Page:Harris Dickson--The unpopular history of the United States.djvu/131

The Mexican Paradox other, a force of less than 5,000 trained volunteers, supported by a few regular troops, overthrew the Mexican army of four times their number.

In the one war 5,000 regulars held Canada, baffling all of our efforts at invasion; in the other our army numbering 6,000 combatants triumphantly entered the enemy's Capital.

There is still another reason, growing out of the foresight of George Washington in establishing the military academy at West Point. General Scott himself has forcibly stated this reason, "I give it as my fixed opinion that but for our graduated cadets the war between the United States and Mexico might, and probably would, have lasted some four or five years, with, in its first half, more defeats than victories falling to our share. Whereas, in less than two campaigns, we conquered a great country and a peace without the loss of a single battle or skirmish."

That's fine! That's the way I want my soldiers to talk and fight. But we had our [113]