Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/39

Rh the liberals, faithful to the constitution, have not incurred the shame of having betrayed their native land to a foreigner. Allow even that this is the sole merit of President Juarez, still it is from this that he derives his power. It is with this power that France has had to deal; and it is this merit which will give to Juarez, when before the tribunal of history, the benefit of extenuating circumstances.

Whilst General de Lorencez, shut up in Orizaba during the winter of 1862, was suffering a thousand privations, and was resisting with his little force all the efforts of the enemy, General Forey set sail for Vera Cruz with 30,000 fresh troops. On the arrival of the new expeditionary force, General de Lorencez returned to France, carrying with him the sincere regrets of his soldiers. The commander-in-chief, at the beginning of October, fixed his head-quarters at Orizaba.

Everyone hoped to come to blows with the enemy at once, and the campaign might thus have soon come to an end. November, December, January, and February were the months which were most favourable to military operations on the lofty plateaus which divide Orizaba from Mexico. Although 5,000 combatants had failed in the undertaking, a force of 35,000 men, full of enthusiasm, and eager to avenge an unexpected check, ought to have easily taken Puebla (an unfortified town), and also the forts belonging to it, which, for want of time, had not been rendered formidable by any defensive works. The fleet, to the lot of which had fallen the difficult and thankless task of conveying the troops and warlike stores, had been found inadequate to bringing the necessary stock of provisions. It was therefore essential that the little corps of General Lorencez, which was well acquainted