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392 aborigines. The entire poem is reprinted in the " Collections " of the Massachusetts liistorical so- ciety (first series, vol. i.).

MORELL DE SANTA CRUZ, Pedro Agustin (mo-rel), R. C. bishop, b. in Santiago de los Caballeros, Santo Domingo, in 1(394; d. in Havana, Cuba, 30 Dec, 1768. He studied theology in the University of Santo Domingo, and was ordained priest in Havana in 1718. Soon afterward he was appointed dean of the cathedral of Santiago de Cuba, and in 1745 elected bishop of Leon, Nicara- gua. Nine years later he was appointed bishop of the dioceses of Cuba and Florida, and in 1754 he went to Havana to assume his office. There he built several churches, founded some charitable institutions, and was indefatigable in the fulfilment of his duties and in his efforts to better the condi- tion of the poor. When England took possession of Havana in 1762, he was banished by Lord Albe- marle, and went to Florida, where he did much missionary work among the Indians. He was the first Roman Catholic bishop to enter the limits of the British colonies. After the withdrawal of the English. Bishop Morell returned to Cuba. He left two historical works, " Historia de la Isla y Catedral de Cuba" (Havana. 1766), and '' Relacion de las tentativas de los Ingleses en America " (1767).

MORELOS, Jose Maria (mo-ray'-los), Mexican patriot, b. in Valladolid (now Morelia), 30 Sept., 1765 ; d. in San Cristobal Ecatepec, near Mexico, 22 Dec, 1815. He was of humble parentage, and after the early death of his father, his mother, un- able to give him an education, sent him to a rela- tive, whom he assisted for many years as a mule- teer between Mexico and Acapulco. At the age of thirty he had saved enough to enter the College of San Nicolas in Valladolid, of which at that time Miguel Hidalgo {q. v.) was rector, and in 1800 he was ordained to th'e priesthood. He obtained by com- petition in 1801 the parishes of Caracuaro and Nucupetaro, where he constructed a church. When Miguel Hidalgo proclaimed independence in 1810, Moi'elos sympathized with him, and when, after the capture of Guanajuato, the former marched upon Valladolid, Morelos offered his services, was appointed colonel, and commissioned to organize the revolution in the southwest of Mexico. Setting out with 25 men from his parish, he displayed great activity, and soon gathered a force of about 700 men. with which he invested Acapulco early in December, defeated the governor of the fortress, and captured a large quantity of arms. After his junction with the brothers Galiana he surprised in the night of 4 Jan., 1811, the Spanish chief Paris, who had marched from Oajaca against him, and captured 600 guns, 5 cannon, and much ammu- nition. But in the same month he lost his artil- lery in meeting a sally from the fortress, and to evade superior royalist forces, which were gather- ing from all sides, he raised the siege, and by quick marches soon captured every place on the Pacific coast and the provinces of Guerrero and Michoa- can, leaving the Spaniards in possession only of the fortress of Acapulco. He defeated the royalists at Chautla de la Sal and Izucar, and on 16 Aug., 1811, entered Tixtla, after gaining twenty-two vic- tories within nine months, and carrying dismay into the Spanish ranks. By the end of the year all the southern provinces from the Pacific coast to the confines of the valley of Mexico were freed from the enemy. On 22 Jan., 1812, he captured Tenancingo, and, preparing to attack the capital, established his headquarters in the town of Cuautla Amilpas; but the viceroy, Venegas, alarmed at the proximity of the enemy, hurried forward the army of the centre under Gen. Felix Calleja {q. v.), order- mg the Oajaca division to join him. Morelos, with about 5,000 men and 30 pieces of artillery, fortified Cuautla as well as he could, and awaited Calleja. The latter, after placing his batteries, tried to take the place by assault on 19 Feb., but was driven back with the loss of 500 men, and laid siege to the city. Morelos ^vithstood daily attacks until, after seventy-two days of defence, the ammunition and provisions were exhausted, and an attempt of Mariano Matamoros to relieve the place having failed, Morelos resolved to evacuate it, and on the morning of 2 May made a bold attack, and after an obstinate fight broke through the lines of the enemy, whose forces numbered more than double his own. He soon gathered his men at Chiautla and began the campaign anew, capturing Orizaba in October, 1812, with a great quantity of arms and ammunition. Although he was defeated on his march to the south on the heights of Acultzingo, he soon collected 5,000 men in Tehuacan and marched on Oajaca, which he took by storm on 25 Nov. After organizing a government there, he marched again to the Pacific coast, invested Aca- pulco, and occupied the city on 15 Aug., 1813, and after he had captured the island of Roqueta, in a night attack, the fortress surrendered on 20 Aug. Morelos now convoked a congress from the south- western provinces that had submitted to the inde- pendent forces. This assembly met on 13 Sept., 1813. at Chilpantzingo, and on 6 Nov. the solemn declaration of independence was formally signed by the first Mexican congress. Morelos now re- solved to establish a regular government in Valla- dolid, organized his forces with those of the other patriots, and with more than 20,000 men appeared before that city on 22 Dec, 1813, and summoned the commander to surrender. But the garrison had been re-enforced, and in the night of 24 Dec. Agustin de Iturbide made a daring sally. Mo- relos's army, surprised and fighting in the dark- ness, was totally routed, and retired to Chupio. After the second defeat of his troops at Puruaran, 15 Jan., 1814, where Matamoros was taken prison- er, Morelos fled toward Acapulco. With what forces he could gather he joined the congress at Texmacala, and that body, on 22 Oct., 1814, pro- claimed at Apatzingan the first Mexican constitu- tion, and appointed Morelos one of three to take charge of the executive. Soon there were dissen- sions among the three, and congress, not feeling secure at Uruapam before the advancing royalist armies, resolved to transfer the seat of government to Tehuacan, and ordered Morelos to act as escort. With about 1,000 men he set out on 29 Sept., 1815, and, although pursued by several bodies of Spanish troops, he was able to conceal his movements until he passed Mescala river, but at Texmalaca he was overtaken by Col. Concha, and after a short fight was totally routed on 5 Nov. After his flight he was recognized by a Spanish officer who formerly had served under him, and delivered to Concha, who conducted him to Mexico. After a brief trial he was degraded from the priesthood and condemned to death. While in prison he could have escaped through the intervention of the physician of the prison. Francisco Montesdeoca, but, fearing to expose the latter to Spanish vengeance, he refused to avail himself of the offer. Fearing a popular commotion if the execution should take place in the capital, the authorities transported him early on 22 Dec. to the small village of San Cristobal Ecatepec, near Guadeloupe, and there he was shot from the rear, according to tlie sentence, as a traitor. He died like a brave man, walking with a