[7] 



of the city. He was quite a youthj and dressed in the fashion of 



the Americans. 



;i 



ed Americans, and the name is extended to no other race on the 

 continent. To-day's march was very tedious and vexatious; wishing 



all (5 



P 



ip. Their horses almost gave out, and 

 durif^g the day mule after mule was placed before the guns^ until 

 scarcely one of them was spared. 



The head of the column. arrived in sight of the town about three 

 o'clock; it was six before the rear came up. Vigil and twenty or 

 thirty of the people of the town received us at the palace and asked^ 

 us to partake of some wine and brandy of domestic manufacture. 

 It was from the Passo del Norte; we were too thirsty to judge of 

 its merits, any thing liquid and cool was palatable. During the 

 repast, and as the sun was sitting, the United States flag was hoist- 

 ed over the palace, and a salute of thirteen eruns. fired from the 



3. 



artillery planted on the eminence overlooking the town. 



The ceremony ended, w^e were invited to supper at Captain 'sf 



a Mexican gentleman, formerly in the army. The supper was serv- 

 ed very much after the manner of a French dinner, one dish suc- 

 ceeding another in endless variety. A bottle of good wine from 

 the Passo del Norte, and a loaf of bread was placed at each plate. 

 We had been since five in the morning without eating, and inex- 

 haustible as were the dishes was our appetite. , 



August 19. — I received an order to make a reconnoissance of the 

 town apd select the site for a fort, in co-operation with Lieutenant 

 Gilmer, of the engineers. This occupied me diligently on the 19th 

 and 20th, and on the 21st the general was furnished with the map, 

 a copy of which is sent to the Adjutant General and another to the 

 Bureau of Topographical Engineers. 



The sit^ selected and marked on the map is within 600 yards of 

 the heart of the town, and is from 60 to 100 feet above it. The ' 

 contour of the ground is unfavorable for the trace of a regular 

 work, but being theonly point which commands the entire town, • 

 and which is itself commanded by no other, we did not hesitate to 

 recommend it. The recommendation was approved. On the 22d 

 we submitted a complete plan of the work, which was also approv- 

 ed. It is computed for a garrison of 280 men. 



On the 23d, the work was commenced with a small force; on the 

 27th, 100 laborers were set to work on.it, detailed from the army; 

 and, on the 3lst, 20 Mexican masons were added. 



As it was determined to send an express to the States on the 25th, 

 I coiflmenced to project and plot niy map of the route of the Army 

 of the West, that the government q^ght have at once the benefit 

 of my labors. It was rather a bold undertaking to compress in a 

 few days, thfe work of months. Mf astronomical observations'were 

 brought up from day to day as \^ advanced on the march, without 

 which the understanding woukrhave heen impracticable. We all 

 w^orked day and night, and, with the assistance of several gentle- 

 men of the volunteers, I succeeded in* accopiplishing the w^ork ; 

 not, however, in a very satisfactory manner. 



