The American Flag. (Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico), Vol. 1, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, August 14, 1846 Page: 1 of 4
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"long mat it wave o'er this land of the free and the home of the brave."
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Vol. I.
- MATAMOROS, AUGUST 14, 1846.
No. 23.
NEW ARMY APPOINTMENTS.
It was very naturally supposed, when
Congress authorised an increase of the Re*
gular Army at its present session, that in the
appointment of the new officers, particularly
those of the higher grades, the President
would eagerly avail himself of the opportu-
nity to promote the gallant men, for who/se
late brilliant exploits he professes to be so
very grateful, and some of whom have grown
grey in the service of their country. It is to
be regretted, indeed, that the law authorizing
the increase of the regular force, did not im-
peratively impose this duty upon that func-
tionary; but by the casting vote of Vice
President Dallas, doubtless with a full know-
ledge of Mr. Polk's wishes, the Senate struck
from the bill a provision to this effect, which,
with a just appreciation of the claims of the
old officers, that body had originally adopted
The consequence has been, that, supercili
ously passing by the intrepid defenders of
Fort Brown, and the conquerors of the Mex-
icans on the bloody .and glorious fields of
Pato Alto and Resacca de la Palma; the Pre-
sident has office red the new regiment with
individuals, who, with three or four excep-
tions, have never *4 fleshed their maiden
swords" even in a holyday parade; mere
•' carpet knights," who ought at least to have
won their spurs before they put them on.
We certainly mean to cast no imputation
upon the gentlemen selected by the President.
They may, for aught we know, be already
well versedin the military art, and we do not
doubt that they will acquit themselves val-
iantly in fight. Nevertheless, we cannot
belivfe that their selection was either just to
the old officers of the army, or creditable
to the appointing power; and we are confi-
dent that it will be condemned by public opi-
nion. It cannot be right that soldiers who
have been in the army ever since 1812—
who distinguished themselves in the last war
with Great Britain, and who bear in their
persons the evidence of their valor—soldiers
who have suffered the perils and hardships
of the Black Hawk and Seminole campaigns,
and who have won new and imperishable
honors on the banks of the Rio Grande—it
is not right, we say, that these brave and
grey-hairei veterans should receive only
"thanks" and eulogies, while the substantial
rewards of the service are bestowed upon men
who have yet to prove that they are worthy
of the preference. Such was not the policy
of Napoleon; nor will any army ever long
prove efficient in which a system so insulting
and unjust prevails; in which the road to pre-
ferment is found, not in gallant deeds and he-
roic sacrifices, but in sycophancy to political
eoteries, and in the influence of political par-
tisans. Look at the list of Marshals by whom
the armies of France were led so often to vic-
tory! Were they men who learned the art
of war in the saloons of intriguing politicians
o: who obtained their epauletts by political
intrigue and favoritism-? Not one of them.
Ney, Suchet, Soult, Lannes, Bessieres, Junot
were all taken from the rpn/cs} men of. hum*
ble birth and humble occupations, but beneath
whose eoarse garbs the penetrating eye of
Napoleon saw genius, talent and courage.
In this "Dmofiratie" country, how few
rise from the ranks ! Major Brown, the he-
roic defender of the Fort which bears his
name, is the only officer attached to our army,
of whose promotion from the station of a pri<
vate, we are aware. He enlisted during the
war of 1812, and obtained a commission as
a reward of his gallantry; and he has sincp
been promoted as the casualties of the service
removed his seniors in rank. Yet, if he had
survived the conflict in which he so glorious-
ly fell, he would have found himself outrank-
ed by the new appointees, Col. Smith and
Lieut. Col. Freemont, the former of whom
has never been in the regular service at all,
and the latter was but yesterday a second
Lieutenant! Col. Smith achieved some dis-
tinction, we are aware, in the Florida war,
and Lieut. Col Freemont has attained deserv-
edly high reputation for his daring explora-
tion of the wilderness stretching fjom the
Missouri to the Pacific; but we nevertheless
submit, that of the dozen veteran Majors in
the army, two of them at least mi^iu have
been selected, who, on the score both of ser-
vices and qualifications, ought to have been
preferred both to the civilian and to the su-
baltern. So, too, of the Captains appointed .
