must get aboard now".
He replied "No. I wish you to go in the larger boat with me". To which I
said: "All right", and added: "McClellan goes with the detachment?" The
Captain said, "Yes."

When the larger boat for the rest of the Company came along side I
relieved the Captain at the gangway and superintended the embarkation of
the men in that boat. The Captain was lowered over the side of the
vessel in a chair; and I, when all else was ready to pull off, scrambled
down into the closely packed boat, and took my place in the bow.

Each boat was rowed by sailors from the fleet under the direction of a
naval officer.

We had reason for anxiety in regard to the resistance we might meet with
from Mexican batteries that could easily have been sheltered behind the
sand hills immediately overlooking the open beach on which the landing
was to be made. A single cannon-shot striking one of the closely packed
surf-boats would probably have sent it, and all on board, to the bottom.
The anxiety of the soldiers was to get ashore before such a fate should
befall them. They cared very little for anything that might happen after
they were on land; but wished to escape the danger of having the boats
sunk under them by Mexican batteries.

When we were within five or six hundred yards of the beach all were
startled by the whistling of shells and cannon balls close about our
heads. This fire was soon understood to come from our Naval gunboats,
and aimed at small parties of Mexican lookouts on shore. No resistance
was made to the landing of Worth's division.

When we were within two or three hundred yards of the beach, I made my
way, over the heads of the men to the stern of the boat where the
Captain was seated; and said to him I thought the time had come for him
to get to the bow, if he still intended to lead the company in going
ashore.

For a moment the most painful expression I ever saw depicted on a human
countenance marked his face. He rallied, however, almost immediately,
and said: "I must, at the last moment, relinquish my command"; and added
"I turn the command over to you until the company is formed in line on
the beach".

I made my way quickly back to the bow; ordered the right file of the
company, two stalwart corporals--thorough soldiers, to go to the stern
of the boat, take their places near the Captain, keep their eyes on me
after they reached him, spring into the water when they saw me jump from
the bow, seize the Cap