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August 23, 1845 - Article 2
Naval and Military Operations. — We
learned yesterday morning, through the attention of our correspondent at
Pensacola, of the arrival at that place on the 18th inst. of
the U. S. steamship Princeton, and of the steam frigate Mississippi on
the following day. On the 20th, the sloop of war Falmouth
arrived there in company with another sloop of war, supposed to be
either the Saratoga or the St. Mary’s. — There are, therfore, now
concentrated in that harbor, belonging the American Navy, two steam
prigates, the Mississippi and Princeton, the frigate Ptomac, the sloops
of war John Adams, Falmouth, and Saratoga or St. Mary’s, and the brigs
of war Somers and Porpoise. — (The French brigs Griffon and Le
Mercure are lying in the same port.) On the Western coast of
Mexico, there are, or shortly will be, eight of our vessels of war, and
this force will be increased by the vessels of the East India squadron,
now on their way home. The Mexican Navy and Mexican privateers will not
want, therefore, for something upon which to wreak their vengeance for
fancied wrongs.
Purser Ramsey arrived at Pensacola on the
20th inst., from Mobile, with $100,000 for the use of the
squadron.
The U. S. quarter Master, stationed here,
has received a letter from the Bay of Aransas, dated the 14th
inst., supposed to have been conveyed by the Falmouth to Pensacola. It
announces the loss of the schooner Swallow, with stores for the troops
in Texas; the particulars will be found in another article. The letter
also mentions a rumor which prevailed at Aransas, that Mexico had
declared war upon this country. The presumption is, however, that this
rumor reached Aransas from this city, and was founded upon the
communications of the Mexican Ministers to the Chamber of Deputies on
the 21st ult. This presumption is strengthened by a letter
received here from an officer under Gen. Taylor, dated Corpus Christi,
the 15th instant. According to the Courier, this letter
states that our troops had left St. Joseph’s Island and were encamped on
the main land — all in good health and fine spirits — no enemy near —
none expected. A courier had been despatched to Metamoros and returned,
who reports only 400 men at or near that place.
This does not indicate that Gen. Taylor is
in any immediate danger, nor is there any thing very warlike in the
intelligence otherwise. The camp of General T. is very pleasantly
situated, and a fine breeze almost constantly prevailed.
We copy from the Courier of last evening an
extract of a letter just received from an officer of the U. S. Dragoons,
which gives some particulars of the march of the seven companies of 2d
Dragoons from Fort Jesup into Texas:
Nacogdoches, July 31, 1845.
The seven companies of Dragoons arrived here
to-day, after a very warm march of six days from Fort Jesup.
We shall leave on the 1st of
August for the Trinity, and thence for the San Antonio, where you shall
again hear from me. The command stood the march very well, and hope to do
good service when we reach the disputed boundary.
The N. Y. Morning News also informs us that
the ship Kalamazoo, Capt. McCerren of that port, has been suddenly
chartered by the Government, to take on board one hundred men from
Governor’s Island, to proceed to Florida and take on board Gen. Worth and
his command, and disembark the whole in Texas.
There is a very general movement of the
United States troops on the North Western frontier, as we learn from the
Buffalo (N. Y.) Commercial. The following disposition of those companies
fo the 2d Infantry stationed at Buffalo Barracks, under command of Col.
Riley, has ben ordered: — Capt. Day and Lieut. Murray will take post at
Detroit; Capt. Heintzelman and Lieuts. Long and Schurman at Fort Gratiot,
Capt. Casy and Lieut. Steele at Mackinaw; Capt. Albertis and Lieuts.
Martin and Hamilton at Fort Walkins, Copper Harbor. A company from
Sackett’s Harbor will take the post at Sault St. Marie, &c., and the
companies now at those posts will be sent farther South.
Thus it will be seen that our Government has
made ample preparation, both by sea and land, to meet the emergency of a
war with Mexico, and to vindicate the power, as well as the right, of this
Government to enter into alliances with other independent American
Governments, without stopping to consult Lord Abrdeen or M. Guizot, o even
to ponder upon the applicability of the European doctrine of “the balance
of power” to the North American continent.
Source: The Daily
Picayune, August 23, 1845, p. 2, col. 2.
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