all events, the
council was closed by his saying that he desired to return to General
Scott with the decision of General Smith, and that, as it was late, the
decision must be given as soon as possible, since General Scott wished
him to return in time to give directions for co-operation.

"During the council, and for hours after, the rain fell in torrents,
whilst the darkness was so intense that one could move only by groping.
To illustrate: my company again led the way to gain the Mexican rear,
and when, after two hours of motion, light broke sufficiently to enable
us to see a companion a few feet off, we had not moved four hundred
yards, and the only persons present were half a dozen officers and one
guide."

Much is said of the perils of war and of the courage necessary to face
them. But who would not rather face a firing-line of infantry in full
daylight than to venture alone in such a dark and stormy night as was
this upon such a perilous and threatening region as the Pedregal, in
which a misstep in the darkness would surely lead to wounds and perhaps
to death. Its crossing, under such conditions, might well be deemed
impossible, had not Captain Lee succeeded, borne up by his strong sense
of duty, in this daring enterprise.

General Scott, who was very anxious to know the position of the advance
forces, had sent out seven officers about sundown with instructions to
the troops at Contreras, but they had all returned, completely baffled
by the insuperable difficulties of the way. Not a man except Robert E.
Lee had the daring, skill, and persistence to cross this region of
volcanic knife-blades on that night of rain and gloom.

The writer above quoted from says, "History gives him the credit of
having succeeded, but it has always seemed incredible to me when I
recollect the distance amid darkness and storm, and the dangers of the
Pedregal which he must have traversed. Scarcely a step could be taken
without danger of death; but that to him, a true soldier, was the
willing risk of duty in a good cause."

General Scott adds his testimony to this by saying, after mentioning the
failure of the officers sent out by him, "But the gallant and
indefatigable Captain Lee, of the engineers, who has been constantly
with the operating forces, is just in from Shields, Smith, Cadwallader,
etc., to report, and to request that a powerful diversion be made
against the centre of the intrenched camp to-morrow morning."

Scott subse