Company "A" Corps of Engineers, U.S.A., 1846-1848, in the Mexican WarThis important memoir illuminates life within the Regular Army of the antebellum years. The U.S. Company of Sappers, Miners, and Pontooniers, which Congress authorized on May 13, 1846, quickly became one of the army's elite units. During the Mexico City campaign, Company A played a significant role in scouting, building fortifications, and setting artillery batteries. Gustavus Woodson Smith, the unit commander and author of the text, describes the training and discipline of the enlisted soldiers. His commentary also provides interesting insights into the early careers of future Civil War generals - Lee. Beauregard, Pemberton, and McClellan. The narrative is also a striking testament to the impact of West Point-trained officers on the course of the war and to the effectiveness of Winfield Scott's army. |
Contents
Enlistment Instruction Detention on the Rio Grande March to Victoria and Tampico Landing at Vera Cruz Death of Captain Swift | 1 |
Engaged in Operations against Vera Cruz | 19 |
After the Surrender of Vera Cruz to the Occupation of Puebla | 28 |
From Puebla to Churubusco | 37 |
5 Capture of the City of Mexico | 54 |
In the City of Mexico Return to West Point | 65 |
Brief Extracts from Wilcoxs History of the Mexican War 1892 | 75 |
Promotions of Enlisted Men of the Company | 79 |
Notes | 82 |
91 | |
93 | |
Common terms and phrases
Alameda American April Artificer artillery asked attack battery battle brevets Captain Lee Captain Swift Cerro Gordo Chapultepec charge Chief Engineer Churubusco City of Mexico command Contreras convent Corps Cruz directed drill duty embrasures enemy enemy's engi engineer company engineer officers engineer soldiers engineer train enlisted fire force fortifications front G. W. Smith Garita graduated guns Gustavus W Gustavus Woodson Smith halt hill hundred yards infantry instructions Lieut Lieutenant Foster Lieutenant McClellan Lieutenant Stevens March Matamoros Mexican detachment Mexican War Mexico City naval neer night non-commissioned officers official report ordered pany party Plan del Rio position Puebla rank reached rear replied returned ridge Riley's brigade road San Cosme Santa Anna Scott Scott's army senior engineer sergeant Smith annotation soon Tampico Taylor told Totten troops Twiggs Twiggs's division U.S. Army U.S. Military Academy Union army Vera Cruz Victoria wagons West Point whilst Worth Worth's division