The Secretary to the Admiralty to Mr. Hammond. - (Received March 3) Admiralty, March 3, 1862 Sir. I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send to you herewith, for the information of Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a letter from Commodore Dunlop, dated the 15th January, reporting his arrival at Vera Cruz with the squadron under his orders, and subsequent proceedings in Mexico. (Signed) C. PAGET Inclosure Commodore Dunlop to the Secretary to the Admiralty "Challenger" Vera Cruz, January 15, 1862. (Extract) I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that having taken command of the squadron off Cape St. Antonio on the 30th ultimo, as reported in my letter of the 31st, I proceeded to this port, where we arrived on the 6th instant, under sail. On the 9th, Admiral Jurien de la Gravière and his squadron arrived, accompanied by a Spanish steamer bringing Lieutenant General Prim, the Spanish Commander-in-chief of the expedition to Mexico. On my arrival here, I found the town completely occupied by the Spanish troops, about 6,000 in all; I, as soon as possible, waited on the Spanish General in temporary command, and requested he would inform me what barracks or buildings were intended for the British force. The General informed me that, in contemplation of the arrival of the British and French troops, he had encamped 3,000 of his own men outside the town to make room for them; that the town was much overcrowded, and that he had already 400 men in hospital; but that he had ordered two barracks to be placed at the disposal of the British and French, each building proportioned to the return he had received of the number of troops of each nation. I found that the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo was the building intended for our men, and, after having inspected it, I ordered a working party of Marines to be sent on shore for the purpose of cleaning it out. After having done the best that could be done to put the place in order I found it impossible to remove large deposits of filth in a semi-liquid state that had been found in a portion of the quadrangle, without means that we did not possess, and from which arose such a stench that the whole building was infected by it. I therefore at once decided not to allow the Marines to occupy the building, and having learned from General Prim that he considered it absolutely necessary that an encampment should be found for the Spanish troops at some distance from Vera Cruz, as there was not room enough for them in the town, I determined to keep the men on board until such time as I could find good quarters, for them in consequence of the departure of the Spaniards, who must withdraw the greater portion of their men, as it would not be safe for them to encamp only a small force unsupported. I have now got possession of one of the best buildings in the town, which will accommodate the whole of our men, and they will land and take up their quarters to-morrow if the weather permits. In consequence of the necessity of finding an encampment for a portion of the Spanish and French troops, in order to free the town from its overcrowded state, which was rapidly increasing the sickness amongst the former, it was agreed upon by General Prim, the Admiral, and myself, that we should make a reconnaissance in force on the Orizaba Road, for which purpose, I landed one company of 100 men, and we marched about 3,000 strong, the French having two companies of Zouaves, and one of their brigades of Marine Infantry, the rest of the force being Spanish. At Tejiria we found a Mexican post of 100 Cavalry, who retreated as we advanced, the commanding officer of which having previously sent us a letter stating that he was ordered to hold the post by his General, and that he would do so at all hazards, but was willing, if given time, to communicate with his General, and to ask for orders. We advanced without taking notice of his letter. At Tejiria (twenty miles from this place) we found what appears an excellent position for an encampment, which being on the railway, supplies can be sent out without difficulty. As the Marines have no tents and are not in any way prepared for encampment or marching into the interior, I was obliged to order them to return to Vera Cruz the next day. The French and Spanish troops have all remained there under canvass. Two days ago we made another reconnaissance to Medellin (also about fifteen or twenty miles distant), eastward of this; our men returning the next day, and also the French that accompanied us on this occasion. The Spaniards formed an encampment, and have a line of communications with the camp at Tejiria. The reason that I marched a portion of the Marines on these occasions was because both General Prim and the French Admiral were so exceedingly anxious that I should do so, considering that if no British force took part in the movements, the Mexicans would conclude that some disunion existed amongst us. Quite agreeing with my two colleagues in their reasoning, and considering that if I am obliged to march out the Marines for sanitary or other causes, it would not be consistent with our character to do so after the ground had been cleared for us, I at once consented to take part in these movements, both of which were accompanied by the Commanders of the allied forces. On marching from Vera Cruz, we sent a letter to the General Commanding the Mexican force (said to be 25,000 men, but probably not above 15,000 or 18,000), about fifteen leagues from this, to say that the movement was one undertaken for sanitary reasons, and not with any hostile intention. I am in great hopes that our men, from their more cleanly habits and the greater care that is taken of them, will be healthy for some weeks at Vera Cruz. Still, as the Spaniards have already 500 men in hospital, I