Where are the surviving Lieutenants who
fought so gloriously a few days ago, that they
should be forgotten when the higher grades
to which the soldier looks as his only reward
were to be conferred? Why are they ne-
glected, and those rewards conferred upon
men engaged in the ordinary avocations of
life? And why were not subalterns selected
from the ranks, instead of searching for them
among gentlemen who were out of harm's
way, while they were baring their breasts to
he foe? The injustice of the course pursued
in making these appointments, is rendered
more flagrant, by the fact that several of the
new officers were formerly pupils at We^t
Point, but did not graduate, (either from in-
apacity, or something worse, and yet they
now rank higher than their classmates, who,
after graduating, joined the army, and have
ever since been peforming their duty as sol
diers, in the garrison or in the field. We
again ask, is this right? Is it not an insult
to tender to those gallant men the "thanks"
of Congress and the country, when so favo
rable an opportunity of bestowing on them
more substantial rewards was deliberately
and apparently designedly neglected? How
can they fail to feel keenly the indignity?
And that they would resent it by throwing up
their commissions in disgust, if they were
not in front of an enemy, no one can question,
without supposing them to be destitute of that
pride, without which they would be unworthy
of their stations. They will now, however,
submit to it, because if they were to resign
their motives might be misconstrued and mis
represented. But, at a proper time, they
will, we take it for granted, show that they
are not unmindful of the indignity and injus-
tice to which they have been subjected, and of
the duty which it imposes upon them.
Lnsubordination.-^-Several acts-age re-
lated of occasional insubordination among .th*
volunteers attached to Gen. Taylor'^ army.
It is diffieult lor free and independent citizens
to reconcile themselves to thelrigorous discip-
line of the camp, and to be ordered hither and
thither by men whom they have always mer
in society as their equals, and who never be-
fore presumed to address them in a dictatorial
manner. Could this obstacle to the efficiency
of volunteer troops be removed, and their
ranks be headed by men of military skill, we
doubt whether any nation in the world could
confront successfully the American arms.
Hovy could, the mere machines which com-
pose regular armies abide a conflict with
men of equal discipline and strength, anima^-
ted by that lofty and unconquerable spirit
which is the freeman's heritage, and which
prizes honor and victory far **ore than life ?
Ana, after the volunteers in the "army of in-
vasion" become accustomed to their new con-
dition of life, we have no doubt that they will
acquire the discipline, and habits of obedience,
which characterise regular soldiers. We
were struck with a remark of a letter written
rom the camp, that "the: good Citizen will
make a good soldier." We subscribe fully to
the truth of this sentiment. Acting from con-
scientious motives and cherishing an abiding
reverence for the law, the good citizen will
seek to do his duty in whatever situation he
nay be placed, and recollect, even when sufc-
ected to the harshness of a tyranical comman-
der, that he is serving, not the officer who is
)iaced over his head, but the country which
s nearest to his heart; and that a state of war
s one in which a man must relinquish for a
time his usual freedom from restraint, if he
would successfully defend and perpetuate
both national and personal independence.
Battle Pictu*e.t—Two painters of
known and acknowledged artistical ability,
M. Chatilon of Paris, and M. Devjllc, the
scene painter of the Orleans Theatre, aro
about to proceed to the Rio Grande, with the
view of visiting the battle grounds of tho 8th
and 9th of May, and making themselves ac-
curately acquainted with what transpited
while the two armies were engaged, and giv-
ing to the world an accurate picture of the
same. Th« chief personages on the scenc
will be a foot and a half high, which will
amply suffice to preserve the resemblance.
Who tare they? What are they? Where do they come
from?—Are exclamations heard from collections of
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people at the different corners of the streets, as two
handsome females, lately arrived in the city and evi-
dently American, are seen approaching. Doors fly
open, men, women and children rush to the windows
to catch a glimpse of them as they pass; every passer
by in the street comes to a dead halt and stares at
them in amazement. One man will smile, stroke his
;. * ? »
chin, and look knowing, as much as to say, "I know
what I know." Another says, " they are two new
Actresses engaged for the *Theatre." " Tut!" says
another, " they are no more like Actresses than
chalk is to cheese; see how pensive and mclancholy
thay look—I'll lay a wager they are out here in search
of the graves of their lovers that they ma^ moisten
them with their tears." " You are ajl wrong," s^ys
a chap who lifts been listening to th.econversation—
" that tall queenly lookipg one is Bulwer's heroine
in the ' L^st Doy.sof Pomjwii,' and the "other -is gr
some one else." u The devil you say," ejtclaim thfgr
all, y and what dp they he/e." " 1 knpwjiot," .sa^f
he, " unless to wiUwfip thp fall pf Me*ico."
areJiotaJtogether satisfied that such is,the case, bii
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will not contradict his assertion until we are belt#
informed. Be they who they may, they are the oe-
served of all observers.
£
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Fleeson, Isaac Neville & Peoples, John H. The American Flag. (Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico), Vol. 1, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, August 14, 1846, newspaper, August 14, 1846; Matamoros, Mexico. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth478017/m1/1/: accessed May 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.