately exposed to the Mexicans which
gave that victory its remarkable political effect (=210=Simms to
Hammond, Jan. 15, 1847; _So. Qtrly. Review_, Jan., 1851, p. 37). It may
be observed further that for the government to sacrifice him, his army
and all the public property in northern Mexico, and give Santa Anna an
opportunity to ravage Texas would have been to commit suicide. The idea
was unreasonable.
18.28. Scott, who was a great soldier but not a great lawyer, had
the imprudence to attack Marcy, a master of fence, in regard to the
supply of vessels, and he fared rather badly. Marcy's defence was,
however, by no means wholly sound. He himself called it privately a
"special plea" (=256=to Wetmore, Apr. 11, 1848). For example, Dec.
15, 1846, he notified Scott (and also Jesup, who had gone to the front)
that he was ordering ten transports in ballast to the Brazos, but later,
on receiving a letter dated Jan. 27 from Jesup (then at the Brazos)
which over-confidently stated that all needed vessels could be chartered
there, he countermanded the order; and this looks like a satisfactory
defence against Scott's complaint that none of the ten transports
specified by him in his requisition appeared. But Marcy neglected to
inform Jesup or Scott that the order had been countermanded, and, as
Jesup's letter could not have reached Washington before about Jan. 7,
Jesup naturally assumed that the ten transports had got under way.
Indeed, Jan. 23 the adjutant general wrote what Scott understood to
mean that the latter might soon expect ten ships in ballast (Ho. 60;
30, 1, p. 897). Therefore Jesup and Scott counted upon them (_ibid._,
896), and naturally did not exert themselves to obtain shipping (when
disappointed about vessels already engaged) as otherwise they doubtless
would have done. (See Scott, Marcy, Jesup, Hetzel in Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp.
894, 1218, 1227, 1253.) Besides, it was found necessary to send a number
of the Brazos vessels to Tampico for the troops of Patterson, Twiggs and
Quitman. Jesup (_supra_) charged Scott with causing delay by changing
the assignation of certain regiments; but Scott certainly did not desire
to waste time, and it is only fair to suppose that he made the changes
for adequate reasons. Jesup complained that many of his officers were
inefficient, and Marcy with well feigned naïveté replied that their
names had been presented to Polk [by politicians] with "the highest
testimonials."
18.29. Harney soon disobeyed Scott's positive orders at Medellín
bridge (chap. xxii, note 25), and his biographer admits that he might
justly have been shot (Reavis, Harney, 186). Scott, however, merely
refrained from reporting the affair, whereupon Harney complained that
he had been unjustly ignored. One of the best reasons for studying the
Mexican war is to observe how political considerations interfered with
military affairs. The Harney episode was enough to justify Scott's
apprehensions of a fire from the rear, but it was not the only instance
of executive meddling (=213=Hatch to sister, Feb. 11, 1847).
Another incident also, which occurred at this time, illustrates his
magnanimity and good sense. Lieut. Col. Ethan Allen Hitchcock, a man of
notable talents and attainments and formerly instructor in tactics at
West Point, was admirably qualified to act as inspector general, and
Scott gave him the post although Hitchcock had repeatedly opposed him,
and was personally unfriendly to him. Experience soon made Hitchcock
one of Scott's firmest admirers and partisans (Hitchcock, Fifty Years,
234-6).
18.30. _Scott's operations, Jan. 8-Feb. 15._ Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp.
844, 855-6, 866, 875, 880, 882, 890-1, 893, 896, 1218, 1273 (Scott);
874, 1227 (Marcy); 568, 571, 1253 (Jesup); 884, 894 (Hetzel); 868, 870,
887-9, 893, 1164-6 (H. L. Scott); 867, 869, 888 (Harney); 860-1, 870
(Worth); 858-9 (Butler). _Niles_, Feb. 13, p. 369; Feb. 27, p. 401.
