Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/174



Viceroy Venegas discovered how rapidly the rebellion was spreading, as day after day intelligence came of Hidalgo's progress and the defection of provincial troops, he saw that the affair was of a more serious nature than he had supposed possible. Without any definite knowledge of the country and its inhabitants, he had not the experience of even a few months of quiet administration to enable him to gain an in sight into affairs. His position was a difficult one; but he applied himself with energy to the task of holding New Spain to its allegiance. The dispersal of the army concentrated by Iturrigaray now proved prejudicial to his purpose. Scattered as the troops were in provincial towns widely separated, it was not only a difficult matter to collect on the moment any considerable force, but an opportunity of spreading disaffection in the ranks had been afforded the insurgents, and the military were already widely infected with revolutionary sentiments.