Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1898 — MEXICAN WAR NOTES. [ARTICLE]

MEXICAN WAR NOTES.

How American Troops Were Treated by a Democratic Administration. According to General Scott’s letters to Secretary of War Marcy, his small army at Puebla in midsummer, 51 years ago, was “suffering for clothing and supplies.” The men "had not received a dollar since landing at Vera Cruz four months before.” At Puebla, in July, 1847, General Scott’s commissary, Grayson, was $200,000 in debt and purchasing supplies on credit at great disadvantages. He and the chief quartermaster, Irwin, were selling drafts and borrowing largely of the pay department to keep the army from starving to death. Before Scott was well on his way to the City o’ Mexico ho wrote to Marcy: “Our poverty, or the neglect of the disbursing department at home, have been made known to our shame in the papers of the Mexican capital.” Before Scott reached Vera Cruz, and when off Lobos in February, 1847, he asked General Brooke to direct the quartermaster at New Orleans to send him large supplies of clothing. General Brooke replied “The quartermaster has neither clothing or shoes. I am fearful that if they have not been sent out direct to you that you will be greatly disappointed/’ With 1,017 sick in the ho p 'al at Puebla, Scott had only 5,820 ed'octiva men. Pillow came and raised ttie effectives to 8,061, but there were 2,215 then in hospital. Scott z said he hoped to advance with 9,500 men to meet 30,000 Mexican soldiers at their capital. In December, 1547, Soott reported his force at the City of Mexico and Chepultapec at 6,000 with 2,041 sick. He had not a sixth or perhaps an eighth part of the clothing needed by the army. His troops had received no clothing since reaching Vera Cruz in March. A small supply of clothing was sent to the depot at Vera Cruz for Scott’s army. It lay there until September, when new troops “having left home insufficiently clad,” used it. Late in December Scott informed the war department of that fact and stated: “The regiments that came with me must, therefore, remain naked or be supplied with very inferior garments made by ourselves of every color and at high prices.” Quartermaster General Jessup wrote to the secretary of war that be had left enough clothing at Vera Cruz for Scott’s old corps, but made no provision for the volunteers. "They are well aware,” said he, “that I had not a cent for that purpose." Major General Butler seized for hi? own fresh troops the clothing at Vera Oruz intended for Scott’s regulars. He violated articles of war in so doing and was thereafter nominated by the Democrats for vice president. General Cass, Democratic candidate for president in 1848, had passed a bill reducing the pay of volunteers. The bill gave in lieu of money allowed them as a commutation for clothing, clothing in kind and at the same rate according to grades as provided for troops of the regular army. Bj’ previous laws the volunteers got 913.50 a month for clothing, by the Cass bill only f 1.90.