llowing quotations are taken from my
official report:

"Between 12 and 1 o'clock, P. M., [August 20, 1847] I received orders to
move, from the village of [Coyoacan] immediately after the rifle
regiment, on a road intersecting the road from San Antonio to Mexico, in
order to cut off the enemy already retreating from San Antonio.

"I had not gone two hundred yards when I received orders to countermarch
and move on another route intersecting the road from San Antonio to the
city nearer to Mexico. [The latter road led nearly due east, parallel to
the front of the earthworks at the Convent, distant from those works
about 250 yards]. The regiment of riflemen continued on the road on
which I first started. [This road led south-east from Coyoacan]. The
company took its place [again] at the head of the column [Twiggs's
division]. The column was halted by General Twiggs, and I was directed
by him to send an officer in advance to see the position of a battery
reported to be not far in front. Lieutenant McClellan was sent on one
road; and Lieutenant Stevens of the engineers, was directed by General
Twiggs, to take another. Both officers soon returned and reported a
battery in front of a convent, the roof and steeples of which were in
plain view of the head of the column and within 700 yards. The roof was
crowded with troops; the battery was masked by intervening trees and
corn-fields. General Twiggs then directed these officers to make a
closer reconnaissance and ordered my company as an escort. Having
proceeded 500 yards, we saw [Mexican] troops on our right, left, and in
front. A lancer was taken prisoner. Lieutenant Stevens directed me to
take the prisoner to the general and request an additional escort of two
companies. We were at this time about 300 yards from the battery, but it
was still almost masked from view. I delivered the prisoner and the
message to General Twiggs, and returned at once to my company which I
had left in charge of Lieutenant Foster. Lieutenant Stevens joined
General Twiggs whilst I was with him. When I resumed command of the
company, Lieutenant McClellan reported to me that _our troops were
already engaged in our front_; having, apparently, turned the battery
and convent by our right. One of General Twiggs's staff, [Lieutenant W.
T. H. Brooks, A. A. Adjutant General, Twiggs's division,] was present
and informed us that the rifles with Captain Lee of the engineers, were
reconnoitring the same works, and