Hey everyone, thanks for tuning into episode number 80 of our Civil War podcast.

My name is Rich.

And I'm Tracy. Hello y'all. Welcome to the podcast.

Last week we started to tell you Lissie's S. Grant's life story and at the end of the

last episode we left him in the middle of the Mexican-American War at the beginning

of 1847. Just as his regiment, the fourth infantry, was transferred from Zachary Tader's

force in northern Mexico to Winfield Scott's army. As y'all know, Scott's army was going

to invade Central Mexico by landing at and capturing the port of Vera Cruz and then

marching on the enemy capital, Mexico City.

The Americans landing outside Vera Cruz on March 9, 1847 went smoothly enough since the

Mexicans failed to contest it. And once ashore, Winfield Scott's army besieged the enemy

force hold up in the fortified city. Grant was still assigned to quartermaster duties,

but as he had in northern Mexico, here at Vera Cruz he again showed his desire to be in

the midst of the action. On one occasion, not content to stated the revert with the mules

and supplies, he went forward on a reconnaissance with a lieutenant of engineers named PGT Borigard.

Moins after the two American officers made their way to a house near the Mexican lines,

the enemy sent a shell crashing into the building. After the explosion, Grant and Borigard

emerged from the ruined house, having narrowly escaped death.

But once the American artillery was in place, it was the shells flying in the other direction

that forced the surrender of Vera Cruz. After a three-day bombardment, the Mexican commander

formally surrendered the city to the invaders on March 29. With the seizure of Vera Cruz,

Scott set his sights on Mexico City 250 miles away. And on April 13, the Americans started

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