es nearly
a thousand infantry, both of which kept up such a constant stream of
fire that I could not advance further in line; I therefore ordered the
men to cover themselves as well as possible. The left of the battalion
advanced to within seventy yards of the work, being exposed to the fire
of two pieces of artillery, _en barbette_, in addition to the fire of a
considerable force of infantry and some of them still nearer, so that
they had a destructive fire on the cannoniers and infantry; which
position the battalion maintained until the enemy were driven from their
guns and bastion, when they were followed into their work and
surrendered." (Ex. Doc. No. 1, Appendix, p. 78.)

Captain Francis Taylor, commanding light battery, says: "On reaching
Churubusco, we came in sight of a church, where the enemy was posted,
having, as was supposed, an entrenched battery thrown across the road.
Troops were soon thrown forward to attack this place; and, after a short
time, I was ordered to place the battery in a position where it was
thought I could drive the enemy from the roof and walls of the church,
and sustain the other troops in their efforts to carry this place by
storm. On taking the position assigned me, I found we were exposed to a
most terrible fire of artillery and musketry, of a regular entrenchment,
covering the front of the church to which we were opposite, and which
the intervening Indian corn hid from our sight at the time. Here I
opened my battery, and it was served with great precision for about an
hour and a half, notwithstanding it was exposed, during that time, to a
constant shower of grape, round shot, shell and musketry. At last,
finding my loss was becoming very great, and having succeeded in driving
the enemy from the roof and walls of the church, and given to our troops
such support as was in my power, I determined to withdraw the pieces".
(Ex. Doc. No. 1, Appendix, p. 73).

The connection between the reconnaissance of the engineers, and the
operations of the First Artillery and Taylor's battery at Churubusco,
has already been described in extracts taken from my official report.

In his official report, General Persifor F. Smith says: "Lieutenant G.
W. Smith, in command of the engineer company, and Lieutenant McClellan,
his subaltern, distinguished themselves throughout the whole of the
three actions [19th and 20th at Contreras; and at Churubusco]. Nothing
seemed to them too bold to be undertaken, or too