Page:The rise and fall of the Emperor Maximilian.djvu/79

 by the influence of M. Eloïn. On May 5, 1865, the emperor made up his mind to invest the Austrian general Count de Thun with this post of command. This took place during his stay at the hacienda of Jalapilla. He himself there settled on the plan for a fresh military organisation, and summoned to Puebla a portion of the troops stationed at Toluca, Ario, Jalapa, Morelia, and Mexico, in order to form a brigade.

Hacienda de Jalapilla, May 5, 1865.

My dear marshal,—Sharing, as I do, the opinion of your excellency that the organisation of the army must be rapidly proceeded with, and being unable to find a French or Mexican general who either would or could undertake it, I have made up my mind to entrust the task to General Count de Thun.

The first arrangement to be made is to bring together the forces necessary to form a brigade. I request that your excellency will give orders that the under-named corps proceed to Puebla, the place that I have chosen for its organisation:—

The Bataillon de l'Empereur, stationed at Toluca; The 3rd Battalion of the line, stationed at Ario; The company of engineers, stationed at Ario; The portions of battalions stationed at Jalapa and at Morelia; The Regiment de Cavalerie de l'Impératrice; all the detachments scattered in different places being united.

I have selected these troops as being those the least required for the time in the places which they occupy.

After all I have observed on my journey, and reflecting seriously on military matters, I adopt the opinion of the necessity of a prompt and effective organisation of the gendarmerie.

In the first place, we want an active chief, thoroughly acquainted with the admirable arrangements of the French gendarmerie, and then a short list of officers and sub-officers,