other side of the Mescala. The revolution would indeed have been smothered at the start. But Liñan failed to obey the viceroy's orders, alleging various reasons.[1] As it was, Guerrero was allowed to join Iturbide at Teloloapan without interruption.[2]
The two chiefs soon came to an understanding as to the plans of the campaign. Guerrero, with his subordinates Ascensio, Juan del Cármen, and others, was to keep the government's attention diverted, while Iturbide, who had decided to change his base of operations, proceeded to the Bajío of Guanajuato.[3] Taking with him the money at Barrabás hill, he marched by way of Tlachapa and Cutzamala toward Zitácuaro, and thence to the bajío through Acámbaro and Salvatierra. This movement, which was certainly a wise one on the part of Iturbide, ought to have been foreseen and prevented by the government. As soon as the news reached Guanajuato that he was on his march thither, the independence was at once proclaimed in several localities by influential officers of the royal army,[4] and on March 25th Anastasio Bustamante, who had immediately espoused the cause, entered the capital of the province amidst the plau-
- ↑ One of them may have been well founded; namely, that not much reliance could be placed on the loyalty of the troops.
- ↑ At this time Guerrero was 39 years of age. His complexion was very dark and his hair long, black, coarse, and curly. In his early life he followed the occupation of a muleteer. According to his baptismal registry he was born in Tixtla, in August 1782; his parents being Juan Pedro Guerrero and María Guadalupe Saldaña, Indian tillers of the soil. Zamacois, Hist. Méx., x. 668-9.
- ↑ Before Iturbide departed for the Bajío he addressed a communication to the viceroy, reporting all that had occurred, placing his own conduct in the best possible light, and assuring him that the sentiment of independence prevailed throughout the country; he also sent addresses to the king and to the córtes to the same effect. Whether those documents reached their destination is not known; at any rate, they received no consideration. Liceaga, Adic. y Rectific., 447-8; Bustamante, Cuad. Hist., v. 129-34.
- ↑ Cortazar at Amoles, March 16th, and at Salvatierra on the 17th. Pénjamo and other immediate places followed the example on the 18th. Anastasio Bustamante proclaimed at Pantoja the 19th. Celaya was immediately captured; and the comandante general Antonio Linares, who refused to join the revolution, was given a safe conduct to Mexico. Liceaga, Adic. y Rectiflc., 448-9; Mex. Doc. Relativos, etc., no. 1; Cos, Estadíst. Silao, in Mex. Soc. Geog. Boletin, 2d ep., iv. 746; Noticioso Gen., 1821, ap. 23-4; Cuevas, Porvenir Mex., 53, 62-3; Gaz. de Mex., 1821, xii. 340-2; Alaman, Hist. Méj., v. 151-60.
