Taylor was
left with only the volunteers, but he utilized them at Buena Vista to
such good effect that at the next election old "Rough and Ready" became
President of the United States--the very thing that his political foes
at Washington had tried to prevent, by giving Scott the supreme command.
Grant's company, with other regulars to the number of eight thousand
men, landed at Vera Cruz, and early in April began its perilous march
into the interior. Roads had to be built and bridges constructed, and
the army engineers toiled night and day. Among them were two young
West Pointers, George B. McClellan and Robert E. Lee. Thus it was that
Grant and Lee first came to know each other, in the wilds of Mexico.
By the middle of May they had reached Puebla, which they captured
easily. But the army needed supplies, and Quartermaster Grant was sent
out with an escort of one thousand men to forage the surrounding
country. They filled their wagons and returned safely. This jaunt
delighted Grant's soul. It was far better than bringing up the rear on
a dusty line of march. In one of his letters home he writes:
"I have been delighted with the Mexican birds. Their plumage is
superlatively splendid. They beat ours in show, but to my mind do not
equal them in harmony.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50