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212 originally 1040 prime young fellows, was reduced by deaths and discharges to less than 500. "Oh, what a horror I have for Camargo," exclaimed one of the generals; "it is a Yawning Grave Yard"; a thousand soldiers torn and mangled on the battlefield would be nothing to its suffering and dying regiments.

And all this appears to have been unnecessary. As we have seen, Taylor had no intention of using more than about 6000 men in the near future; and there were salubrious places not only near the Gulf but near Camargo. No local maladies prevailed in the Rio Grande valley, said Meade. "There are no causes for disease," wrote Captain Henry. The climate of that region, said an Illinois officer, equalled in salubrity the climate of "any Western state." Reynosa was described by the General Sedgwick of Civil War days as perfectly healthy, Mier, selected the following year, with a particular view to salubrity, as the site of a camp for instruction, lay near by on the road to Monterey; and Cerralvo, farther along on the same route, was a kind of Eden. The best comment on what the General did is What the General himself said. His first duty, he told Senator Crittenden, was to place the troops in a healthful situation.

During all this while, Mexico, too, had been preparing for the war, and preparing characteristically Paredes began with good intentions, a serious and fairly honorable Cabinet, and sound ideas of economy. Though he did not seem to be very strong either physically or intellectually, his many scars and the bull-like expression of his face inspired respect and caution. He lived quietly and honestly, and the correspondent of the London Times thought Mexico had a better prospect of being well governed than at any previous period since 1821. It was the dictator's hope that such a policy and a bold campaign against the Americans would rally the country to his banner.

About April 1, as we already know, he gave orders to attack Taylor, In May he severed all consular relations with the United States. June 6 the new Congress met; and Parades, in opening the session, announced that the time had come to declare war, and summoned all Mexicans to the Support of the country. Six days later he was elected President as a matter of course, and the action of the American government