improvised litter. The sergeant of the party was
instructed to report to the naval officer in charge of the surf boats,
and in my name, request that Captain Swift be taken as soon as
practicable, to the steamer which was the headquarters of General Scott.
That request was promptly complied with; but the Captain's vitality was
exhausted. He was sent to the United States on the first steamer that
left Vera Cruz after the landing was effected, and died in New Orleans
within twenty-four hours after his arrival at that place.

Thus, the army and the country lost the services of one of the best
officers of the U. S. Corps of Military Engineers; and the engineer
company lost their trained Captain.

FOOTNOTE:

[1] At that time, McClellan was about 20 years of age.

CHAPTER II.

ENGAGED IN OPERATIONS AGAINST VERA CRUZ.

Within a short time after Captain Swift was taken to the beach, I
received an order, from General Worth, directing me to withdraw the
engineer company from the line of investment and report to General
Patterson. The latter instructed me to locate and open a road through
the chaparral to the old Malibran ruins. This was accomplished by the
middle of the afternoon. General Pillow who was to occupy a position
beyond Malibran, requested me to take charge of a working party of his
troops and, with the engineer company, locate and open a road along his
line to the bare sand hills on his left. In this work we were somewhat
disturbed by the fire of Mexican detachments.

On the 11th, the work of locating and opening the road along the line of
investment was continued, the working party being still a good deal
annoyed by both infantry and artillery fire. At 1 P. M., I reported to
General Patterson that the road was opened, through the chaparral, to
the bare sand hills. He ordered me to report, with the engineer company,
to General Worth; and the latter directed me to report to the General
Headquarters.

On the same day I was ordered by Colonel Totten, Chief Engineer, to find
and cut off the underground-aqueduct which conveyed water into Vera
Cruz. That business was effectually accomplished by the engineer company
on the 13th.[2]

From that time, until the commencement of work upon the batteries and
trenches, the engineer company and its officers were engaged in
reconnoitring the ground between the picket line of our army and the
fortifications of the city. My reports were made each night to the Chief
En