Statement of Nicholas Dorich, an agent of Colonel Kinney, viz: "Nicholas Dorich states, that when General Twiggs passed through Boca Potraza, he did not permit him (Dorich) to be molested, and that his division was furnished with beef, cattle, &c.; but, when General Patterson's division came along, the volunteers entered his house with an axe, cut down his doors, and he showed them that he was a Spaniard, and had a Spanish security; the soldiers tore it up; and a captain came in to prevent him from being hurt, and the soldiers struck the captain and knocked him down, and then attacked him, (Nicholas Dorich,) and hurt him in the face, arm and leg. Then the American officer told him that he could not protect him; that, as he saw, the men were very bad; he (Nicholas) then ran away to the woods, and they (the soldiers) overtook him and stripped him of all his clothes. That same evening he came across some of our men who, finding him naked and scratched, gave him a pair of shoes and a shirt. "General Patterson was furnished, by the officers who witnessed these things, with a certificate of the treatment he had received; of the fact that he had been robbed; also, the certificate gave the companies to which the men belonged, and he thinks their names. They took from him about $500 in American gold and silver, which had been paid to him by Colonel Kinney and Mr. Dawley for mules and cattle. When he called on General Patterson, he was sick, but he told him not to be concerned, that he would be reimbursed. "In consequence of this, (the outrage,) the people have lost the confidence they had previously, and have gone into the woods. "They destroyed everything, even his well, though he had supplied them with water and everything they wanted. They took off six mules, too, and six asses. He gave one man a horse, saddle, and bridle, because he had prevented the others from killing him. After he got into the woods, they shot at him twice. One soldier, for trying to protect our lives and property, was wounded with a bayonet. Another died, from what cause I don't know, as I was in the woods. I had gathered up some three hundred horses, mules, and cattle, for the army, but owing to this disturbance, I turned them loose, as did another man who was collecting for the same purpose. He thinks these men belonged to the New York regiment, but does not know. As the general (Twiggs) passed his house, he (the general) ordered him not to sell liquor. When these men came up, they asked for whiskey; he told them he had none; they threatened to kill him unless he gave them some. He says the whole road is lined with volunteers, in parties of 4, 5, and 6. Although the officers came up after the first outrage, they told him that the men knew he had liquor, and that they could do nothing with them, and told him to let them have liquor, which he did. The officers took it out. Then this party went away, and the following destroyed everything. The above named Nicholas Dorich was employed by me to furnish supplies for the use of the United States army, which he has 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, HEAD QUARTERS OF THE ARMY, No. 108. 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, One thing seems to be certain, that the and not to be relied on. 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 came I shall reach "Plan del Rio" this evening, up during the night. 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, Captain H. L. SCOTT, D. E. TWIGGS, 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, 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 servant, 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 readi- . ness 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 you power to enable him to accomplish the objects of his mis sion. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Major General WINFIELD SCOTT, W. L. MARCY, Commanding 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, Secretary of War. Major General WINFIELD SCOTT, Commanding U. S. Army, Mexico. 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 pri vates 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 sev eral regiments of 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 who have earned for themselves the advancement which Congress has provided. of 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 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 |