may be disappointed, in which case I have but two paths open to me: one is to re-embark the men, but if sickness has commenced, it is doubtful if this would check it, and, at all events, it would defeat the object which we have in view; the other is to march to some healthy place, where the allied force may be able to hold a position free from the danger of being decimated by pestilence, leaving to the united squadrons the duty of guarding Vera Cruz, in which place we have already set on foot the machinery of a municipal government, and a small force would suffice for a garrison for the town and castle. Under the pressure of the peculiar position in which I find myself, and with the certainty that, at all events, after the month of March, even with a most favourable season, our men cannot remain here, I have determined to extemporize the means of moving them, and to take upon myself the responsibility of providing them with such tents and other materials as are indispensable for marching, and that cannot be obtained at short notice. The step we have taken with a view to the regeneration of Mexico is one from which we cannot withdraw until our object is obtained; and, under the most favourable circumstances, we must look forward to retaining a force in the country for some months after the sickly season has commenced, and, in all probability, for a much longer period. The Spaniards and French look towards an encampment at Jalapa, or some other equally healthy situation in the upper country, called the "tierra templada" by the natives and there is no doubt they rely with confidence on our acting with them. I brought forward the proposition that we should take the weight of garrisoning the seaports off their shoulders; but to this they replied, that while their flags were flying at the ports, they must have a force there for its protection, as well as for a guard for their depots of provisions, and that, therefore, we could not entirely relieve them from keeping a force there. Their Lordships may rest assured that I will act strictly according to my orders as regards advancing, until such time as I see an imperious necessity for departing from them; and my object in explaining the circumstances in which I am placed at such great length is, that their Lordships may be prepared for the great probability that my position here will be rendered untenable from sickness, at the very first appearance of which I shall move the men to healthier quarters. At the same time, I trust that their Lordships will be pleased to take into consideration whether it might not be expedient to send me discretionary orders as to advancing with the French and Spaniards, in-case circumstances should make an advance necessary. I fear that all the advantage that might otherwise arise from the alliance will be lost, if unity of action is not maintained. It is not improbable that it may soon become a question for the consideration of Her Majesty's Government whether a larger force may not be required in Mexico. I have so little time in which to prepare this letter, that I must beg their Lordships to wait the arrival of the mail-packet for a full account of the political steps that we have taken since the allied force united here; and to permit me to state, in as few words as possible, what has been done. I found Her Majesty's Minister, Sir Charles Wyke, here, and, also the French Minister; and as soon as General Prim and the French Admiral arrived, we had daily meetings for the purpose of determining our future proceedings. Our first step was to issue a Proclamation to the Mexican people which I have the honour to enclose. Our next was to address a letter to the President, setting forth, in moderate and conciliatory but firm language, the objects of the expedition, and the desire of the three nations to assist in the regeneration of Mexico, apart from all interested motives, and the hope that their influence might conduce to the establishment of a permanent order of things. It was intended to add to this letter the demands the three Governments had upon that of Mexico for wrongs committed upon their respective subjects; but owing to the nature of claims brought forward by M. Dubois de Saligny, the French Minister, in favour of his countrymen, he and Sir Charles Wyke found it impossible to come to an agreement as to the reclamation to be made, and therefore we considered it best to send off the letter to the President without the reclamation, which must be postponed until instructions arrive from Her Majesty's Government. Sir Charles Wyke will no doubt by the packet (as he has not time, I believe, to write officially by this opportunity) explain fully his reasons for objecting to the French claims; but I may mention that I entirely agree with his view of the case, and consider that had we agreed to the French claims, we should have committed our Government to giving its support to demands on Mexico that I feel certain, when fairly laid before the Government of the Emperor, will be so greatly modified as to assume an entirely different character from that in which they would have appeared had we permitted them to be sent to the President. It is with great pleasure that I have the honour to inform their Lordships of the cordial and friendly relations that exist between myself and the Commanders of the French and Spanish forces. I have only further to add that General Prim's views, with reference to the Mexican question, as far as I can judge, seem most moderate, and quite in accordance with what I know to be intentions of Her Majesty's Government. (Signed) HUGH DUNLOP Back to Table of Contents: Booklet No. 8, Mexico 1861-67 Back to El Dorado List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by The South and Central Military Historians Society This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com