marches. He encountered little difficulty on the way, and on the 24th of November established his headquarters in an hacienda distant only three leagues from the city. In approaching the hacienda there was some skirmishing with royalists, who were easily driven within the city's defences. These had been built on a plan approved by the superior government. An intelligent Catalan had made thirty-six fine guns of various calibre, and a large quantity of shell and other missiles. Ammunition, much of it from Guatemala,
was abundant. The garrison was not under 2,000 men, made up of Spaniards residing in and about the
back to Tehuacan, whence he would march against Puebla. This letter was found in Tehuacan by Águila when he entered the place on the 21st, Sanchez having made a timely exit. Izúcar was also retaken by the royalists. Llano attributed the abandonment of the two places to the royalist victory on Aculcingo heights; but he was mistaken, though it is not likely that the independents could have held them long. Gaz. de Mex., 1812, iii. 1231-3, 1260-1. Morelos promoted Matamoros and Galeana to mariscal de campo, making the for mer his second in command, as the latter could not read or write. The chief had at this time no little trouble with Martinez, the visitador sent by Rayon; nor was his disgust less with other insurgent chiefs for their bad conduct and inordinate pretensions. All appears in his correspondence with Rayon. Alaman, Hist. Méj., iii. 329-3G: Negrete, Méj. Siglo XIX., v. 331; Mora, Revol. Mex., iv. 373-4.
