Year: 1861

uler, up ana tolu the following story,


which Iquote, as nearly as | can recolect.


IN his own words:


Seated in my tent one evening, Just be-


fore the battle of the city of Mexico the
captain came to NE with, corporal, have


been requested tossend trusty non COM


mlssioned officer to the general council to


night as messenger. Will you go?' [


replied in the affirmative, thanking the


captain for his confidence Our company


was, at that time, detached from its regi.


ment, and was doing special duty at Gene


raj Scots headquarters. In the discharge


of that duty, | had made a point of being
specially attentive, and had thereby gained


the confidence of our captain, and once or


twice was commended by old Fuss and
| Feathers himself l brushed up nv old


clothes, and frightening my shoes and brass


plates III the neatest manner possible that


evening, presented myself to the Adiutant


General for instructions. found that the


council about to meet for the consideration


OF General SCOTS plans for taking the city,


was to be composed of all the colonels in


the division, and that my duty would be to


60 errands, and attend to bringing charts,


paper, or whatever might be required.


| Well, the council met, and | was at nv


post. 1t was the finest body of military


men | had ever seen together, and when
| they assembled around that table, and the


old general stood towering high above the
! rest, | could not help but admire him more
than ever. After the customary salutation
and organization, they sat down in regard


to rank, beginning with General Wool,
and succeeding each other in seats, as SEN
| lorlty of rank gave them privilege. 1t
was no time for delay, and the General
spoke rapidly and with earnestness, oceas-
| Ionally referring to some one on the right
or left for information or corroboration
Thus carefully and explicitly were the
movements and marches, the sallies, and
sortles, the whole plan developed, so that
all seemed to understand But presently
plan was discovered, something was wrong.
and L saw by the pcrplexcd look of those
around the table that IA very serious mis-


take had been made, but from what cause.
my knowledge Of military affairs did not
enable me to judge. \ dispute arose be.
tween some colonel and the engineer
in chief in regard to the position and
strength of some battery, and the topo.
graphy Of the surrounding country. The
colonel said that frequent reconnaissance
OF the ground, from tue fact Of his being
encampcd near the place in question, led
him, even in direct opposition to the chart
OF the engineer, to protest against its truth
tuness, and he would urge upon the general
to make himself sure of the state of affairs
before he fully completed his plan But
this would not do; it was necessary that
very important and vigorous movements
should take place, or no action could be car
RED on with safety or certainty. Itseemed,
In tact, to be u main point, at which posi-
tive success would have to fall to the
American forces. Finally, the colonel said
that there was young lieutenant in his
regiment who had correct chart of the
defences, and the map of the demesne there
to adjacent. The engineer-n- chief sneer-
ingly said, Very aoeH, sir, you had better
send for your authority, and let US see this
great map The general nodded his ap-
porval, and the colonel gave me the name
and address Of the lieutenant The en-
campment was not very far away, and
mounted my horse and rode off in haste to
the regiment headquarters, and found the
very man | was in search of in the col
onels tent, with draughting paper on ia
bic before him, and sketches of the city
and its surroundings scattered everywhere
L handed him the note, which he read and
hastily tore up, asking me if could wait
until he could borrow a horse | told him
could, but had not long to wait, for he
came back in few moments, and careful
ly wrapping up his surveys, he placed them
in long tin case, and, mounting, prepa-
red to follow me. On the way he convers-
ed with so much earnestness, and in such
mild, interesting manner, that felt en-
couraged to talk and chat, contrary to my
usual practice when on horseback. He |
informed me that he was a graduate of
West Point, and that he had there fallen
so much In love with the science Of geom- |
etry that he had made it an almost constant |
study, and that now he found it very in
terestlng, in the interval of duty, to make |
sketches and surveys of the city.


When we arrived at the generals quar-
ters again, the lieutenant was introduced,
and, at his colonel's request, produced his
charts. The party was astonished at their |
hnish and tine execution, and when, after !
examination, they were found to be per-
teetly correct, General Scott came forward |
and grasping the young lieutenant by the
hand, personally complimented him on his
skill, and thanked him for his efficiency
The chief engineer, somewhat chagrined
at this display of earning on the part of
his young rival, sneeringly said: fGene-
raj, perhaps this young man has some plan
by which this part of the defences may be
attacked Upon inquiry, it was found
that be had a nlan. which was nrndncad !