Grant was on the right wing of the army as it pressed forward through
dense undergrowth to drive the Mexicans from the coverts in which
they had taken shelter. It was impossible to give any exact orders
in advancing through this jungle, and the men under Grant's command
struggled forward until they reached a clearing where they caught
sight of a small body of Mexicans. The young Lieutenant instantly
ordered a charge and, dashing across the open ground, captured the
party only to discover that they were merely stragglers left behind
by other American troops who had already charged over the same
ground. No one appreciated the humor of this exploit more than
Grant. It reminded him, he said, of the soldier who boasted that
he had been in a charge and had cut off the leg of one of the
enemy's officers. "Why didn't you cut off his head?" inquired
his commander. "Oh, somebody had done that already," replied the
valiant hero.

Slight as the fighting was at Resaca, it completely satisfied the
Mexicans, and for over three months they left the Americans severely
alone. Meanwhile, General Taylor received reenforcements and in
August, 1846, he proceeded against the town of Monterey, which the
enemy had fortified with considerable skill and where they were
evidently prepared to make a desperate resistance. Grant was again
quartermaster, and the terrific heat which forced the army to do
its marching at night or during the early hours of the morning,
greatly increased his labors and severely tested his patience.
Almost all the transportation animals were mules, and as very few
of them were trained for the work, they were hard to load and even
harder to handle after their burdens were adjusted. One refractory
animal would often stampede all the rest, scattering provisions
and ammunition in their tracks, driving the teamsters to the point