Page:Tupper family records - 1835.djvu/111

 sent, to the command of both armies, Prieto and his troops being most imprudently, if not most treacherously, admitted into the capital, although his infantry had, or might have, been made prisoners, his artillery captured, and his cavalry completely discomfited.

This action was fought on the morning of the 1 4th of December ; the numbers on each side were, we believe, about two thousand men ; and fully two hundred men appear to have fallen, the greater part of whom belonged to Prieto's army. Colonel Tupper is represented to have behaved on this day with more than usual gallantry, although his letter is so barren as to his own conduct ; but he had the bitter morti- fication of seeing the success, to which he had mainly contributed, rendered perfectly unavailing by this ridiculous treaty. During the battle about one hun- dred and fifty of Prieto's mounted followers penetrated into the city, either in search of plunder or in the hope of causing a diversion ; and after sacking the French consulate, for which outrage a compensation of thirty thousand dollars was exacted by a French squadron in 1831, and committing other depredations, they proceeded to the house of Colonel Tupper with the view, it would seem, of murdering his wife, who was far advanced in pregnancy. Not finding her at home, and understanding that she had taken refuge at the bishop's residence, they galloped thither, and, breaking open the portal, declared that they were come to kill "la muger del Ingles Tupper." The bishop approached them in his robes, with a large crucifix in his hands, and the demons fled almost as soon as they saw him. On hearing their cries, a deep swoon happily came to the relief of their in-

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