Recollection Of Mexico

Author : Engineer Officer
Publisher : Forgotten Books
ISBN 13 : 9781330142400
Total Pages : 31 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (424 download)

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Download or read book Recollections of Mexico written by Engineer Officer and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2015-06-17 with total page 31 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Recollections of Mexico: And the Battle of Buena Vista, Feb; 22 and 23, 1847 [Although it has always been the intention of the writer to record for his own satisfaction, his memories of the scenes occurring in Mexico, at or about the time of the battle of Buena Vista, this record might have been procrastinated, - just as repentance is too often said to be, - but for a feeling of duty towards an association of gentlemen, each of whom contributes for the general information from the stores of his own professional knowledge. Even now this is offered with some hesitation, because this battle, which appeared to us and to the country as of such great importance at the time, is dwarfed into insignificance by the giant struggles of these later days, whose warriors were counted by millions, and their dead by hundreds of thousands, - which gave an emperor to reunited Germany, and a president to the re United States. Yet this lesser struggle, where our soldiers were but as many thousands, and our dead as many hundreds, was still the bloodiest strife that our country had ever then known. And this victory likewise gave a president to our great country. This narrative is offered really from personal recollections only, first written down within a very few days recently, as an offering to the association above alluded to. But the recollection of these events has so crowded upon the memory, that much may appear to be of minor detail and of lesser interest. Yet there may be an excuse for introducing many of these incidents which would scarcely become the grave page of history, except, perhaps, as its foot-notes, as it appeared there might be more of life and interest to the narrative, in the writer's being able to say 'I saw,' instead of 'I have read' or 'heard.' And all of this he may say he saw, or had from the eye-witnesses within a very few days after. Nothing is from the record of others, or even from his own letters, orders, or notes, excepting only the maps made by himself, and a glace at a single page of statistics from Captain (now General) Carlton's book, the only history of this battle as yet published. It is perhaps at times more difficult in this profession than in any other to relate what has been seen, without appearing, however unconsciously, to play the role of "magna pars fui." It is more rare to write, than to fight, like the great Roman; to do both, the world's verdict gives but to himself. But the subordinate position of a lieutenant must avert the suspicion of assumption here; while, as an engineer, the calls to the many various portions of such a field would make it a duty to see if possible, if not even to record, every circumstance that occurred.] It will be remembered by our older friends, that the war of 1846-48 for Texas was mainly a Southern war, and principally for the benefit of a "domestic institution," now happily existing no more among us; though the North, as in duty bound, when the whole country was involved, bore its fair, full share in the struggle. Yet, as showing what slight causes actually precipitated that war, I may mention, as of interest, a single sentence, that many years after I accidentally heard brought out at a dinner-table, from the speaker himself, Mr. Benton, which, as I believe, had more effect than all things else to bring on the actual conflict. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com