General Villalba began his labors at Vera Cruz by reconstructing the old Corona into a cavalry regiment,[1] which was thereupon called the España; he then proceeded to the capital with the other generals to continue the work of organization. The pay of each rank was at once established. The Mexican privates it was decided should be drawn by lot from the male population; but this scheme was not then enforced, and that of voluntary enlistment was for a time adopted.
It had been intended by the supreme government to raise one regular regiment of dragoons, and three others of militia, light cavalry, and dragoons; and six regiments, with twelve companies each, of militia infantry, the calculation being that the number of militiamen would reach 25,000.[2]
The development of the system was left to General Villalba, under the orders of the viceroy as the captain-general. In order to smooth the way, the officers were instructed to maintain the most cordial relations with the people, and to make the necessity for the change evident to them. Every effort to render the military service attractive was resorted to. Members of the nobility and gentry were induced to accept commissions in the provincial militia by granting them the fuero militar[3] and such other distinctions as would flatter their pride. The viceroy had the choice of
- ↑ With the Corona and the dragoon companies, and men brought from Spain. Some of the officers and men of the former were made into a third battalion for the América. Villalba lowered the pay of those troops, and of the artillerists, and did other things 'sin anuencia del Rey,' possibly meaning the virey. Panes, Vir., in Monum. Dom, Esp., MS., 120.
- ↑ This plan eventually had to be abandoned. The treasury could not defray the expense of maintaining an army of regular troops, which would be no less than three million pesos yearly. In view of this, the king approved in 1787 and 1788 a plan of Colonel Francisco Antonio Crespo, and ordered its execution with a few modifications. It was put in practice in 1789. Branciforte, Instruc., MS., 14-15; Flores, Instruc., MS., 26-29.
- ↑ It was defined in a royal order of March 26, 1782, that the fuero militar belonged to members of the militia only when they were in actual service. Cédulario, MS., i. 69, 82. In Reales Cédulas, MS., ii. 58-63, appear the military regulations enacted from 1766 to 1785; rules and regulations for the militia issued in 1767, and tactics for dragoons decreed in 1768; privileges of soldiers in making their wills, and in the settlement of their estates, all former grants being confirmed, and new ones added in the royal order of December 16, 1762, and July 21, 1766.
