ery, advised that the rifles be supported by an additional regiment.
The same engineers advised that one gun be sent to the front to drive
the Mexicans from the roof of the convent, and thus relieve our troops
on the right from a destructive plunging fire.

The additional escort of two companies, asked for by the reconnoitring
engineers, had not come to the front. After Lieutenant Stevens had gone
back to General Twiggs, to have one gun with a few rounds of proper
ammunition sent forward for the purpose of clearing the roof of the
convent, the firing in our front, on the San Antonio road, had
materially increased; and the fire from the convent, upon the engineer
company, was becoming troublesome. There had been, to me, unexpected
delay in bringing the one gun forward; and I determined, as already
stated, to place the men under the best shelter at hand, and endeavor to
make, in person, a closer examination of the works.

Resuming quotations from my official report--it is therein stated:

"At this time the First Artillery came up to where I was. The lamented
and gallant Burke, at the head of the leading company, asked which
direction they were to take. I inquired what were his orders. He said
that the regiment was ordered to support the Rifles. I pointed to the
smoke, which was all we could see by which to determine the position of
our troops engaged in a corn-field on our right; told him that they
reached their present place by moving farther to the rear, out of range
of the works; and remarked to him that the fire through which he would
have to pass in the direction he was going was very severe. He replied
that they were ordered to move by that road to support the Rifles. The
First Artillery filed by and soon encountered, at a distance of 150
yards from the enemy, the heaviest fire of artillery and musketry,
followed almost immediately after [by that] brought to bear upon
Taylor's battery, which had been ordered to fire upon the convent; and,
in selecting a place suitable for managing the guns, had most
unfortunately been placed, entirely exposed, directly in front of a well
constructed battery with heavy pieces firing in embrasure."

"As the First Artillery filed by me, I ordered my company to be formed,
determined to go on with the reconnaissance; and if possible, send back
to the general, [Twiggs,] accurate information in reference to the works
of the enemy and the position of our own troops, which at that time I