General Wool's March.

We copy below, from the Taunton (Mass.) Whig of the 22d inst., a paragraph from an eloquent article in that paper, descriptive of the march of General Wool from San Antonio de Bexar to Lake Parras, and thence to Agua Neuva, a distance of nearly one thousand miles. The circumstances connected with this march, stamped General Wool as one of the best disciplinarians of the age, and the manner in which he manœuvred the men whom he had so suddenly transformed from civilians into soldiers, on the plateau of Buena Vista, proved him to be as thoroughly versed in the combinations of the battle-field, as in the minutiae of the drill. On the 29th of September, 1846, he commenced his march from San Antonio with the advance column of his hasty levies; and on the 22d of February, only five months thereafter, they were brought into action under his own eye, and behaved with a steady courage which the old Imperial Guard of Napoleon could never have surpassed. When it is considered that of these five months nearly three were consumed in a rapid and toilsome progress through an enemy's country, the military instruction which General Wool contrived to impart to his troops in that brief interval, cannot fail to excite both wonder and admiration. It has been recommended by some of our veteran officers, that the "Camp of Instruction," should be organized for the purpose of drilling the raw recruits, before sending them to the seat of war. General Wool's command was a moving camp of instruction from the day he took up his line of march at San Antonio, to the day he bivouacked on the shore of Lake Parras.

General Wool had accomplished a march of nine hundred miles through the heart of an enemy's country, without firing a gun or shedding a drop of blood. He had levelled hills, filled ravines, constructed bridges, led his army over sandy plains, scaled mountains, and brought them to his extreme post in high health, scarcely losing one man on the march; the whole "as full of spirit as the month of May," and although consisting principally of volunteers, in a state of discipline so admirable, that it was the wonder of all military men, the column was itself, so thorough in all its appointments, that it was the model of an army: in want of nothing, and able to keep the field a year.―The General had accomplished his object by consummate

address, and a system of admirable military diplomacy. He had restrained all plundering, spared the Mexicans, and fed his own army with their provisions, which were readily supplied at reasonable prices, because they were confident that they would be honorably dealt with and punctually paid.

The annals of history furnish no instance of a march like this; it is not surpassed by the retreat of the ten thousand Greeks under Xenophon, for the Greeks were retreating, the Americans advancing. No disasters occurred, nothing was lost, the supplies of provisions and the materiel of war were ample, and the fine condition, both as to discipline and health, in which the soldiers were found at the termination of this stupendous march--all utter the consummate military ability of the commander.

General Wool soon took post at Buena Vista, and when General Taylor arrived, he placed him in command of all the forces near Saltillo, reserving under his immediate command a small body at Saltillo. Vera Cruz soon became the principal object, and it was there the military and naval enterprise of America was to be tested. General Scott" regretted that the necessities of the service required" all Taylor's regulars, and the best of his volunteers, for the operations against Vera Cruz, and that he was compelled to reduce him to a state of inactivity. General Worth was ordered to the coast. General Butler left the army on sick leave and went to Washington. Taylor and Wool were the only generals left. Shut up in the mountains and in garrison, the two veterans would be permitted to hear the echoes of the din of war, and to give salutes to celebrate General Scott's victories. But,

"There is a destiny which shapes our ends,
Rough hew them as we will."

The little army amongst the mountains, were compelled to meet in pitched battle, the grand army of Mexico, led by Santa Anna, the principal general and President of the Republic, in person, and a victory was gained unparalleled in the annals of America, and which will be

"In story and in song

For many an age remembered long."

The echo of victory descended from the mountains to the sea; it is

more appalling than cannon, shells and Paixhan guns—an ocean fleet and "an army with banners." In five days the principal commercial city of Mexico, and the Gibraltar of America were surrendered. The eagle of the mountains had strangled the serpent of Aztec.

General Taglor's Politics.

The political position of General Taylor, seems to be very clearly defined in the following letters lately published in the Clinton Floridian. It is addressed to a Democrat:

CAMP NEAR MONTEREY, MEXICO,
June 9th, 1847.

DEAR SIR-Your letter of the 15th ult., from Clinton, Louisiana, has just reached, in which you are pleased to say, "the signs of the times in relation to the next Presidency, and the prominent position of your name in connexion with it, is a sufficient excuse for this letter.”—That "it is a happy feature in our government that official functionaries under it, from the lowest to the highest station, are not beyond the reach and partial supervision of the humblest citizen, and that it is a right in every freeman to possess himself of the political principles and opinions of those into whose hands the administration of the government may be placed," &c., to all of which I fully coincide with you in opinion.-Asking my views on several subjects—“ 1st, as to the justice and necessity of this war with Mexico, on our part; 2d, as to the necessity of a national bank, and the power of Congress for creating such an institution; 3d, as to the effects of a high protective tariff, and the right of Congress under the Constitution, to create such a system of revenue."

As regards the first interrogatory, with my duties and the position I occupy, I do not consider it would be proper in me to give any opinion in regard to the same; as a citizen, and particularly as a soldier, it is sufficient for me to know that our country is at war with a foreign nation, to do all in my power to bring it to a speedy and honorable termination, by the most vigorous and energetic operations, without inquiring about its justice or anything else

connected with it; believing as I do, it is our wisest policy to be at peace with all the world, as long as it can be done without endangering the honor and interests of the country.

As regards the second and third inquiries, I am not prepared to answer them; I could only do so after investigating those subjects, which I cannot now do; my whole time being fully occupied in attending to my proper official duties, which must not be neglected under any circumstances; and I must say to you in substance what I have said to others in regard to similar matters, that I am no politician. Near forty years of my life have been passed in the public service, in the army, most of which was in the field, the camp, on our western frontier, or in the Indian country; and for nearly the two last in this or Texas, during which time I have not passed one night under the roof of a house.

As regards being a candidate for the Presidency at the coming election, I have no aspirations in that way, and regret that the subject has been agitated at this early day, and that it had not been deferred until the close of this war, or until the end of the next session of Congress, especially if I am to be mixed up with it, as it is possible it may lead to the injury of the public service in this quarter, by my operations being embarrassed, as well as produce much excitement in the country growing out of the discussion of the merits, &c., of the different aspirants for that high office, which might have been very much allayed, if not prevented, had the subject been deferred as suggested; besides, very many changes may take place between now and 1848, so much so, as to make it desirable for the interest of the country, that some other individual than myself, better qualified for the situation, should be selected; and could he be elected, I would not only acquiesce in such an arrangement, but would rejoice that the republic had one citizen, and no doubt there are thousands, more deserving than I am, and better qualified to discharge the duties of said office.

If I have been named by others, and considered a candidate for the Presidency, it has been by no agency of mine in the matter-and if the good people think my services important in that station, and elect me, I will feel bound to serve them, and all the pledges and explanations I can enter into and make, as regards this or that policy,

is, that I will do so honestly and faithfully to the best of my abilities, strictly in compliance with the constitution. Should I ever occupy the White House, it must be by the spontaneous move of the people, and by no act of mine, so that I could go into the office untrammelled, and be the chief magistrate of the nation and not of a party.

But should they, the people, change their views and opinions between this and the time of holding the election, and cast their votes for the Presidency for some one else, I will not complain. With considerations of respect, I remain, your obedient servant,

Mr. EDWARD DELUNY.

Z. TAYLOR.

P. S.-I write in great haste, and under constant interruption.