JAMES K. POLK.
WASHINGTON, _June 8, 1846_.
_To the Senate of the United States_:
I communicate herewith a report from the Secretary of War, transmitting
the correspondence called for by the resolution of the Senate of the 5th
instant with General Edmund P. Gaines and General Winfield Scott, of the
Army of the United States.
The report of the Secretary of War and the accompanying correspondence
with General Gaines contain all the information in my possession in
relation to calls for "volunteers or militia into the service of the
United States" "by any officer of the Army" without legal "authority
therefor," and of the "measures which have been adopted" "in relation
to such officer or troops so called into service."
In addition to the information contained in the report of the Secretary
of War and the accompanying correspondence with "Major-General Scott, of
the United States Army, upon the subject of his taking the command of
the army of occupation on the frontier of Texas," I state that on the
same day on which I approved and signed the act of the 13th of May,
1846, entitled "An act providing for the prosecution of the existing war
between the United States and the Republic of Mexico," I communicated to
General Scott, through the Secretary of War, and also in a personal
interview with that officer, my desire that he should take command of
the Army on the Rio Grande and of the volunteer forces which I informed
him it was my intention forthwith to call out to march to that frontier
to be employed in the prosecution of the war against Mexico.
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