done, together with Don Manuel Garcia, to [a] considerable extent, and I believe his statement true. H. L. KINNEY. GENERAL ORDERS, HEAD-QUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Pending the possession of any port of the republic of Mexico, by the forces of the United States of America, not an ounce of gold or silver shall be shipped from the same, without a regular clearance from its collector, who will charge, for the benefit of the United States treasury, an export duty of six per centum upon every such clearance and shipment. By command of Major General Scott. H. L. SCOTT, A. A. A. General. GENERAL ORDERS, No. 108. HEAD QUARTERS OF THE ARMY, General orders, No. 103, of the 10th instant, respecting the shipment of gold and silver, is suspended, and will so remain suspended, as long as the drafts of the chief disbursing officers with this army, on the principal cities of the United States, at short sight (say from three to five days) can be cashed at par. The present chief disbursing officers, alluded to above, are Captain J. R. Irwin, quartermaster, Captain J. B. Grayson, commissary, and Major E. Kirby, paymaster. By command of Major General Scott. H. L. SCOTT, A. A. A. General. NATIONAL BRIDGE, April 11, 1847. SIR: I have received General Scott's letter to General Patterson, of the 9th instant. I cannot determine what Santa Anna's force is, nor could I be certain he was at Jalapa, or the vicinity, until yesterday evening. His force is variously stated from two to thirteen thousand; all the information, of course, from Mexicans, and not to be relied on. One thing seems to be certain, that the pass between this and Jalapa will be disputed. I have no doubt but I shall reach the latter place with my command. The weather has been so very warm that it is difficult to get the men on. Seventy-five was absent yesterday afternoon at inspection; many come up during the night. I shall reach "Plan del Rio," this evening, where the advance of the Mexicans are posted. All, or nearly all, of the inhabitants have left their homes, which to me is the strongest proof that they think a fight is near at hand. Captain Johnson, topographical engineers, who has been in the advance, and questioned most of the Mexicans, thinks Santa Anna's force cannot exceed four thousand. To-morrow (the 12th) we shall be able to state with more certainty the position of the Mexicans. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, D. E. TWIGGS, Captain H. L. SCOTT, Brigadier General U. S. Army. Adjutant General, U. S. Army. GENERAL: I have, from three different Mexicans, who had not seen each other, information of the pass being in possession of the enemy in some force. The only question is as to his forces. I do not believe he is as strong as your information represented. But that there are troops under arms, and in possession of the pass, cannot be doubted. My information states that General Langardo compelled one thousand of the troops, embraced in the capitulation at Vera Cruz, to take up arms. Respectfully, GID. J. PILLOW, Brigadier General U. S. Army. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 14, 1847. SIR: The President has commissioned Brigadier Generals Pillow and Quitman, Major Generals, and they have been ordered to report to you for duty. It is the expectation of the President that they will be assigned to duty with the column of the army in Mexico under your immediate command. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient ser vant. Major General SCOTT, Commanding, &c. [Confidential.] W. L. MARCY, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, April 14, 1847. SIR: The signal successes which have attended our military operations since the commencement of the present war, would seem to justify the expectation that Mexico will be disposed to offer fair terms of accommodation. With a view to a result so desirable, the President has commissioned Nicholas P. Trist, esq., of the State Department, to proceed to your head-quarters or to the squadron, as to him may seem most convenient, and be in readiness to receive any proposal which the enemy may see fit to make for the restoration of peace. Mr. Trist is clothed with such diplomatic powers as will authorize him to enter into arrangements with the government of Mexico for the suspension of hostilities. Should he make known to you, in writing, that the contingency has occurred, in consequence of which the President is willing that further active military operations should cease, you will regard such notice as a direction from the President to suspend them until further orders from this department, unless continued or recommenced by the enemy; but in so doing, you will not retire from any place you may occupy, or abstain from any change of position which you may deem necessary to the health or safety of the troops under your command, unless, on consultation with Mr. Trist, a change in the position of your forces should be deemed necessary to the success of the negotiations for peace. Until hostilities, as herein proposed, shall be intermitted, you will continue to carry on your operations with energy, and push your advantages as far as your means will enable you to do. Mr. Trist is also the bearer of a despatch to the secretary of foreign affairs of the government of Mexico, in reply to one addressed to the Secretary of State here. You will transmit that despatch to the commander of the Mexican forces, with a request that it may be laid before his government, at the same time giving information that Mr. Trist, an officer from our department for foreign affairs, next in rank to its chief, is at your head-quarters or on board the squadron, as the case may be. You will afford Mr. Trist all the accommodation and facilities in your power to enable him to accomplish the objects of his mis sion. