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 MEXICO. 155 the unfortunate affair before Valladolid, to act as Captain- general in the Province of Veracruz. But although Morelos displayed as much resolution and activity as ever, in strug- gling against the tide of adversity, his efforts to retrieve his sinking fortune were ineffectual. He lost action after action ; Oaxaca was retaken by a Royalist division under Brigadier Alvarez, (28th March, 1814,) Don Miguel Bravo was made prisoner, and died upon the scaffold, at La Puebla ; Galeana perished on the field of battle, (27th June, 1814 ;) the Con- gress of ChilpanzTngo was driven from that town, and forced to take refuge in the woods of ApatzTngan, where, however, it continued its labours, and sanctioned, on the 22nd of Oc- tober, 1814, the Constitution known by that name. Here it was very nearly surprised by Iturbide, (in 1815,) who, by a rapid and masterly march across the mountains of Michoacan, came upon the Deputies almost before they were apprized of his approach. It was in consequence of this attempt, and with a view of placing the Congress in safety, that Morelos determined to undertake his expedition to Tehuacan, in the Province of La Puebla, where Teran had already assembled a considerable force. With only five hundred men he at- tempted a march of sixty leagues, across a part of the country occupied by several divisions of Royalists. He hoped, in- deed, to be joined by Teran and Guerrero, but his couriers were intercepted, and neither of these generals was aAvare of his situation. The Spaniards conceiving the forces of Morelos to be much more considerable than they really were, did not venture to attack him until he had penetrated as far as Tesmalaca, where the Indians, though they received him with great ap- parent hospitality, conveyed intelligence, both of the real number of his followers, and of their wretched state, to Don Manuel Concha, the nearest Spanish Commandant, who de- termined to attack the convoy the next day. Morelos, fan- cying himself in security, as he was now beyond the enemy^s