Oajaca with cavalry. The general-in-chief, leaving Guadalupe in charge of Corona, transferred his headquarters to Tacubaya. The division of the north occupied Atzcapotzalco and Tacubaya. The investment was now complete, and the besiegers could not comprehend what made the garrison hold out, exposing itself and the city to utter destruction.[1] The cause was that Marquez would give no credence to any report not coming direct from the emperor. Even after he saw a letter from Vicente Riva Palacio to his wife, saying that he would soon be with her, he persisted in the defence, and to this end resorted to imposture.
At last, after many consultations as to whether the regency appointed by Maximilian at Querétaro on the 20th of March, 1867, should assume its office, it was resolved that Mariano Riva Palacio should repair, on the 28th of May, to Diaz' headquarters and ascertain the facts. That same morning Diaz placed in his hands Maximilian's telegram to Baron Magnus, requesting him to come to Querétaro with counsel to defend him, with which he returned to the city on the 29th.
Marquez still resolved to resist till the government was reconstituted pursuant to Maximilian's decree of May 11th. On receiving the information of the surrender of Querétaro and Maximilian's capture, Marquez attempted, in the night of the 17th-18th of June, a sally with 6,000 men,[2] throwing a bridge over the wide fosse surrounding the city, but was driven back by Diaz in person.[3] In this state of affairs, the Aus-
- ↑ Diaz felt that with sufficient sacrifice of life and destruction of property he could at once take the city; but there was no pressing need, and he preferred to spare both his men and the town, together with its inhabitants. As he has said himself, 'comprendió que con algunos dias mas de fuegos artificiales se rendirian.' Diaz, Datos Biog., MS., 343-4. Masseras confirms it, characterizing Diaz as 'un homme qui s'était fait une loi de sacrifier l'impatience du succès au souci de ses conséquences.' Un Essai d'Empire, 196.
- ↑ In the preparations, lasting 48 hours, his agents used the most violent means to obtain men, money, and horses. Masseras, Un Essai d'Empire, 222.
- ↑ He was met by Diaz on the puente de los cuartos with two small brigades. On his way back he was a long time under the besiegers' cross-fire. Diaz, Datos Biog., MS., 345.
