From:
ONE HUNDRED YEARS WITH THE SECOND CAVALRY
By Joseph I. Lambert, Major, Second Cavalry
Copyright 1939 Commanding Officer, Second Cavalry, Fort Riley, Kansas
Capper Printing Company, Inc.
Companies B, C, D, and E under Captain May finally were ordered to proceed to Monterey, Mexico, and left Matamoras August 16, 1846, accompanied by Ridgely’s Battery. The route was via Camargo, Seralvo, and Marin, to Monterey, where they arrived September 19, after acting as an escort to a road repair detail during part of the march. Company B remained at Camargo to guard stores at Camp Butler.
From the nature of the fighting at Monterey, the Second Dragoons did not take a very active part in it. At the opening of the battle, General Taylor approached the city using them as an escort. The enemy opened up with their heavy artillery, the balls passing between the ranks of the dragoons, but no one was hurt. From then until the fall of the city September 24, they were used to reconnoiter the area and to guard the passes to prevent the escape of the Mexicans.
On September 26, 1846, Companies A and I left Camp Conception near San Antonio, Texas, under Colonel Harney, as a part of the force of General Wool. Most of the men of Company G, which was sent on recruiting duty, were transferred to Companies A and I. The expedition marched on the city of Chihuahua, in northwestern Mexico. Having reported great difficulty in crossing the mountains to the west, the column was ordered by General Taylor to remain at Moncolva, Coahuila. The two companies of dragoons arrived at the camp of the Americans at Agua Nueva, a few miles south of Saltillo, December 29.