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major General WINFIELD SCOTT, W. L. MARCY, Secretary of War. Comd'g the army of the U. S., Mexico. P. S. Should a suspension of hostilities take place, you will lose no time in communicating the fact to Major General Taylor. WAR DEPARTMENT, May 14, 1847. SIR: It affords me pleasure to be the medium of communicating to you, and through you, to the army under your command, the accompanying preamble and resolutions adopted by the common council of the city of New York, unanimously expressing their appreciation of the skill and valor of the officers and men, as therein named in said resolutions. A copy of these resolutions has been transmitted to Major General Taylor. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. L. MARCY, Major General WINFIELD SCOTT, Commanding U. S. Army, Mexico. Secretary of War. WAR DEPARTMENT, May 17, 1847. SIR: I am directed by the President to call your attention to the seventeenth section of the act of Congress entitled "An act to make provision for an additional number of general officers and for other purposes," passed on the 3d of March last, and to request you to take proper measures to enable him to bestow upon meritorious non-commissioned officers and privates in the army, who have distinguished themselves, the benefits of its provisions. He is very desirous that all those who have earned the reward it confers, by their gallant conduct, should receive it without delay. It is conceived that the provisions of the seventeenth section are general; that is, they extend to non-commissioned officers and privates in the volunteer ranks, as well as those in the regiments constituting the regular establishment. To entitle a non-commissioned officer, who has distinguished himself, to a brevet, he must be recommended by the commanding officer of the regiment to which he belongs. It will, therefore, be proper that you should apprise the commanding officers of the several regiments in the army under your command of this provision of the law, and the expectation of the President that they should furnish recommendations of those non-commissioned officers whe have earned for themselves the advancement which Congress has provided. The means by which the President is to acquire the information to satisfy him that privates have so conducted themselves as to be entitled to certificates, is not indicated in the act of Congress. You are therefore directed by the President, through the report of their immediate commanding officers, or in such other manner as you may think proper, to cause to be presented to the President a list of those privates in the army under your command who are deemed to be entitled to the benefit of the seventeenth section of the act above referred to. Mere general good deportment, and a faithful discharge of ordinary duties, will not alone, in the opinion of the department, entitle either a non-commissioned officer or a private to the benefit of the law, for so much is expected of all in the service. Such conduct does not constitute a distinction. It is desired, so far as it can be practicably done, that the recommendation or report in each case should specify the conduct or acts of the soldier which are considered as entitling him to the reward of distinction. I herewith send you a sufficient number of copies of the section of the act of Congress to which I have called your attention, to enable you to furnish one to each commandant of a regiment and other officers from whom information can be derived, which will be serviceable to the President in the discharge of the pleasing duty of dispensing rewards to the well deserving. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. L. MARCY, Major General WINFIELD SCOTT, Commanding U. S. Army, Mexico. Secretary of War. N. B. A similar letter has been sent to Major General Taylor, with copies of the section of the law above referred to. WAR DEPARTMENT, May 19, 1847. SIR: I have received your despatch of the 19th ultimo, announcing your signal success over the enemy at Cerro Gordo, and also that of the 23d of the same month, with the accompanying reports of those in subordinate command, giving a detail of the operations of your army at that place. It is a pleasing duty to be again, and so soon, the medium of making known to you and to the brave officers and soldiers under your command, the President's high appreciation of the skill and prowess by which so decisive a victory was won, and our arms again crowned with superadded glory. The carrying of positions, so strong by nature and strengthened by art, and defended by far superior numbers, followed, as it was, by an almost total rout of a large army, is an achievement seldom equalled in the records of military operations. It has called forth the praise and excited the admiration of a grateful people, and will stand conspicuous on the pages of our history. While rejoicing at this signal triumph of our arms, the nation is not unmindful of what is due to the memory of the gallant men who fell at Cerro Gordo. It mourns their fate, sympathises with their afflicted families and friends, and will ever cherish a lively recollection of their devoted service and heroic deeds. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. L. MARCY, Major General WINFIELD SCOTT, Comdg. U. S. Army, Mexico. Secretary of War. |