31

about their Safety.

Sept 20th 1846
About midnight our scouts
came in all safe they having
after dark went all round
their fortifycations and took
a few prisoners.
Monteray is fortified very
Strong and the Mexican forces are
variously estimated at from
10 to 20 thousand strong.
Genl Taylor's force is 6500
men all told our men are very
sanguine and eager for
the conflict. This afternoon Genl
Worth was ordered to take up his
position on the Saltillo Road in the
rear of the city to prevent the Mex
icans retreating. His force is about 16
or 17 hundred regular troops
and one Regiment making about
2000 men. In encamping for the night our men
was fired upon by the Mexican Cava
lry and Infantry that were in the corn fields
but they done no damage only