difficult to be
executed; and their services as engineers were as valuable as those they
rendered in battle at the head of their gallant men. Lieutenant Foster,
being detached from his company during the action at Contreras, did not
fall under my notice; but in the action on the 19th and at Churubusco,
he was equally conspicuous for his gallantry". (Ex. Doc. No. 1, p. 332).

General Twiggs, in his official report, says: "To Lieutenant G. W.
Smith, of the engineers, who commanded the company of sappers and
miners, I am under obligations for his services on this and on other
occasions. Whenever his legitimate duties with the pick and spade were
performed, he always solicited permission to join in the advance of the
storming party with his muskets, in which position his gallantry, and
that of his officers and men, was conspicuously displayed at Contreras
as well as Cerro Gordo." (Ex. Doc. No. 1, p. 325.)

CHAPTER V.

CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF MEXICO.

During the armistice, which was entered into just after the battle of
Churubusco, and terminated on the 6th of September, the engineer company
was quartered in the village of San Angel. On the 7th of September I
received orders to move the company, its train, and the general engineer
train of the army to Tacubaya.

MOLINO DEL REY. That night I was ordered to detail an officer
and ten men of the engineer company to report to General Worth.
Lieutenant Foster was placed in charge of this detail. He and his men
were on the right of the storming party of five hundred picked men, of
Worth's division, which led the attack against Molino Del Rey on the
morning of the 8th. In that attack Lieutenant Foster was very severely
wounded and disabled.

CHAPULTEPEC. On the 11th of September, I received orders to
furnish details of men from the company to assist engineer officers in
supervising the construction of batteries against Chapultepec. I was
placed in charge of Battery No. 1, on the Tacubaya road, against the
southern face of the Castle; and Lieutenant McClellan in charge of
Battery No. 2, against the southwestern angle. On the night of the 12th,
the details were all called in, and I was directed to furnish implements
to the different storming parties which were to assault the castle of
Chapultepec on the morning of the 13th.

SAN COSME GARITA. At 3 P. M., that day, I received orders to
join the siege train, and report to General Worth whose column was to
attack the cit