MATAMORAS, MEXICO, July 16, 1846. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of commissions from your office of brevet major general and of major general of the army of the United States, and to signify my acceptance of them. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major General U. S. A., commanding. The ADJUTANT GENERAL of the Army, Washington, D. C. [No. 61.] HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION, SIR: Agreeably to your instructions of June 20th, just received, I respectfully enclose such returns, for the month of June, of the volunteer regiments and battalions, as have been received at my head-quarters. The returns of the regiments of General Smith's brigade, and of the two regiments of Texas mounted riflemen, have not been received. It is believed that the returns now forwarded embrace all the other regiments that had arrived prior to the 1st of July. No return of Lieutenant Colonel Watson's battalion is furnished, as it is supposed you already have one in your office. There are slight imperfections in some of these returns, which could not well be corrected, owing to the distance of the corps from head-quarters. As soon as the missing returns shall be received, I will furnish a consolidated return of the volunteer force for June. I may remark that all the volunteers embraced in the returns here enclosed were mustered for six months, except the Tennessee regiment, which belongs to the twelve months' quota. I have received one package containing fifty blank returns, intended for regiments, brigades, or divisions; also a package of blank department returns. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obediet servant, Z. TAYLOR, Major General U. S. A., commanding. The ADJUTANT GENERAL of the Army, Washington, D. C. [No. 63.] HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION, SIR: I have respectfully to report that the city of Camargo was occupied, without opposition, on the 14th instant, by a detachment of two companies of the 7th infantry, under command of Captain Miles. The captain was joined the next day by the remainder of the regiment, two pieces of artillery, and a company of irregular cavalry. He has since been reinforced by the 5th infantry, and the first brigade of infantry under General Worth is now in route to Camargo, except a guard of two companies left to escort the train by land-the main body proceeding by water. The third brigade will immediately follow, and in a few days all the active regular force will be at Camargo, or in motion thither. I am unavoidably compelled, much to my regret, to leave several companies of the artillery regiments to guard the different depots in my rear. We have now several steamboats in the river, and the business of sending up troops and supplies is urged as much as possible. I find the difficulty of throwing supplies up the river to be very great, in consequence of the rapidity of the current, and the entire absence of dry steamboat fuel. But every effort will be employed to overcome these difficulties, and I have no doubt that we shall be able to keep up a depot at Carmargo quite sufficient for any operations from that point. As yet the land route to Camargo is impassable for wagons, owing to the recent rains and freshets. As soon as it shall become practicable, the field artillery and train of the army will move forward to Camargo. As soon as I can complete the necessary arrangements for throwing forward the volunteer troops to Camargo, I propose to establish my head-quarters at that point, and organize, without delay, a marching column to move to Monterey. 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. [No. 67.] HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION, Matamoras, July 28, 1846. communication of the 8th instant, relative to the has been duly received. In conformity with its has been released from arrest, and the pa SIR: Your case of instructions, pers connected with the case are herewith returned. I beg leave to remark, in regard to this case, that, owing to the active service of the army soon after the charges were received, and the distance of important witnesses afterwards, no proceedings had been instituted , nor was he placed in arrest until further delinquencies of the same character were reported against him, late in June, when the commanding officer of his regiment deemed it his duty to arrest him, and report the case to general head-quarters. Although the decision of the Secretary seems to refer only to the original charges, I have still deemed it best to release , leaving it for the department to determine whether further proceedings shall be instituted against him. 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. [No. 68.] HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION, SIR: On the 26th of April last, after hostilities had commenced in this quarter, I addressed a communication to Brevet Colonel Harney, commanding at San Antonio, saying that at such a distance I could not give him precise instructions, but authorizing him, if the safety of the country required it, to call upon the governor for an additional military force. I gave this discretionary power with reluctance, but felt it necessary in the existing state of things. Colonel Harney accordingly called out seven companies, as I have already reported to your office. On the 6th of July, he reports that he has concentrated at San Antonio three companies of the 3d dragoons, seven companies of mounted volunteers, and one company of Delaware Indians-making a total force of about 600 men, with which he intended to march