=63=Marcy to qtrmr. officer, Dec. 11, 15, 1846. Lawton, Artillery
Officer, 42-3. =358=Williams to father, Jan. 17. Ballentine,
English Soldier, i, 257. _Picayune_, Feb. 3; Mar. 12. =180=Pillow
to wife, Feb. 14. =65=Scott, gen. orders. 8, 11. Polk, Diary,
Dec. 14, 1846; Feb. 20, 1847. Reavis, Harney, 186. Grant, Mems., i,
123-4. =61=Worth to adj. gen., Feb. 17. Meade, Letters, i, 176.
=60=Scott to Marcy, April 5, 1847. =256=_Id._ to _Id._, Jan.
23, 1847, private. _Amer. Flag_, Matamoros, Feb. 17. Oswandel, Notes,
48. =62=Stanton, Nov. 29; Dec. 7, 13, 20, 1846; Jan. 5; Feb.
16, 1847; Sen. 65; 30, 1, p. 91 (Hitchcock). =322=Smith, diary.
=364=Worth to S., Feb. 17; to wife, Feb. 18. Smith, To Mexico,
84-103 (Worth's march from Saltillo).
18.31. An American estimate was 130 miles. This is partially
explained perhaps by the fact that the pioneers made some "short cuts"
(mule paths) available. Meade (Letters, i, 159) even cut the distance to
about 100 miles, but this appears to have been little more than a guess.
By the railroad the distance is about 141 miles.
18.32. _From Victoria to Tampico._ =146=Caswell, diary.
Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 1097 (Taylor); 879 (Patterson). Diccionario
Universal (_Itinerario_). =303=Orders 3, Jan. 12. Robertson,
Remins., 199-207. Taylor, Letters (Bixby), 181. U. S. Engineer School,
Occasional Papers, no. 16 (G. W. Smith). Ho. 13; 31, 2 (_Id._). Prieto,
Tamaulipas, 229. =332=Tennery, diary. =273=Mullan, diary.
Lawton, Artillery Officer, 27. =322=Smith, diary. =169=Taylor
to Crittenden, Jan. 26. =69=Colección de Itinerarios.
=307=Roberts, diary. Meade, Letters, i, 174-5. _Defensor de
Tamaul._, Jan. 18. =76=Cos, Feb. 1. =218=Henshaw narrative.
=139=W. B. Campbell to wife, Jan. 25. Furber, Twelve Months Vol.,
342-93.
18.33. The author's opinion of Pillow is based upon his letters to
his wife, Polk, Scott, Duncan and others, the Trist papers, the Campbell
papers, the records of two courts of inquiry regarding his conduct, and
a large number of additional documents, most of which will be cited
later, particularly in chaps. xxvi and xxix. An army correspondent of W.
T. (_later_ Gen.) Sherman described Pillow, Feb. 26, 1848, as "a mass
of vanity, conceit, ignorance, ambition and want of truth." There was
good warrant for this characterization, but one should add plausibility,
cunning, energy and a genial disposition. For his personal appearance:
Semmes, Service, 165.
18.34. Scott had not yet heard from Washington regarding Harney.
18.35. _At Tampico._ =332=Tennery, diary. =273=Mullan,
diary. Lawton, Artillery Officer, 10-64. =146=Caswell, diary.
Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 896, 899, 900, 1169 (Scott); 901 (Totten);
850 (Clarke); 896 (Hetzel). Robertson, Remins., 207-13. Bishop,
Journal. =180=Pillow to wife, Dec. 8, 1846; Feb. 23, 1847.
=111=Beauregard to Totten, Jan. 9, 14; to Gates, Feb. 24.
Kenly, Md. Vol., 241-5. =330=J. T. Taylor to Scott, Feb. 12.
=280=Nunelee, diary. Apuntes, 88. Meade, Letters, i, 177, 184-5.
=218=Henshaw narrative, Feb. 20. =254=McClellan, diary.
=303=Shields to Quitman, Mar. 4. =159=Collins, diary, Feb.
19, 25. Davis, Autobiog., 121-3. =65=Scott, gen. orders 21, Feb.
