After having executed these orders, the marshal hurried on his march along the road to Jalapa. In spite of his advice and the objections he made, the minister of war, who was operating without the marshal's privity, had undertaken the pacification of the sierra of Tulancingo, and the Austrian troops had been put in motion. This difficult and troublesome mountain warfare, now also especially inopportune, looking at the general disturbed state of the country, must have been fatal to these foreign soldiers, who were put to rout and closely blockaded in the town of Perote. Scarcely had the commander-in-chief got within reach, with the intention of extricating them, when an officer of the French cavalry came at full speed from Mexico to his bivouac; he was the bearer of the following imperial message:—
Chapultepec, October 11, 1866.
My dear Marshal,—The arrival of the empress is likely to take place between the 20th and the end of the present month. As I wish to receive her in person at the port of disembarkation, I propose to quit the capital in the early part of next week. Consequently, as I am desirous to leave the tranquillity of Mexico well assured, and as I also wish to discuss with you certain important points, it is indispensable that we should meet, and I should be glad to have an interview with you next Sunday.
I hope that you will be kind enough to come, whatever obstacles may be in the way, on account of the superior importance of the conference I wish for. I regret that I did not know of this necessity before you left Mexico; for I should have saved you all the trouble of the journey you will have to suffer; but I reckon on your well known kindness that you will not think much of it.—Your very affectionateMaximilian.