eutenant Gardner, Seventh
Infantry, seem to have won special praise. Colonel Riley's brigade
and Talcott's rocket and howitzer battery were engaged in and about
the heights and bore an active part. The brigade so gallantly led by
General Shields, and after his fall by Colonel Baker, deserves high
commendation for its fine behavior and success. Colonels Foreman,
Burnett, and Major Harris commanded the regiments. Lieutenant
Hammond, Third Artillery, and Lieutenant Davis, Illinois volunteers,
constituted the brigade staff. These operations, hid from my view by
intervening hills, were not fully known when my first report was
hastily written. Brigadier-General Twiggs, who was in immediate
command of all advanced forces, has earned high credit by his
judgment, skill, and energy. The conduct of Colonels Campbell,
Haskell, and Wynkoop, commanding the regiments of Pillow's brigade,
is reported in terms of strong approbation by Major-General
Patterson. I recommend for a commission Quartermaster-Sergeant
Henry, of the Seventh Infantry (already known to the army for
intrepidity on former occasions), who hauled down the national
standard of the Mexican fort. In expressing my indebtedness for able
assistance--to Lieutenant-Colonel Hitchcock, acting inspector
general; to Majors Smith and Turnbull, and respective chiefs of
engineers and topographical engineers; to their assistant
lieutenants, Lieutenants Mason, Beauregard, Stevens, Tower, G.W.
Smith, McClellan, engineers, and Lieutenants Derby and Hardcastle,
topographical engineers; to Captain Allen, chief quartermaster, and
Lieutenant Blair, chief commissary, and to Lieutenants Hagner and
Laidley, ordnance, all actively employed--I am compelled to make
special mention of the services of Captain R.E. Lee, engineers. This
officer greatly distinguished himself at the siege of Vera Cruz, was
again indefatigable during these operations, in reconnoissance as
daring as laborious, and of the utmost value. Nor was he less
conspicuous in planting batteries and in conducting columns to their
stations under the heavy fire of the enemy. My personal
staff--Lieutenants Scott, Williams, and Lay, and Major Van Buren,
who volunteered for the occasion--gave me zealous and efficient
assistance. Our whole force present in action and in reserve was
eight thousand five hundred. The enemy is estimated at twelve
thousand or more. About