their recovery, all provided with money for the journey. The wounded were kindly cared for, as they themselves acknowledged.[1]
Almonte and Saligny were not wholly free from disagreements, and Lorencez endeavored to reconcile them — a difficult matter, especially as Saligny and Lorencez were not the best of friends. The French attributed their defeat to the non-fulfilment of promises on the part of the reactionists, numbers of whom had remained neutral or undecided, while others had rallied round Juarez. In Guadalajara, the third city of the republic, the clergy had come out against Almonte's plan. The intervention could rely only on scattered bands, like those of Mejía and Lozada, and on the coöperation of Marquez, a man of some military ability, but belonging to the extreme reactionary wing, and justly accused of sanguinary instincts.[2]
Most of the conservative leaders had indeed kept themselves in the background on seeing the course of the Spanish and French diplomatic agents, and the treatment Miramon had received. However, the manifestoes of the French authorities, and of Almonte, reassured the wavering chiefs, and they soon began to join the latter with their forces, not giving any importance to the mishap the French experienced on on the 5th of May.[3] The guardian of the diocese of Puebla declared that as the French were the allies of the clergy, all who opposed them were ipso facto excommunicated, and their confessions would not avail them. He accordingly prohibited spiritual ministrations to the wounded liberal soldiers.[4]
- ↑ Lefêvre, Doc. Maximiliano, i. 243-8, 268-72; Pacheco, Cartas (to Drouyn de Lhuys), in La Estrella de Occid., May 8, 1863; Ortega, Parte Gen., 133-8.
- ↑ The above facts are corroborated by Arrangoiz, Méj., iii. 78; Niox, Expéd. du Mex., 181, 190-1.
- ↑ This appears in the correspondence of Marquez and Mejía with Almonte. Arrangoiz, Méj., iii. 72-8.
- ↑ So it was said to the father-almoner of the liberal forces. The correspondence appears in Lefêvre, Doc. Maximiliano, i. 245-6.
