ers were [at once] received, from the headquarters of the army,
directing me to report to Captain R. E. Lee, of the Corps of Engineers,
with the company under my command, and [I] was ordered by Captain Lee to
take ten of my men, and select certain tools from the general engineer
train, in addition to those carried along with the company. I turned
over the command of the engineer company to Lieutenant McClellan, who,
under the direction of Captain Lee, proceeded at once to commence the
work on the road from San Augustine to Contreras." "In about one hour
and a half, I rejoined the command with the necessary implements for [a
large working force in] opening the road. Captain Lee directed me to
retain the men I then had with me, and to take charge of a certain
section of the road, to bring forward my wagons as rapidly as possible,
and to see that the road was practicable before I passed any portion of
it. At this time my company was divided into five sections, each under
an engineer officer directing operations on [different portions of] the
road".

AT CONTRERAS. General Scott, in his official report, says, "By
three o'clock, this afternoon, [August 19th.] the advanced divisions
came to a point where the new road could only be continued under the
direct fire of 22 pieces of the enemy's artillery [most of them of large
calibre] placed in a strong entrenched camp to oppose our operations,
and surrounded by every advantage of ground, besides immense bodies of
cavalry and infantry".

In my official report it is stated that; "The head of the column having
halted, I reached the front in time to receive instructions from Captain
Lee to halt the company, collect the scattered parties, and to examine
the road inclining to the left, while he went to the right. Lieutenants
McClellan and Foster had been for some hours detached. Having gone about
four hundred yards, I heard just ahead sharp firing of musketry; and
immediately after met Captain McClellan, of the topographical engineers,
and Lieutenant McClellan, of the engineer company, returning on
horseback--they had come suddenly on a strong picket, and were fired
upon. Lieutenant McClellan had his horse shot under him. Information of
the enemy's picket being in our vicinity was reported to General Twiggs,
who ordered a regiment of rifles forward. There being several engineer
officers present when the rifles came to the front, I returned to my
company, which had been for a short tim