TAYLOR MADE MAJOR-GENERAL.

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on that point. I have already had occasion to repre sent to the department, that the volunteer force o. dered to report to me here, is much greater than I can possibly employ, at any rate, in the first instance; the influx of twelve month's volunteers has even umpeded my forward movement, by engrossing all the resources of the quartermaster's department to land them, and transport them to healthy positions. This circumstance, in connexion with the possibility of an expedition against, leads me to regret that one division of the volunteers had not been encamped-say at Pass Christian-where it could have been instructed until its services were required in the field.

"These embarrassments, however, are now mostly overcome; the regular force is nearly all at Camargo; and all the arrangements are made to throw forward the volunteers to the same point. The president may be assured, that no one laments more than I do the inevitable difficulties and delays that have attended our operations here, and that no exertion of mine has been or will be wanting, to press forward the campaign with all possible vigour. But I deem it indispensable to take such amount of force, and observe such precautions as not to leave success a matter of doubt."

Such is the more important part of the interesting correspondence between General Taylor and the war department. Without it, a histury of the Mexican war would be incomplete, since it gives reasons and causes for many things otherwise inexplicable. We here see the commander in a new position, surrounded with uncontrollable difficulties, but resolutely maintaining what he believes right, and unwilling to bear any blame for matters for which he is not accountable. At the same time, the views of government are unfolded, as well as the avowed purpose for which the war was carried on.

During the time covered by this correspondence, military events of some interest had been transpiring among portions of the army. Congress, on receiving news of General Taylor's victory, appointed him a major-general by brevet; and in less than a month after, [June 18th,] commissioned him full major-general. He thus became the second officer in rank of the American army.

On the 6th of June, Lieutenant-Colonel Wilson, with four companies of the first infantry, Price's company of rangers, and a section of Bragg's battery, under Lieutenant Thomas, was sent to take possession of Reynosa, which he did without meeting with any opposi tion. The town is situated on the Rio Grande, sixty miles above Matamoras. On the day following, Governor Henderson arrived from Texas, with a large command of volunteers. On the 14th of July, Camargo was occupied without resistance by a detachment of two

companies of the 7th infantry, under Captain Miles. Two weeks after, [July 31,] Captain Vinton, with a small force, occupied Mier without resistance. This was followed by the capture of China, by McCulloch's Texas rangers. On the same day, General Taylor, with the main body of the army, left Matamoras for Camargo, leaving the command of the former place with Lieutenant-Colonel Clark, who had two companies of artillery, and a regiment of Ohio volunteers under Colonel Curtis.

"Camargo," says Captain Henry, "is a dilapidated town, situated upon the river San Juan, a few miles above its junction with the Rio Grande. It boasts, like all Mexican towns, of a grand plaza and a cathedral, a few low stone buildings, of very thick walls and flat roofs, a great many miserable 'jackals,' not a few donkeys, and any number of dogs and fighting chickens. The 7th infantry, under the command of Captain Miles, was encamped in the plaza. The town was completely inundated in June last, and the population driven out. It may once have boasted of two thousand inhabitants, but there were not more than half that number at the time of the arrival of our army. The cathedral is of no particular architectural beauty; it has a cupola and two bells. Nearly every building in the place was occupied in some manner by the government."

Reid, in his "Texas Rangers," mentions the inundation of Camargo. "On ascending the bank, we were struck with the desolation and ruin which had spread itself on every side. The late flood, which had been the cause of it, came on rapidly in the night, while

the inhabitants were wrapped in their peaceful slumbers; and many had not the least intimation of it until the waters had actually floated them out of their beds. From a description which we received from a Mexican who was here at the time, it must have been heart-rending in the extreme. Mothers were seen wading, waist deep, carrying their children in their arms, hurrying to places of safety, filling the air with shrieks of dismay. The men were engaged saving the children, many of whom were clinging to floating materials, and carrying them. to the tops of the houses for safety, which had become the only resort among the poorer classes, who lived in huts and slept on the ground floor, while those who occupied the two-story houses were in greater peril; for the walls, becoming saturated, gave way and fell in with a crash, frequently drowning a whole family, while others were carried away by the flood, or drowned in their beds. There were many lives lost; and the destruction of property was very great, about two hundred houses having been ruined. The town was once very beautiful; and, from the ruined walls, we saw the houses must have been quite pretty. It contains three plazas, in the middle one of which are situated the finest buildings, and where still stands a neat little church."

On the 12th of August, a detachment of Captain Gillespie's rangers, another of Captain McCulloch's, with Captain James Duncan, of the 3d artillery, and Lieutenant Wood, of the engineer corps, lett Ca

margo, crossed the San Juan, and took the road to Mier. Early on the 14th, they reached the town of Seralvo, seventy-five miles from Camargo. After placing sentinels at the avenues, the party entered the town, and advanced as far as the plaza. Captain Duncan then rode to the alcalde's house, and demanded a surrender, which was immediately made. They then advanced some distance into the country, and returned to Camargo on the 17th.

On receiving Captain Duncan's report, General Taylor ordered the 1st brigade of the 2d (Worth's) division to cross the river, [August 19,] and take up its march for the interior. On the 21st, MajorGeneral Butler reached camp, in company with Generals Quitman and Hamer-all of the volunteers. The 2d dragoons, under General Twiggs, together with the light artillery batteries of Captains Ridgely and Taylor also arrived. The 2d brigade of Worth's division, with two companies of infantry, crossed the San Juan on the 25th, and marched for Seralvo. Other portions of the army followed shortly after, and in the early part of September, General Taylor was moving forward with all available rapidity for the city of Monterey.

HE victories of General Taylor had caused some important changes in Mexican policy. Arista was ordered to the capital under arrest, and most of the officers who had served under him were either court-martialed or removed. The popularity of Paredes daily decreased, and several parties were in open array against him. The country was in a tumult of excitement, anxious for the utter exter mination of the invaders, but distracted by factions, and

ignorant of the means for promoting its object. But amid this wreck of former prospects, and sickening apprehension as to the future, one

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