ard the Mexican border. He then did excellent work on scouting trips. Lee later was helping General Winfield Scott plan a great battle. The Army was about to attack Vera Cruz, a Witt 3large Mexican town on the sea. Soldiers fired huge guns at the walls of Vera Cruz. One of the men at the guns happened to be Robert's brother, Smith Lee. When he could, Lee went to stand by his brother's gun. "I could see his white teeth through all the smoke of the fire" Lee said, in a letter to Mary. The Mexicans soon gave up Vera Cruz. General Scott thanked Lee for his work. Now the Army could move on to the Mexican capital. The march to Mexico City would be hard for the army. General Scott asked Lee to find the best way to go and asked him to see what Santa Anna, the Mexican general, was doing. To get news for Scott, Lee went behind the lines of enemy soldiers. This was dangerous work. Once when Lee was behind enemy lines he heard voices. Mexican soldiers were coming to drink at a spring. Lee jumped under a log while more Mexicans came. They sat on the log and talked, so Lee had to hide there until dark (Thomas 125). At Cerro Gordo he led the first line of men into battle. The Americans won. Lee then wrote to his son, Custis, "You have no idea what a horrible sight a field of battle is." Then came the biggest battle of the war. The Americans attacked a fort outside Mexico City. Lee planned the attack and for days he worked without sleep. He found out where the Mexican soldiers were. He knew where to put the big guns which made it easier for the Army to take the fort. The American Army marched right into Mexico City. The war was now officially over. Lee's engineering skill made it possible for American troops to cross the difficult mountain passes on the way to the capital. During the march to Mexico City, Lee was promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel. Scott said that his "success in Mexico was largely due to the skill, v...
