CHAPTER XI.
HIDALGO'S CAPTURE AND DEATH.
1811.
Cruz Joins Calleja at Guadalajara — Humility of the Audiencia, Church, and University — Calleja Establishes a Junta de Seguridad — Cruz Regains San Blas — Death of Mercado — Hidalgo Compelled to Surrender his Command — The Insurgent Leaders Retire to Saltillo — They Decide to Go to the United States — Operations in San Luis Potosí — Death of Herrera — Counter-revolution in Texas — Capture and Execution of Ignacio Aldama — Elizondo's Treacherous Plot — Capture of Hidalgo and Revolutionary Chiefs — Iriarte's Death — The Captives are Sent to Chihuahua — Their Trial — Abasolo's Deposition — Executions — Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction — Hidalgo's Execution His Character.
Calleja entered Guadalajara on the 21st of January. His reception was similar to that of Hidalgo a few weeks before. With wonderful facility these people could be royalists or revolutionists as occasion demanded. In their principles they were governed greatly by the weather. If Hidalgo rained his rabble upon them in the morning, the town — all that were left in it — was for the country; if Calleja's sun shone bright, it was for the king. And luckily so; else by this time, between the several retaliatory leaders, there had been few left. Yet there were many in Mexico firm enough in espousing the cause, and nobly enduring, pledging themselves irrevocably to it, knowing that such action was almost certain death.
The demonstrations on this occasion were unusually prolonged, from the fact that in the afternoon of the same day Cruz unexpectedly arrived. This leader,
