Changes

==Mexico==

==Mexico==

Congress approved a declaration of war against Mexico on May 13, 1946, and by the following January Captain Lee received orders to join Major General [[Winfield Scott]] at Brazos, where he was included with the general staff on planning operations for an invasion of the city of Veracruz.  Landings began on March 9, and by March 17 Lee had placed a large number of cannon some 700 yards from the Mexican defences, his engineering skills successful as the enemy was unaware of his placements.  During the next few days as a naval bombardment was taking place, Lee ran his lines closer; he would open fire himself on March 24.  Two days later a truce was granted, and Veracruz capitulated (Freeman, pp. 58-59).  

Congress approved a declaration of war against [[Mexico]] on May 13, 1946, and by the following January Captain Lee received orders to join Major General [[Winfield Scott]] at Brazos, where he was included with the general staff on planning operations for an invasion of the city of [[Veracruz]].  Landings began on March 9, and by March 17 Lee had placed a large number of cannon some 700 yards from the Mexican defenses, his engineering skills successful as the enemy was unaware of his placements.  During the next few days as a naval bombardment was taking place, Lee ran his lines closer; he would open fire himself on March 24.  Two days later a truce was granted, and Veracruz capitulated (Freeman, pp. 58-59).  

Lee then set to work at finding a path to Mexico City over ground which was difficult, but not impossible, for Scott's army to pass over.  A series of engagements took place on the route, among them an attack on Cerro Gordo.  Scott's plan for action called for an infantry assault simultaneous with an artillery bombardment; Lee was to lead a brigade around the northern flank to cut off the enemy's retreat.  Before nightfall took place on April 18, 1847, some 3,000 Mexican soldiers had surrendered, and the remainder were in flight to the rear; the leader of the Mexican force, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, had barely managed to escape (Freeman, pp. 61-62).

Lee then set to work at finding a path to Mexico City over ground which was difficult, but not impossible, for Scott's army to pass over.  A series of engagements took place on the route, among them an attack on Cerro Gordo.  Scott's plan for action called for an infantry assault simultaneous with an artillery bombardment; Lee was to lead a brigade around the northern flank to cut off the enemy's retreat.  Before nightfall took place on April 18, 1847, some 3,000 Mexican soldiers had surrendered, and the remainder were in flight to the rear; the leader of the Mexican force, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, had barely managed to escape (Freeman, pp. 61-62).

"I am impelled to make special mention of the services of Captain R.E. Lee," Scott wrote in one of his reports. "This officer, greatly  distingushed at the siege of Vera Cruz, was again indefatigable during these operations (Cerro Gordo), in reconnaissance as daring as laborious, and of the utmost value."  The recognition also met that Robert was placed ahead of fellow soldiers who served with him in Mexico, among them [[P.G.T Beauregard]], [[Joseph E. Johnston]], and [[Thomas J. Jackson]] (Nagel, pg. 249).  Scott would rely heavily on Lee in the next few months, as Mexico City was finally taken in September, again with Lee making observations of enemy terrain and using it to his advantage.  He would be breveted to major before the war drew to a close, and breveted again to lieutenant colonel at its close; Scott would call him "the very best soldier that I ever saw in the field" (Freeman, pg. 76).

"I am impelled to make special mention of the services of Captain R.E. Lee," Scott wrote in one of his reports. "This officer, greatly  distinguished at the siege of Vera Cruz, was again indefatigable during these operations (Cerro Gordo), in reconnaissance as daring as laborious, and of the utmost value."  The recognition also met that Robert was placed ahead of fellow soldiers who served with him in Mexico, among them [[P.G.T Beauregard]], [[Joseph E. Johnston]], and [[Thomas J. Jackson]] (Nagel, pg. 249).  Scott would rely heavily on Lee in the next few months, as Mexico City was finally taken in September, again with Lee making observations of enemy terrain and using it to his advantage.  He would be breveted to major before the war drew to a close, and brevetted again to lieutenant colonel at its close; Scott would call him "the very best soldier that I ever saw in the field" (Freeman, pg. 76).

==Between the wars==

==Between the wars==