FIGHTING NEAR MEXICO.

701

on the 10th, with 5,000 men and 22 pieces of artillery, in the direction of San Cosme, Popotla, and the hacienda of Morales. He placed a double battery on the heights of Tacubaya, to cut off the enemy's retreat by way of Toluca, and opened a brisk fire on the Molino de Valdés, which lasted till after dark. This mill and the archbishop's house were the most advanced as well as the strongest points of the liberals. At nightfall there was noticed a brisk musketry firing, answered from a position nearer Tacubaya, and even at 9 o'clock some discharges of artillery were heard. At 6 o'clock the next morning the heights of Mexico were crowded with spectators. No movement could then be seen in Marquez' camp; but at a few minutes before seven twelve of his pieces opened a tremendous fire on the archbishop's house and the aforementioned mill, and a column of infantry, under cover of it, approached the mill, being hotly received by volleys of musketry; but soon the constitutionalists abandoned the position, and the firing ceased there. A few moments later the battery on the height continued playing upon Tacubaya, though not very actively, a portion of the reactionary army advancing a considerable distance, and taking up a position in the vertex of an angle in the direction of the archbishop's house and the slope of the Chapultepec forest. The column placed a battery there, which kept up a heavy fire from halfpast seven till ten. Another fight occurred at the casa mata, where the liberals-infantry, cavalry, and artillery-were attacked by two battalions of infantry and some cavalry. At ten the general depôt of ammunition in the archbishop's palace exploded. Some grenades had also been hurled upon Chapultepec from Belen. Before 11 o'clock Marquez was in possession of all the points Degollado had held in Tacubaya.47 A portion of the latter's army retreated to Chapultepec,

47 The constitutionalist government attributed to that explosion, which, it said, occurred after the liberals had three times repulsed the enemy's charges, Degollado's retreat, in perfect order and with the greater part of his trains and pieces of artillery.' Archivo Mex., Col. Ley., iv. 21-2.

whence, as well as from Molino del Rey, they were soon dislodged, and finally, being closely pursued, became dispersed. Other liberal bodies had beforehand retreated toward the south, and still others went by way of Atzcapotzalco to the villa del Carbon. Marquez captured 31 pieces of artillery.

48

At the time the reactionary forces under Marquez were gaining so signal a victory over their opponents, Miramon arrived at the capital in a stage-coach, having in his company the general officers Čobos, Diaz de la Vega, Blanco, and Castillo. At half-past ten the salvos of artillery, the ringing of bells, and the enthusiastic plaudits of his admirers and sycophants announced his unexpected return. He at once repaired to the heights and witnessed the dispersion of his enemies. Degollado and many of his generals and fieldofficers had in time placed themselves out of harm's way; but others were not so fortunate.

49

For the second time had the constitutionalist hosts come to the very intrenchments of the capital, to be again hurled back discomfited. On this as on the former occasion, their losses were heavy, much heavier now than before, for Degollado had brought with him all his forces and a large amount of war material that he had been long in gathering. But his friends and partisans in the city failed to fulfil their promises, and on the part of himself and his leading officers there was a marked lack of ability and of unity in action; for neither attacking nor retreating at the proper time, their troops were torn to pieces in their own intrenchments, leaving in the enemy's hands all their trains, artillery, and ammunition, a large number of the slain, about 200 prisoners, one of whom was General Lazcano, and, it was said, even Degollado's

48 Diario de Avisos, Apr. 4, 13, 1859; Rivera, Hist. Jalapa, v. 192-202; Domenech, Hist. du Mex., ii. 317. Col Ignacio Zaragoza, in a letter of April 14th to Vidaurri, describing the battle and its lamentable result, says that the army of the north lost only a few men, and its morale was good. Boletin Oficial de Monterey, in La Estrella de Occid., July 1, 1859.

49 His mouth-piece, Arellano, coarsely says, 'presenció la dispersion de aquellas chusmas.' Apuntes Camp. de Oriente, 63.

uniform and general's sash.50 The joy of the reactionists was unbounded, and was manifested in salutes, illuminations, etc.; the victory serving Miramon to cover up his error and fiasco of Vera Cruz. Amid that rejoicing, and the chanting of a te deum by the clergy, Miramon issued a written order to Marquez to shoot all his prisoners of the rank of officers. Marquez, being a man of very limited education, regardless of the duties of humanity, had gone into the war prompted by fanaticism and personal ambition. Shooting prisoners was perfectly in order in his estimation, and consequently he fulfilled Miramon's order to the letter, and even went beyond; for either himself, or those to whom he intrusted its execution, committed on that day and night crimes that filled the world with horror. Several students of the medical college had come out to attend the wounded of either band, and while fulfilling this mission were dragged in the darkness of night from the bedsides of their patients to the place where the prisoners were being shot, and immolated with the others. Both Miramon and Marquez disclaimed responsibility for the outrage, shifting it one upon the other."1

