Monday, April 12. The engineers left Vera Cruz with the general staff at five P.M., and reached Vigara, three miles distant, where they encamped for the night. Here a little stream flows into the sea, over which is an arched bridge of masonry, somewhat out of repair.
I found myself exceedingly exhausted in consequence of my exertions before leaving the city in getting wagons for the baggage and train of the engineer company, and in attending to turning in the baggage of the engineer staff.
Tuesday, April 13. We started early, and found the road as far as Santa Fé exceedingly sandy and difficult for carriages. Santa Fé is situated in the midst of a prairie affording tolerable pasture for cattle, and has the honor of municipal regulation in the shape of an alcalde. There are some twenty little houses of trelliswork at this place. At the river San Juan, six miles from Santa Fé and twelve from Vigara, over which is thrown a fine bridge of masonry with a long causeway at its western extremity, we halted and dined. Before leaving, Worth’s advance, consisting of Duncan’s battery and Lieutenant-Colonel C.F. Smith’s light companies, reached the San Juan, where they encamped for the night. Resuming our march at three P.M., we pushed forward over at times a somewhat rough and hilly road, and at other points easy and practicable, till we reached our camping ground for the night, the Talome River, having a one-arch bridge.
Wednesday, April 14. Resuming our march early in the morning, we reached the National Bridge at about ten A.M., distant eight miles from our encampment, after making a halt of an hour at Paso de Obejas (distant two and one half miles from Talome), where we met a wagon train. There is a considerable village at this river.
On leaving the village, the road winds its way to the top of a very high hill, where there is an inspiring view of the surrounding country. Whilst the general was halting at the village, I rode to the top of the hill to take a view. At some distance to the south I could see a small band of rancheros watching the movements of our party. The National Bridge is a model of the kind, possessing much architectural beauty, and impressing the mind of the beholder that an iron and a lofty race had done this work in the solitudes of the mountain pass. The scenery is of the most picturesque and imposing character. The road, previous to reaching the bridge, winds round a bold tongue of land, on the edge and apex of which a little fort had been built. From the first view of the pass, the road descends the side of a steep hill, constructed originally with great care, due attention having been paid to both curves and grades. On passing the bridge, on the left is a bold promontory, and the little fort and the open village at the other extremity of the bridge. On the right and downward side the river flows through a deep ravine, on either side of which perpendicular columns of rock rise hundreds of feet. The current gently flowed over a rocky bed, and was at points fordable. A thunderstorm in this mountain pass, the swollen stream rushing impetuously to the sea, must be terrific. After halting two hours at the National Bridge, we pushed on to the Plano del Rio, the advance of the army. This was a difficult march of thirteen miles, with no water on the road for our horses. At some four miles from the bridge we reached a causeway, built with care, and which, leading over a little depression at its foot, is conducted almost to the top of a hill on the other side. On our way we met parties from camp searching the country for beef.
We reached the Plano del Rio at about five o’clock, and after remaining about an hour with Major Smith and Captain Lee, I accompanied Lieutenant Tower on a reconnoissance. We proceeded on the Jalapa road some three miles and a half, until we came in view of Battery 4 on the left of the road. Then, returning a short distance, we proceeded some distance on a path leading from the road till we came in view of the same battery, and one farther to the left, No. 3. From an examination of a sketch of Lieutenant Tower, exhibiting the results of all the reconnoissances since the arrival of General Twiggs, there could be little doubt that the proper mode of attack was to the right, so as to turn the enemy’s works and compel them to lay down their arms. The reconnoissances were not, however, complete, and the general, after informing himself of the position as far as it had been ascertained, determined that the reconnoissances should be extended. I found a bath in the river most delightful and refreshing after the severe labors of the day.
