A collection of contemporary letters written during the U.S.–Mexico conflict offering commentary, reportage, and argumentation that defend American actions, assert the justice of Texas's separation, and criticize Mexican military and political conduct. The author examines the motives and potential consequences of territorial expansion, warns about sectional strain and foreign rivalry over western lands, and records public reactions to military events. Notes and corrections accompany the correspondence, which privileges immediate observation and moral reasoning over polished historical synthesis and aims to preserve firsthand perspectives for future consideration.