"
This was written while serving with General Wool in northern Mexico.
He took part in the battle of Buena Vista, his first engagement, and
was then summoned to Vera Cruz by Scott. That doughty old General and
former commandant at West Point had all along shown a great partiality
for Lee; and in the campaign which was to follow, we find him
constantly writing of his young staff officer in glowing terms. One
such incident is typical.
Lee had undertaken alone an all-night exploration of a desolate, lava
tract called the Pedregal, which had been shunned by scouts and
troopers alike. It was treacherous country, difficult to traverse, and
possibly infested by the enemy. General Scott writes: "I had
despatched several staff officers who had, within the space of two
hours, returned and reported to me that each had found it impracticable
to penetrate far into the Pedregal during the dark. . . . Captain Lee,
having passed over the difficult ground by daylight, found it just
possible to return to San Augustin in the dark, the greatest feat of
physical and moral courage performed by any individual, in my
knowledge, pending the campaign."
Another General, P. F. Smith, also bears tribute to this and other such
feats: "I wish partially to record my admiration of the conduct of
Captain Lee, of the Engineers.
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