Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/437

speak of those on the north of the capital.^[1] Various columns of royalist troops having been concentrated under Domingo Clavarino,^[2] he retook Pachuca without resistance on the 10th of May, 1812; after which he resolved to recover the neighboring places, such as Real del Monte, El Chico, and Atotonilco el Grande, after placing himself in communication with Colonel Piedras commanding at Tulancingo. Accompanied by Madera, former commander of Pachuca, he marched on Atotonilco the 21st of May, and broke up the insurgent force assembled there, capturing eleven guns, of which six were of brass, taken from the royalists at Pachuca and Real del Monte, one culverin made in Seville, and four of lead.^[3] Clavarino published and granted the amnesty; and after destroying a factory of artillery at Real del Monte, established there by the tribunal de mineria under the skilful Flemish machinist, La Chaussée, returned to Pachuca, where a garrison was placed. Meantime, while Piedras was aiding Clavarino in his operations against Atotonilco, the insurgents under Villagran, Serrano, Osorno, Canas, Anaya, Espinosa, and Gonzalez attacked Tulancingo, and kept up a fire on the town for six days, causing much damage. But owing to the successful sallies made by the garrison, and to the approach of Clavarino, the assailants retired. A portion of them were overtaken, however, on the plain of Zacatepec by Llorente's cavalry, and a large number killed.^[4] In Mexico Tulancingo had been considered

1. The viceroy's authority was now in these regions paramount everywhere except in Zimapan and Izúcar; the latter protected from attack more by fear on the part of the royalists, who had been so often defeated there, than by the insurgent force existing in the place.
2. Before this, one of his officers, Captain Rafael Casasola, on Palm-Sunday, March 21st, marched to Alfajayucan, where the people, whom he qualifies as rebels, were assembled on market-day, entered the place unresisted, killed 150 peaceable persons, took possession of all the coin and other effects which he distributed among his men, and then returned to Ixmiquilpan. See Casasola's report of March 24th, in Gaz. de Mex., 1812, iii. 334-6.
3. Clavarino's report of May 22d, in Gaz. de Mex., 1812, iii. 557-61.
4. Llorente's report says that the plain to the extent of two leagues was strewn with the slain; 164 prisoners were taken, among them many wounded; only 15 or 20 horsemen escaped. His casualties were, two privates wounded