the victors, among them Tanori and Almada, who were overtaken and shot.[1]
Corona, commander-in-chief of the western republican army, had been practically in possession of Sinaloa since the preceding autumn, and began soon after a series of assaults on Mazatlan. The French found it necessary to clear the immediate vicinity; and Lozada having consented to assist, they gained some advantages during the spring, but were unable to maintain them.[2] The Tepic chieftain became dissatisfied at not receiving the payments expected, and finding the struggle unpromising, he retired shortly after, proclaiming neutrality. In September the republicans gained one of the outposts of Mazatlan, after a hard battle, and harassed the French constantly till their embarkation on November 13th for San Blas.[3]
In the eastern provinces the imperialists occupied in the beginning of the year a line extending from Matamoros, through Cadereita, Monterey, and Saltillo, to Parras, under the control of the generals Mejía, Jeanningros, and Douay, the last named as chief, with headquarters at Matehuala.[4] Fears of an interven-
- ↑ With their families, sin distircion de sexo ni edad.' Arrangoiz, Méj., iv. 200. On the peninsula of Lower California the French hall not found opportunity to set foot, and it had remained in the comparatively passive occupation of the republicans.
- ↑ Presidio was taken March 19th, but reënforced to fully 3,000 men, Corona compelled the Franco Mexican column to retire again, with great loss, says Iglesias, iii. 679, but with great credit according to Pap. y Corr. Famil. Imp., 184-5. The French are accused of cruelties. Lozada defeated Perfecto Guzman, Corona's lieutenant, and reached Concordia April 1st, with 2,000 men. Here he was attacked by Gov. Rubi and Gen. Gutierrez, but managed to sustain himself. Gutierrez fell in the assault.
- ↑ By this time the force from Guaymas had swelled the garrison to fully 2,000 men, of whom 730 were on the sick-list. The intention to march by land had to be abandoned, owing to the strength of the enemy and the difficulty of the route for invalids and baggage. Of the sick 600 were sent to Panamá. Col Roig, the commandant, was joined at Tepic by Castagny who protected the retreat. For details concerning the above campaign, I refer to my Hist. North. Mex. States, ii., for which Vigil and Hijar, the historians of the western army, have been consulted among other supplementary or more original authorities. The effort to form a Mexican garrison at Mazatlan proved futile.
- ↑ Parras was left in charge of Prefect Campos, Saltillo was held by Briant, and Cadereita by Col Tinajero, while Jeanningros occupied Mon-
