MARCH TO THE RIO GRANDE.

79

and the right bank of the Rio Bravo: "Meanwhile the army of the United States encamped at Corpus Christi, and occupied the Isla del Padre; following this, they then moved to the Point Santa Isabel, and their standard of the stars and stripes waved on the right bank of the Rio Bravo del Norte, opposite the city of Matamoros, blockading that river with their vessels of war."

Now, as the Army of Occupation remained seven months and eleven days at Corpus Christi without interruption, but was immediately opposed on passing the bounds over which Texas possessed jurisdiction, it is, I think, sufficiently evident that war would not have ensued, had it not been for the advance of our troops to the Rio Grande, into territory which never belonged to Texas, and which, therefore, she could not annex to us.

The reconnoissances which General Taylor had ordered being completed, he determined on the route by the main land. Accordingly, on the morning of the 8th of March, the advance of the Army of Occupation, under Colonel Twiggs, marched in a southerly direction for the Rio Grande. It consisted of the 2d regiment of dragoons, and Major Ringgold's light artillery, and numbered twenty-three officers and three hundred and seventy-eight men. On the 9th it was followed by the First Brigade, under General Worth, with Duncan's battery; and on the 10th by the Second Brigade, under Lieutenant-Colonel McIntosh. The Third Brigade, under Colonel Whistler, with Bragg's battery, struck their tents on the 11th, and were followed on the same day by General Taylor and his staff.

Major Monroe embarked for Brazos Santiago, accompanied by Captain Sanders, of the Engineers, and the officers of the ordnance and the pay departments. He had with him a siege-train and a field-battery, which, for want of horses, was of necessity shipped. The movement to Brazos Santiago was covered by the revenue cutter Woodbury.

Arrangements having been made by the staff departments for

supplying the army on their march, as well as for establishing a depot at Point Isabel, the commanding general issued an order to the troops, by which he intended to relieve the apprehensions that might be felt by the Mexicans on account of his march into their country. Copies of the order were sent in advance to Matamoros, Camargo, and Mier. It was as follows:

"The Army of Occupation of Texas being now about to take a position upon the left bank of the Rio Grande, under the orders of the Executive of the United States, the General-in-chief desires to express the hope that the movement will be advantageous to all concerned; and with the object of attaining this laudable end, he has ordered all under his command to observe, with the most scrupulous respect, the rights of all the inhabitants who may be found in peaceful prosecution of their respective occupations, as well on the left as on the right side of the Rio Grande. Under no pretext, nor in any way, will any interference be allowed with the civil rights or religious privileges of the inhabitants; but the utmost respect for them will be maintained.

"Whatsoever may be needed for the use of the army will be bought by the proper surveyor, and paid for at the highest prices. The General-in-chief has the satisfaction to say that he confides in the patriotism and discipline of the army under his command, and that he feels sure that his orders will be obeyed with the

utmost exactness.

Z. TAYLOR,

Brevet Brig. Gen. U. S. A. commanding."

The march of the army was of the most toilsome and exhausting nature. The country over which they moved was sterile, and destitute of vegetation, except the wiry grass of the prairie; and

MARCH TO THE RIO GRANDE.

81

its surface was varied only by slight elevations, never rising to the dignity of hills, and by occasional skirtings of stunted wood, in which the musquete and prickly pear were predominant.

As they proceeded further south, the country became more desolate, till they entered the solitudes of a vast desert, where vegetation was suspended, and the weary soldier, encumbered with his burden, was ready to sink with exhaustion from the heat of a tropic sun and his toilsome progress over loose and burning sands like heated ashes, into which, at every step, the foot descended. At times, when faint with marching and fevered with thirst, the failing energies of nature were exhilarated by the appearance of blue mountains in the distance, beautiful lakes skirted with trees, and fields clothed with verdure-and the soldier forgot his suffering and toil in expectation of hospitable shade and refreshing streams; but as he advanced he either discovered that the mirage had spread a false verdure and beauty over barren sands, that mocked his sight, and then faded utterly away, or found the groves he had descried impenetrable thickets of thorn and cactus, that refused him shelter, and the glassy lakes pools of brine, which maddened the thirst they mocked.

Beyond this, and approaching the Arroya Colorado, the country was much improved in appearance-the wood was increased in quantity and of better growth, and the soil changed from sand to a dark-coloured clay, and covered with vegetation and flowers. The supply of fresh water, too, was abundant, and the troops in a measure forgot the hardships they had passed.

As General Taylor advanced, he formed a junction of the Dragoons and First and Second Brigades, and on the 20th he came to the Arroya Colorado, a narrow inlet of the sea, where the enemy made some demonstrations of an intention to resist his march. After ordering a reconnoissance, he made dispositions to cross the river, and effected the passage without opposition from