openly to hint at treachery, and to rouse suspicion even among his adherents, Maximilian not excepted.[1] More than one messenger had been sent to communicate with him, but the corpses left conspicuously dangling by the besiegers created a fear that none had penetrated their lines.
Days passed in ever-increasing suspense; eyes and ears strained in vain for the sound of battle in the rear, which should prove the welcome signal. At last it was decided to send a leading officer in search of him, attended by a picked band of horsemen. The task was dangerous; for, aware of all movements, Escobedo kept close guard, and had not only warned republican leaders in all directions to watch especially the route to Mexico, but he had detached considerable forces to check the advance of any relief expedition.[2] Mejía being too ill to move, the mission was intrusted to Prince Salm-Salm and General Moret, with instructions to return at once with reënforcements and funds, the former being secretly charged to arrest Marquez and evacuate Mexico if desirable.[3] They
- ↑ Several times he was caught with a half-checked utterance of doubt. Basch, ii. 54-5, 65; and Salm-Salm, i. 31-2, etc., now remembered more than one instance when Marquez had been found by them with sinister, conscience. stricken countenance, doubtless laying the devilish plots of which Arellano is foremost to accuse him.
- ↑ Olvera was even then holding forth in the mountains north-westward, with fully 1,000 men, but checked by a republican columın; Diaz and other generals round Mexico were observing Marquez, and Guadarrama had advanced with 4,000 cavalry to meet him. Arias, Reseña, 171-2.
- ↑ Miramon and Arellano urged Maximilian to start with 1,000 cavalry, but honor and duty bade him stay. Moret was proposed by Miramon as a personal friend, much against Maximilian's wishes. Miramon had to be courted, and so it was decided to send both, with equal command, but the former received merely instructions to find Marquez and return with him and his troops, while Salm-Salm carried additional secret instructions, with orders to Marquez to place at the disposal of the prince all cavalry in and round Mexico, or on the way to Querétaro. With this he was to return within 24 hours, unless Marquez promised to come to their relief. At least $200,000 must be brought, including the emperor's private money. He might arrest Moret if he thought best, and also Marquez, should the reports of his treason prove reliable. The European troops at Mexico must obey him alone, and Olvera, then in the Sierra Gorda, should give him his cavalry. The diplomatic corps should be invited to send some of their members to Queretaro to induce the Juarists to act humanely, and to announce that the emperor would not yield unless he could surrender his commission to a legal congress. The public should be cheered with good news, and Vidaurri and Marquez alone informed of the true state of affairs. It was to be stated that all the generals