Thursday, April 15. The reconnoissances of the whole position were continued to-day; Captain Lee, with Mason, Beauregard, and myself, escorted by Major Sumner on the right, Tower on the front. On reaching the point of the road before coming in view of Battery 4, I was informed by Bowman, a wagon-master of Twiggs’s division, that on the other side of the river there was a practicable trail leading to the river some eight miles above the bridge, and where would probably be found a practicable ford. After accompanying Captain Lee in his reconnoissance to a high hill about seven hundred yards from the Cerro Gordo, the key of the enemy’s position, and getting a full view of it and of the ravines, valleys, etc., to the right, I returned home with a guide, and reported the statement of Bowman to Major Smith. He was then starting with an escort to examine the enemy’s works from the left bank of the river, with the view of establishing enfilading batteries against them. I also accompanied him; and after he had made his examinations, I requested permission to continue farther up, with a portion of the escort, till I could get a better view of the enemy’s rear. A body of four hundred cavalry having been observed only about four miles up the river bank, Major Smith felt constrained to refuse my request. On returning from the reconnoissance I explained very fully my general views in reference to the proper mode of conducting the reconnoissances of the position, and that though thus far particular points had been carefully examined, and the engineer officers had been very industrious, yet the reconnoissances had been undertaken on too limited a scale, and did not cover the whole of the position. The dragoons are admirable for extensive reconnoissances, yet no attempt has been made to determine the practicability and even the existence of certain routes, on both the right and left, which are said to obtain; that branching from the Jalapa road, a little this side of the National Bridge, joined it again a short distance before reaching Jalapa. Either of these routes, pursued by Worth’s column, would have effectually turned the position of the Cerro Gordo. Moreover, the reconnoissance on the right bank of the river had not been extended so as to get a view of the rear of the Cerro Gordo; and from the circumstance that four hundred lancers were on the right river bank, and in position about four miles above the bridge, the inference was almost conclusive that there was a practicable ford leading to the position in rear of the Cerro Gordo, and which the lancers were thrown out to cover. It was also suggested that a spirited reconnoissance in that direction would settle two essential questions, essential to properly combining the plan of attack,—1, Whether there was not a practicable ford, by means of which the enemy could escape, and at which point a column of attack might be directed against him; 2, Whether the main body, or a considerable portion thereof, might not be en masse in rear of the position of the Cerro Gordo hill, and thus not be cut off by the flank movement to the right, unless extended to a wider circuit than was intended. This reconnoissance was pressed earnestly as essential, to get correct information in regard to the intentions and position of the enemy.
Friday, April 16. The reconnoissance I had recommended was ordered by General Scott on the requisition of Major Smith, and fifty dragoons, under the command of Lieutenant Steele, were placed at my disposal. With Bowman as guide, we started about half past eight o’clock, and, after crossing both branches of the river and ascending to the ranch on the hill, we struck into a broad trail, perfectly practicable for horses and field artillery, and after pursuing our way some two and three quarter miles, came to a trail nearly at right angles, and which Bowman represented as six miles distant. Leaving the escort here with Steele, Bowman, and a beef contractor, we continued in a direct course nearly a mile to some ranches, where we took a man and boy to get information. On our return we proceeded with the whole escort on the perpendicular trail to another ranch, about half a mile distant, and finally to the river supposed by Bowman to be the main stream. We found it simply a tributary to the stream flowing under the first bridge, and the descent to the ravine through which it flowed was scarcely practicable for a mounted horseman. Leaving a small escort at the ravine, the main body returning to the ranch, with Bowman I pushed forward up the other side of the ravine, and proceeded about half a mile, and nearly to the foot of a spur that led obliquely to the main branch and in a direction a little beyond the Cerro Gordo. After examining the routes and the configuration of the country, I became satisfied that the reconnoissance could not be pushed farther in this direction to any practicable result, but that the best course would be to cross the spur at a depression and extend the reconnoissance down the other side to the river. On my return to the ranch, whilst proceeding at an easy pace, I found that an old rupture which had been cured fifteen years had broken out, and before I reached the ranch I began to suffer the most excruciating pain. The further continuance of the reconnoissance was abandoned, and I returned to camp, a distance of four miles, suffering very great pain. First Dr. Brown attended me, and I was soon relieved of pain by applying cold water. Dr. Tripler applied a very fine truss, and in the course of the evening I felt perfectly comfortable.
