poral".

The sergeant who gave me the facts just related, added: "Previous to
that time, Gerber was believed, by the whole company, to be a perfectly
truthful man. But many of the men thought he lied on that occasion.
Although he has been truthful ever since, there is still, amongst us,
very grave suspicion in regard to the correctness of his assertion that
you then told him you would make him a corporal. I would like very much
to know the truth in regard to that matter". I replied: "Gerber told the
truth".

It will be shown later, by extracts from official correspondence, that I
was not permitted to recommend for promotion, in the company, any of the
gallant men under my command who were so highly distinguished in the
various battles that occurred in the Valley of Mexico. So I had no
opportunity to have Gerber made a corporal--much less a sergeant.[5]

The following extracts from correspondence, and from my monthly reports,
give a brief official account of the affairs of the company after the
capture of the City of Mexico.

On the 4th of October, 1847, I addressed to Lieutenant I. I. Stevens,
Adjutant of Engineers, for the information of the senior engineer in the
field, and the General in Chief, a letter from which the following
quotations are taken:

"By the last advices that I have received I learn that only six engineer
recruits have been made in the United States since September, 1846.
During that time the effective strength of the company in the field has
been reduced from seventy-one to thirty-six. Something must be done. I
have endeavored to reenlist good men whose terms of enlistment in other
corps had expired; I have tried to get transfers of good men, and
succeeded in obtaining but one. The senior engineer, believing that more
could be done, attempted it himself--he procured none".

"At Vera Cruz my men were worked too hard; many of them are suffering
yet from disease contracted there. Time, labor and life would have been
saved if we had had the proportion of engineer soldiers usual in the
armies of civilized nations. At Cerro Gordo, when I could furnish ten
men [for details], fifty, at least, were necessary. In the operations in
this valley, the same necessity has been felt for a larger number of
soldiers of this character. There ought to be more companies of engineer
soldiers in this army. Certainly, measures should be taken to complete
the number of men allowed in the only company now authorized. I