which he led them from one success to another. So conspicuous and dangerous an enemy, on the line between Valladolid and the capital, could not be quietly tolerated by the royalists, and Llano resolved to reduce the stronghold. An effort in this direction, in November 1814, had been frustrated by Ramon in so ingenious and able a manner as to gain him great applause.[1] This served only to rouse the determination of Calleja. He ordered a fresh attack with forces swelled to three thousand by troops from Valladolid and Guanajuato, the latter under command of Iturbide as second to Llano. The insurgents numbered about six hundred
and fifty men, only partly armed, fully a third relying for weapons on stones and boulders. In the vicinity roamed also several insurgent leaders, prepared to harass the supply trains, while Torres and others had come from the adjoining provinces to fall upon the weakened royalist garrisons around.[2] Their move-
- ↑ This success referred to by Bustamante as the battle of Los Mogotes, Cuad. Hist., iii. 119-21, took place on November 10th, near Tuxpan. Ramon first disabled Llano's cavalry by scattering poisoned forage, and then lured his men into ambush, killing over 200 during the main action, with a loss to himself of 28 out of 800 men, Llano bringing 2,000. More leaders now offered to join Ramon. Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., v. 773. Llano admits only 8 deaths, and places the insurgent forces at 1,500, and their losses at over 150. Gaz. de Mex., 1814, v. 1277-80.
- ↑ Acámbaro was attacked Feb. 4th by 800 men under Torres, Obregon,
