A body of men penetrating it might easily be ambushed.

It was better to have a few men caught in this way than the whole army, yet it was necessary that the garrison at the river should be relieved.

To get to them the chaparral had to be passed.

Thus I assume General Taylor reasoned.

He halted the army not far in advance of the ground occupied by the Mexicans the day before, and selected Captain C.F.Smith, of the artillery, and Captain McCall, of my company, to take one hundred and fifty picked men each and find where the enemy had gone.