Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/114

98 the French blood, to which she was akin through the Orleans family.

We must add that Maximilian received numerous complaints from his generals, asserting that their contingents were without horses and arms. Mejia stated that it was very difficult to keep soldiers to their duty who received no pay. The minister of war had informed the emperor (whose displeasure was great) that he had begged the French head-quarters to escort with one of their battalions the conducta from Monterey, intended to carry the means of payment for Mejia's division at Matamoros, and that the marshal had not thought fit to afford his co-operation. This accusation against the French commander, who was unceasing in his efforts for the good of the service, called forth genuine surprise. Maximilian was, however, able to convince himself that the matter in question had not been an escort for money intended for the Mexicans, but only as to a commercial convoy, the sending off of which had been delayed by military exigencies. Besides, the ships of the squadron, constantly sailing between Vera Cruz and Matamoros, offered every facility for maritime transport in less than sixty hours, whilst the journey by land would require some weeks, and a uselessly dangerous array of forces; the roads leading to Tamaulipas from Queretaro, San Luis, and Monterey, being infested by the guerillas commanded by Cortina and Carbajal, and helped by bands of Americans.

In situations where the French troops protected the northern frontier, the Americans still hesitated to violate the Mexican territory; but this state of things was a very awkward one, and any aggressive demonstration by our battalions on the Rio Grande or the Rio Bravo might have brought on an immediate