Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/183

Rh transit and embarkation of the arms and stores which were sent to the Mexican rebels by the official agents of Juarez; whilst General Vega was clandestinely engaging on a large scale certain disbanded American soldiers, to send them on by small detachments to La Sonora. Moreover, the provinces of the interior needed to be firmly kept to their duty. Nearly all the Mexican regiments were worked upon by the liberals; even the generals themselves received secret propositions from the enemy, and some listened to them. General Quiroga, it must be stated to his honour, denounced these intrigues to the French authorities. Desertion, however, was the order of the day. Thus, General Lopez, who commanded at Matehuala, mustered a force of five hundred men; their pay had been wanting for several days; the French contre guerillas, moved at the destitution of soldiers deprived of food and clothing, consented to grant them an advance from their own coffers. As soon as they were clothed and paid, three hundred of these Mexicans deserted in eight days.