The advance from Camargo began on the 5th of
September, and already the troops had experienced
severe fatigues from marching in Mexican summer
weather. Some improvement was obtained by rest-
ing during the days and marching by nights, when
these were not too dark, and in fourteen days Tay-
lor's army was encamped at Walnut Springs, three
miles from Monterey. There were about six thou-
sand five hundred men, in three divisions, under
Generals Butler, Twiggs, and Worth.
Monterey was strongly fortified, and General Am-
pudia, in command, had under him not less than ten
thousand men. If one in four of these had been
like the men now about to attack him Monterey
could not have been captured by the American
army.
48 ULYSSES S. GRANT.
Preparations and movements for taking it began
at once, but Lieutenant Grant's share in the fierce
fight which followed was all of his own seeking
and in disobedience of orders. His regiment, the
Fourth Infantry, had now but six companies actu-
ally present, and these were at the front, supporting
artillerists who were placing siege guns in position.
