to be taught from the ground up obedience, punctiliousness, cleanliness and the technique and character of the soldier if they weren’t going to _run_ or be uselessly _killed in battle_. It took four months’ waiting and preparing in a hostile country before Taylor could go into his next engagement. Besides he couldn’t get enough transportation. But he had one big advantage over leaders in 1812 and the Revolution. West Point was beginning to account for itself--not because it was West Point, nor because I would emphasize the United States Military Academy unduly, but because it was the only place in the Western Hemisphere _then_ where a man could get four years’ training and education toward being a doctor for the plague of war. Five hundred West Pointers--the Grants and Stonewall Jacksons as lieutenants and captains, made things easier for Taylor, and other West Pointers, like Jefferson Davis, were coming back to the colors with the volunteers. So Taylor, after his green men had been taught something, won the battle of Monterey. But these victories weren’t getting us anywhere. They were just scattered first downs. Taylor was much like the hen that pecks, but has nothing to cackle about. Over his advance into nowhere the administration was beginning to be nervous. He could scarcely have been called an educated soldier. On the contrary, Winfield Scott, the commanding general of the army in Washington, was professionally trained and self-educated to the point of brilliance. For a long time Scott had told Polk and Marcy, just what would end the war quickly--a strike at the very heart of Mexico--nothing less. But the powers wouldn’t listen to him, scoffed at him, called him visionary. The quacks were ridiculing the doctors. But when Taylor got nowhere more leisurely, the administration threw up its hands and chucked the whole affair into Scott’s lap, because the people were becoming restless for a solution. Yes, the President gave permission to Scott, but he had called Scott’s plan visionary, and therefore had to prove his point by taking a pot shot at Scott’s efforts when he could safely do so from executive cover. In spite of this double-crossing, Scott finally got enough troops at Vera Cruz to start shoving through to the finish. Meanwhile Taylor, who could scarcely have been accused of planning his battles with knowledge and decision, won Buena Vista. A number of trained subordinates, such as Wool and Jefferson Davis, together with seasoned troops were mainly responsible for the victory. But beyond drawing a large part of the Mexican Army away from Scott, it did not accomplish much toward ending the war. Scott had given it out that he was going to conquer a peace and he was determined to do so with all speed. By skill and energy he took Vera Cruz with only twenty losses to his troops. But then he was met with horrible obstacles. Polk had not kept his part of the bargain--to send the rest of the troops, transportation and supplies.