19. =76=Cos, Feb. 19. =76=Anon. letters to Garay, Jan. 25,
28, etc. =139=Campbell to wife, Feb. 3, 7, 16. Mason, Lee, 37.
Furber, Twelve Months Vol., 394-415. Works defending the two land
approaches to Tampico were now ready, and Col. Gates of the Third
Artillery with a company of artillery, the Md. and D. C. battalion
and the new Louisiana regiment--about 1200 men in all--were detached
as a garrison. Rumors came that Taylor was in danger, but the air
was full of rumors about the enemy, and Scott had ample ground for
disregarding these, though criticised for doing so. Von Moltke said
(Franco-German War, 71): "It would have been unjustifiable to entirely
change the line of march on the ground of rumors that might, after all,
prove unfounded." Feb. 19 Scott announced his staff appointments. The
possession of Tampico was extremely useful to him. Fresh provisions
abounded there, and the embarking of about 5000 men on the dangerous
coast at the Brazos was avoided.
18.36. The Louisiana men went from Lobos Islands to Tampico. Col.
De Russey and the other part of the regiment were wrecked about Feb. 6
on the coast nearly opposite those islands, but after some hardships and
considerable danger of being captured by Gen. Cos, commanding at Tuxpán
about forty miles distant, they made their way to Tampico, meeting en
route an expedition sent to rescue them (Meade, Letters, i, 179; Lawton,
Artillery Officer, 32-5; =270=Moore, diary; =76=F. de Garay,
Mar. 5).
18.37. _To Lobos Islands._ Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 1256 (Hetzel); 1259
(Babbitt); 878 (Conner); 568 (Jesup); 840, 841, 846, 880, 891, 896
(Scott). =65=Scott, gen. orders 1, 6, 8, Jan. 15, 30, 30. Lawton,
Artillery Officer, 23, 65. =61=Brooke to Munroe, Jan. 11; to Scott,
Jan. 9, 21. =62=Stanton to Jesup, Feb. 16. Scott, Mems., ii, 413.
=298=Porter, diary. =254=McClellan, Feb. 23. =193=Foster
to mother, Feb. 26. Ho. 59; 30, 1, p. 41. Smith, To Mexico, 105, 108.
=164=Scott to Conner, Dec. 26, 1846. _Niles_, Mar. 13, p. 21; 20,
p. 48. Hartman, Journal, 6. Oswandel, Notes, 54-6. _Picayune_, Feb. 18.
=159=Collins, diary. =146=Caswell, diary. Ballentine, English
Soldier, i, 266. Bishop, Journal.
18.38. Polk and Marcy felt that he was looking for an issue
(=256=Marcy to Wetmore, April 25, 1847), and his course warrants
that supposition.
18.39. _Taylor's movements._ Ho. 60; 30, 1, pp. 861, 890, 1097
(Taylor), 875 (Scott). Taylor, Letters (Bixby), 72, 85, 87, 180-2.
=169=_Id._ to Crittenden, Jan. 26. Polk, Diary, Oct. 20, 1846;
Jan. 5; Mar. 21-23; Apr. 1, 1847. =256=Marcy to Wetmore, Mar. 11.
_Journ. Mil. Serv. Instit._ xiv, 443.
Jan. 26 Scott wrote to Taylor: "I must ask you to abandon Saltillo,
and to make no detachments, except for _reconnaisances_ and immediate
defence, much beyond Monterey. I know this to be the wish of the
government, founded on reasons in which I concur" (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p.
864). In reply Taylor wrote on Feb. 7 that he was going to remain at
his advanced position unless "positively ordered to fall back by the
government at Washington" (_ibid._, 1162). In addressing the government
on the same day (_ibid._, 1110) he referred to Scott's instructions as
advice. But such language from a superior officer was clearly an order
courteously phrased, and this interpretation is confirmed by the fact
that Scott deemed it necessary to give Taylor express authority later to
make a diversion toward San Luis Potosí (_ibid._, p. 876). Polk (Diary,
April 7, 1847, and elsewhere) remarked that Taylor had violated his
orders by taking his advanced position.