to the Presidio, Rio Grande, on the 15th July. I need not say that this concentration of force at San Antonio, and intended employment of it, were not only wholly without my authority, but in direct opposition to my views and wishes. They were likely to cause the utmost embarrassment to General Wool, and delay, if not defeat, the expedition with which he has been entrusted. At the date of his communication, Colonel Harney was in receipt of the general orders directing a heavy force upon San Antonio. I fortunately learned, on the day his report' was received, (28th instant,) that he could not move for some time for want of supplies, and availed myself of an opportunity, direct to San Antonio, to send him the most peremptory orders to stop his projected movement, and if already in route, to return forthwith to San Antonio, and await the arrival of General Wool; to arrest any measures in progress to organize an additional force on his requisition; and to employ Indians under no circumstances, except as guides or spies. How far an officer so regardless of orders and the known intentions of the government may be safely entrusted with an important independent command, may be well inferred from this example. 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.. [No. 69.] HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION, SIR: You will receive herewith my "orders," No. 93, of this date, regulating the forward movement of a portion of the volunteer force. All the foot regiments of 12-months volunteers intended for this quarter, as indicated in your communication of June 30, have arrived, except those from Illinois and Missouri, and possibly a few rear companies of other States. I propose eventually to throw all this force, except two or three regiments to protect the depots in rear, forward to Camargo, or its vicinity, where I hope healthy camps may be established. The difficulties of transportation and subsistence, before reported, will prevent me from taking in the direction of Monterey more than a small portion of the 12-months volunteers. If it be found that a large force can be subsisted at that point, or at Saltillo, the corps in rear may be brought forward. The volunteers from Louisiana and other States to be discharged under recent instructions are now embarking as rapidly as possible for New Orleans. It is hoped that in a very few days the last of them will sail. I have to acknowledge the communication of the Secretary of War dated July 6th; from your office of June 27th, July 2d, 7th, and 9th; copies of your letters to Generals Wool, Patterson, and Butler, of July 3d and 16th; "general orders" Nos. 25, 26, 27, and 29, and "special orders" 57 to 61, inclusive. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major General U. S. A., commanding. (No. 71.]. HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION, SIR: I respectfully enclose herewith the proceedings of a general court martial recently convened at this place for the trial of 3d infantry. I also enclose lists of the enlisted men killed and wounded in the affairs of the 8th and 9th of May, and in the defence of Fort Brown; prepared in conformity with your instructions of June 27th. This list is chiefly derived from the regimental returns, the only accessible source of information in most cases. The deficiencies in these returns have been supplied in regard to the corps that had not marched for Camargo; other defects, such as omission of first names, may be supplied from the muster-rolls on file in your office. I have deemed it better to forward the list, imperfect as it is, than to hold it back until it could be completed. The list of commissioned officers present in the several engage ments, called for by the Secretary of War, will be furnished as soon as practicable I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major General U. S. A., commanding. The ADJUTANT GENERAL of the Army, Washington, D. C. [No. 72.] HEAD-QUARTERS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION, SIR: I respectfully enclose statements of the commissioned officers present in the affairs of the 8th and 9th of May, and during the bombardment of Fort Brown, prepared agreeably to your instructions of July 11th. I am in hourly expectation of leaving for Camargo. The regular troops, except the cavalry and two or three batteries of artillery, will have left by to-morrow, to be followed immediately by a large portion of the volunteer force. I regret to report that the Camanche Indians have been committing extensive depredations upon the Mexican inhabitants near Mier. This circumstance, taken in connexion with our recent treaty with those Indians, is calculated to give much embarrassment; but I deem it a paramount duty to protect the Mexican citizens from their ravages, and to apprehend and punish them if possible. Active measures have already been taken by Gen. Worth to give security to Mier and the vicinity. Should we exhibit any lukewarmness in this matter, the cry would instantly be raised that the Indians are our allies-an impression already carefully disseminated by the Mexican chiefs. Captain Gillespie, with his company of rangers, recently marched from San Antonio to the Rio Grande, passing through Laredo, Revilla or Guerrerro, and Mier, to Camargo. He represents all quiet in that quarter, and the inhabitants well disposed towards us. I trust the irruption of the Camanches may not have an effect to diminish this feeling. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major General U. S. A., commanding. The ADJUTANT GENERAL of the Army, Washington, D. C. |