Cos.[1] At this point they forded the river and arrived on the following day at Tezmalaca, six leagues from Tenango. Elated with their success so far in avoiding the enemy, and relying on the river barrier behind them, they resolved to rest here for a day,[2] dreaming of safety beyond the mountains. A rude awakening was to follow.
Calleja had been duly notified of the migration, and to some extent of the direction taken,[3] although the measures adopted by Morelos had baffled him with regard to the exact route. This uncertainty induced him to make greater efforts. Commanders were sent out to hunt the trail from all the garrison posts west and south of the capital, Claverino having besides orders to pursue with 500 men as far as the banks of the Zacatula, and Aguirre to advance within easy reach of Concha, who also hastened toward the Zacatula with 600 men, while Villasana of Teloloapan scoured his section, and Armijo moved onward to Tixtla. It so happened that after a month of tiresome marches, following now one rumor, now another, Concha stumbled, with the aid of Villasana, upon Tuliman, and there obtained positive news which sent him in hot haste toward Tezmalaca, guided also by the still smoking ruins of
- ↑ Liceaga had gone for three months to the Bajío; deputies Argandar, Isasaga, and Villaseñor remained awhile in Michoacan; Sanchez and Arias were to take another route. Verdusco's term having expired he had withdrawn to his curacy at Tusantla; and several members were absent on commissions. Among those present were Alas, Sesma y Gonzalez, Sotero, Castañeda. and Ruiz de Castañeda, judges Ponce, Martinez, and Castro, and secretaries Bermejo, Calvo, Arriaga, and Benitez, the last two for the government. They had left Uruapan Sept. 29th, carrying goodly supplies, archives, some $20,000 intended for the U. S. to buy arms; and a quantity of personal effects. Each supreme member received $600, Morelos alone declining. The sources for these and following details are based mainly on the declarations at Morelos' trial, under Declaracion, and other titles; Morelos Causa, with documents bearing on his trial; reports of royalist commanders, especially Concha, in Gaz. de Mex., for Nov. and Dec. of this year; the diaries and statements of Cumplido, Arechederreta, Concha's chaplain Salazar, Morales, and others, reproduced or used in Bustamante, Cuad. Hist., iii. 215 et seq.; Negrete, Mex. Siglo XIX., vii. 249 et seq.; Alaman, Hist. Méj., iv. 304 et seq.; and especially in the voluminous collection of Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., v.vi., with briefer allusions in Liceaga, Torrente, Ward, etc.
- ↑ This was due also to a rain shower during the night, which made progress less convenient.
- ↑ Rosains and certain priests appear to have contributed information.
