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It was in the suburbs of this city that Maximilian and his two trusted generals, Mejia and Miramon, the latter ex-president of the republic, were shot by order of a Mexican court-martial, notwithstanding the appeal for mercy in their behalf by more than one European power, in which the United States government also joined.
He further ordered Colonel Mendoza to occupy with his regiment the edge of the pedregal, having in his front a detachment of infantry under Captain Solos, and beyond him a detachment of cavalry. To the left of Padierna was posted the corps of San Luis Potosi, to the right the brigade of Lieutenant-Colonel Cabrera, and on the ridge were the batteries and brigade of General Mejia.
A march of four days partly across the llanos, partly among the wooded hills by which they were bounded, brought us one morning to a suitable camping-ground, within a few miles of San Felipe, and Mejia, who had assumed the supreme command, decided that the attack should take place on the following night. "You will surely reconnoitre first, General Mejia," I ventured to say.
His plan was well conceived, and, unless Mejia had been forewarned or was keeping a sharper lookout than he was in the habit of doing, I feared it would go ill with him. The camping-ground was much better suited for concealment than defence. It lay in a hollow in the hills, in shape like a horse-shoe, with a single opening, looking east, and was commanded in every direction by wooded heights.
"Or ride out on the llanos in the direction of Tres Cruces. If we don't meet Mejia and his people we may hear something of them." "I am for the llanos." "Very well. We will go thither. But we shall have to be very circumspect. There are loyalist as well as patriot guerillas roaming about.
He an' Mejia an' Miramon were took out on a hill near the ruins of an old stone fort an' shot. I didn't see it, 'cause I was under guard with Fletcher an' the rest; but I heared some of 'em who did see it say that just before the shooting was done Max he says to Miramon, 'The bravest man should have the post of honor; so he puts Miramon in the middle, an' Max he stood on the left.
"You went to reconnoitre; you did not come back; the next morning we were attacked by Griscelli in force, and Señor Fortescue was seen among the enemy, seen by General Mejia himself. It was, moreover, reported this morning in the camp that Griscelli had let you go." "So he did, and hunted us with his infernal blood-hounds, and we only escaped by the skin of our teeth.
But hope is not certainty, and until we can make sure we had better hedge away toward the north, so as to be nearer the hills in case we have to run for it." "You think we had better make for the hills in that case?" I asked. "Decidedly. Mejia is sure to return thither, and Morale's men are much less likely to follow us far in that direction than south or east."
I must go out barefoot." "Of course. Who ever heard of a zambo turnkey wearing shoes? I will hide yours under my habit, and you can put them on afterward." "You are a friend of Carera's, of course?" "Yes; I am Salvador Carmen, the teniente of Colonel Mejia, at your service." "Salvador Carmen! A name of good omen. You are saving me." "I will either save you or perish with you. Take this dagger.
The Spaniards seemed terribly afraid of them, as well they might be, for the Colombian spears did dire execution. Few missed their mark, and I saw more than one trooper literally spitted and lifted clean out of his saddle. Mejia, distinguishable by his tall stature, was in the thick of the fray.
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