credence, as systematic lying was a part of the governmental policy.
The president's brother, General Ramon Lopez Rayon, commanding the district of Tlalpujahua, had been no less active, often making excursions to the country lying between Querétaro and Mexico, or between the former and Valladolid. In one of those excursions he signally defeated an archroyalist captain named Maríano Ferrer[1] at El Salitre, and took him prisoner. Immediately afterward he marched on Jerécuaro and took the place, together with two guns, a large number of muskets, ammunition, and nearly 100 prisoners, all of whom were conveyed to the hacienda of Tepustepec, where the president then was. Ferrer and five others were shot on the 4th of September. The rest joined Rayon's force, and a few of them who afterward deserted and were captured paid the penalty of the desertion with their lives. That same year Ramon Rayon attacked at San Juan del Rio 600 royalists, who were escorting a large herd of sheep and cattle bound to Mexico, dispersed them with some casualties, and captured the whole property.[2]
Most favorable results were obtained in some quarters that will be given at length. They were in a great measure due to the spirit of union, unselfishness, and surbordination to their commanders shown by the officers and men. But in other parts, where rivalry, arising from personal ambition and leading to bickerings, divided counsels, and a wanton disregard of all superior authority existed, disappointments and disasters naturally followed.
- ↑ This man's life was saved by Abasolo's wife at Dolores, Sept. 10, 1811. He was a brother of the lawyer José Antonio Ferrer, who had on the 29th of Aug. of the same year been put to death by the garrote in Mexico, for being mixed up in the plot against Venegas. The two brothers had different political views. The one who was a royalist was active in his operations, and had done considerable harm to the independents, having caused many of its supporters to be shot.
- ↑ If we are to believe the account as recorded by the independent government, Rayon killed 27 of the enemy, wounded a number of them, and took ten prisoners, besides 20,000 head of sheep, 200 of cattle, a quantity of laden pack-mules, and some arms. Diario de Operac. (1812, Dec. 11), in Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., v. 628; Mendíbil, Resúmen Hist., 155.
