General Hospital
Saltillo August 15th./'47.
My Dear Parents.
I have not expressed to
you the regret I felt at the omission
of my name from Gen. Wool's Report,
though you may readily suppose that
with the consciousness of having done
my duty it was no little mortification
to be overlooked. A few days since
I had a conversation with the General to
whom others had spoken on the subject,
and had the opportunity of bringing to his
mind some of the most important
movements at B. Vista in which I (at
the time unknown to him) had born a
part. Remembering then these circum-
stances which his tremendous excitement
at the time had prevented his recollecting,
he immediately recalled my conduct
and has made me in the enclosed
letter ample reparation.
This letter is a copy of one addressed
to the Adjutant General of the United States
Army, and is to be followed by another
requesting it to be appended as a Supplement
to his General Report to be read to Congress.
[Page 2]
With the copy which I send you, you have
the General's own signature, which he
insisted on affixing, I presume for your
satisfaction, as I told him that, I meant
to send it to you. My conversation
with him when he read his letter to me was
as gratifying as possible, but I need not
repeat to you his expressions of satisfaction
with my conduct. At last then I have,
after many disappointments, taken one important
step. I have been in battle, I have
won the favourable notice of my Commander,
and when I return, you will no longer regard
me as a visionary boy, but as one who in
the opinion of a good judge has proven
himself to be a soldier. This sounds
to you like very vain talk: it is so, but my
candour (in exposing myself) does not proceed from the tickled
weakness of a child, but from my wish to
convince you that I have some capacity
for such an undertaking as I have always
contemplated in my dreams of Eastern countries,
& for which you must necessarily have
considered me incapable.
You will, therefore, pardon a vanity which
displays itself, not to attract your admiration,
but merely your confidence.
[Page 3]
Some of my friends & acquaintances who have
granted me their esteem, will probably be
gratified to learn that I deserve it, & it is this
which affords me so much satisfaction.
You probably feel some curiosity concerning
the General who has treated me so handsomely.
He is a very rigid disciplinarian, & so unpopular.
I believe, however, that he acts as he conscientiously
believes to be for the good of the service, & though
often running to unjustifiable extremes, has,
yet, organized the best volunteer force that
we have ever had. As a tactician & adminis-
trative officer, he has talent superior to
Gen. Taylor, beyond these few generalities I
know little of him.
The General requested from me a Report of
the changes on our left, which I handed
him & with which he is said to be highly pleased.
For the same report I have been much
complimented by those officers to whom I have
shown it. Here you see I have written
nearly three pages about myself, which
is pretty nearly enough.
The prospect of an advance is very uncertain.
Some believe that negotiations are now going on:
others that a battle has been fought etc. The
truth is however that no one knows anything.
[Page 4]
Mr. Magoffin [?], a wealthy Santa Fé trader, advises
me strongly to go to Zacatécas after the war.
If I can get a leave (after the Army retires), I will probably take an
exploring trip to several of the chief
towns, & if they present sufficient inducements,
i.e. $.10.000 per annum. after returning home, I
will probably leave you again for two or three
years with the hopes of gaining a comfortable
independence for us all. May Heaven
bless the plan. I must here close for
the present with abundance of love to you
& my dear brothers & sisters & friends.
- Yr. affectionate son
Grayson
