se subjects not one word had been stated, in either written or
printed orders, that had come to my knowledge. On the morning of the
12th, General Scott consented that the engineer company should, if
possible, move with the General Headquarters, which left at 4 P. M. that
day.

I then applied direct to the Chief Quartermaster for transportation. He
told me that it was impossible to let me have any teams at that
time--all the good teams had been taken by the army, General Worth was
getting the last.

A positive order from headquarters, was then procured by the Adjutant of
engineers, requiring the Quartermaster's Department to furnish
transportation for the engineer train, etc. The teams, such as they
were, came into our camp about dark on the 12th. That night the wagons
were loaded; and we started half an hour before daylight on the 13th.

The mules were wild, the teamsters could not speak English, some of them
had never harnessed an animal; and it was soon apparent that the men of
the company would have to put their muskets in the wagons and give their
undivided attention to the mules. At 2 P. M., after struggling through
the deep sand, west of the city, we struck the firm beach, and could
make better progress, for about three miles, to Vergara, where the road
leaves the coast, and again passes through deep sand.

In the meantime one team had become broken down and useless before we
got beyond the city. In order to procure another I had to take some of
my own men into the mule pen. Three Mexicans were given me to lasso the
mules, and five men were required to put them in harness--seasick, wild,
little animals. One teamster deserted; one had his hand, and another had
his leg broken; and a number of mules in different teams, were crippled.

At Vergara, half the load of each wagon was thrown out, before we
entered upon steep ridges and deep sand immediately after leaving the
beach. All the men were engaged in helping along the half loaded wagons.
That night we slept in the sand ridges.

On the 14th, we reached Santa Fe, eight miles from Vera Cruz, threw out
the half loads, and returned to Vergara. Before we again reached the
beach, the men had actually to roll the empty wagons up every hill, the
mules not being able to drag them. By 10 P. M., we were again at Santa
Fe, having killed three mules, and the men being worked nearly to death.
Fortunately for us, several good mules that had escaped from preceding
army trains