50 As acknowledged in his circular published in El Pigmeo, and reproduced in La Estrella de Occid., June 24, 1859.

51 The number of students thus massacred was eleven, all of them members of good families. The following names have been recorded: Juan Doval, José M. Sanchez, Gabriel Rivera, Ildefonso Portugal, Juan Diaz Covarrubias, and Alberto Abad. Another young man, Manuel Mateos, recently admitted to the bar, was also shot. I find also among the executed Agustin Jáuregui, Eugenio Quisen, S. Fischer, Manuel Neira, and captains Ignacio Sierra and José Lopez. Rivera, Hist. Jalapa, v. 203-4; Id., Gob. de Méx., ii. 559. Minister Ocampo on the 23d of April addressed a circular, which says: 'Se cebaron bárbaramente con los heridos, con los pocos dispersos que aprehendieron, y aun con los cirujanos.' Upwards of 100 persons were sacrificed, 'among them several of very tender age.' Archivo Mex., Col. Ley., iv. 23; Dublan and Lozano, Leg. Mex., viii. 667-9; North Am. Review, ciii. 113; Lefevre, Doc. Maximiliano, i. 26-7; Lefevre, Le Mexique, 81-8, 93; Marquez, Refutacion, 24-7. Marquez, in a manifesto published in New York in 1869, says that he gave orders not to harm the prisoners, and at his first interview with Miramon told him so. After their separation at the city, he, Marquez, went back to Tacubaya, where soon after Lieut-col Flores, an aid of the president, handed him, in the presence of many, an order that read as follows, translated into English: General-in-chief of the national army. Most excellent sir: This very afternoon, and under your excellency's strictest responsibility, you will cause to be shot all the prisoners of the rank of oficiales y jefes, reporting to me the number of those whom this lot has befallen. God and law. Mexico, April

The prisoners and students were not the only ones sacrificed on that 11th of April. Some children were speared to death. Several peaceable citizens were brought from neighboring towns and murdered. The bodies of the victims were thrown together into one or more ditches. And on that day the clergy were blessing the authors of these atrocities.

The nation became horrified, and the leaders of the government at the capital were from that day looked upon as a band of merciless assassins. Degollado then established the system of retaliation, and every reactionary commander or officer taken prisoner was shot. The reactionists pursued the same course, and henceforth the war was carried on with greater animosity than ever before.

The public reception of the victorious army in the capital on the 12th was enthusiastic on the part of its supporters, whose houses were embellished with bright curtains. In the steeples of the cathedral were demonstrations of joy. Every device was used to express the satisfaction of the reactionists. Marquez and Mejía traversed the streets in an open carriage, amid the cheers of the populace.52

11, 1859. Miramon-a rubric. To his excellency the general of division in chief of the army of operations, Don Leonardo Marquez, Tacubaya.' Archivo Mex., Col. Ley., v. 719-20. Marquez explains how this secret order fell into the hands of Juarez' government, making it known that he had acted under orders. Miramon's order certainly says nothing of shooting physicians or students. Jáuregui, Miramon's counsel at his trial in Querétaro, acknowledges that he owed his life to Miramon on that dreadful day, when he was, together with six others, on the point of being shot by Marquez' orders. He adds that Miramon heard of the shooting of the students after the execution, and became very indignant, but could not punish Marquez for the brutal act, because to him was due that day's victory. In a letter to Jáuregui, Miramon says: 'I wish to refer to Tacubaya. You will, perhaps, see an order of mine to shoot; but this referred to the officers, my prisoners, and never to physicians, and much less to civilians. At this moment, when I am preparing to appear before God, I make you this declaration.' Maximiliano, Causa, 227; Arrangoiz, Méj., ii. 360. On the 2d of March, 1861, among the first acts of Juarez, after his triumph, was to order the arrest and trial of Miramon and his ministers, and all others who had participation in that massacre.

52 Marquez wore a band with this inscription: 'Á la virtud y al valor, la gratitud de las hijas de México,' which had been presented to him that morning by a committee of ladies. Rivera, Hist. Jalapa, v. 204. The corps of engi neers gave him a sword of honor, of fine steel with a gold hilt, and a silver scabbard inlaid with gold. Diario de Avisos, April 16, 1859.

CHAPTER XXX.

TRIUMPH OF THE CONSTITUTIONALISTS.

1859-1861.

UNITED STATES' RECOGNITION OF JUAREZ-MIRAMON'S ACTION-CONFISCATION OF CHURCH PROPERTY-INTERIOR CAMPAIGN OF 1859-TREATIES-MIRAMON'S SECOND EXPEDITION TO VERA CRUZ-United StaTES' ARMED INTERVENTION-INTERIOR CAMPAIGN OF 1860-MIRAMON'S RETURN TO MEXICO AND RESIGNATION-PRESIDENT PAVON-MIRAMON'S TITLE TO THE PRESIDENCY-APPROACH OF CONSTITUTIONALISTS-MIRAMON'S DEFEAT AND ESCAPE-JUAREZ' TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO MEXICO.

THE victory of Tacubaya, though important for the reactionists, did not dishearten their opponents. The latter were further encouraged by the recognition of Juarez' government on the part of the United States, which accredited Robert M. McLane near it as minister, the appointment having been confirmed by the senate on the 6th of April, 1859. Soon after his arrival Juarez sent José M. Mata to Washington as Mexico's representative, with the same diplomatic rank. This interchange of relations created a deep impression, not so much in Mexico as in Europe. Miramon's minister of relations solemnly protested against it, declaring null all attendant arrangements.2

1 On 29th April. Diario de Avisos, May 27, July 1, 1859.

Diez de Bonilla impartially details the relations between the two countries since Zuloaga's occupancy of the executive chair at the capital, whose government the U. S. minister, Forsyth, had at first recognized. He then alleges that Forsyth proposed the cession to the U. S., for a pecuniary consideration, of a large portion of Mexican territory, as well as an irrevocable privilege of passage through the isthmus of Tehuantepec. Forsyth's proposals being rejected, he broke off relations, and his government supported him in it. He concludes that the recognition of Juarez' government by the U. S. is intended to give it legitimacy and authority that it may aid them to despoil Mexico of her territory. McLane, in a note to Minister Ocampo of the 26th of April,