Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/286

280 After this horrible butchery the different States were divided, and waged war against one another until 1812, when another priest, named Jose Maria Morelos—formerly the Lieutenant General of Hidalgo's army, assumed command of the independent insurgent army. Gen. Morelos established a Mexican Congress, and proclaimed that despots and bad government, not Hidalgo, were the real cause of the insurrection. The Congress appealed to the Creoles to join them in their struggle against the oppression of the dominant class—to join hands with them, and overthrow their power and marauding party. By this appeal Gen. Morelos was fortunate enough to hold the power of government until November 5, 1815, when he was betrayed by one of his generals at Tepegahualco, and, as already stated, shot at the city of Mexico, December 22, 1815.

After this a guerilla warfare was carried on in almost every State, and it seems the poor Creoles suffered most by it. By this treatment the Creoles gradually began to take sides with the insurgents, and many valuable officers and men, including Gen. Iturbide, were added to the ranks of the insurgents by desertion from the royalist forces.

April, 1817, another priest, named Xavier Meina, espoused the insurgent cause, but he was not only a poor leader but unfortunate soldier. He achieved nothing but defeats, having but few followers. In November of the same year he was captured and executed.

Guerilla warfare, under different leaders, was carried on until 1820, when a considerable movement took place among the Creole forces in aid of the insurgents, or revolutionists, as they were then called, headed by their popular leader, Gen. Iturbide, of whom I will have more to say as I go along.

Thus it is plain to be seen that the great number of revolutions which have taken place in Mexico since the Conqueror Cortez' rule have been as great in the sacrifices of human lives and the destruction of property as it was at any time under the rule and government of the Aztec, when all the people in the civilized world lifted up their hands and prayed for the ceasing