Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/334

318 of his famous army of the centre was a grievous trouble to Calleja, the more so because he could see that no durable results would be thereby attained. In the abilities of his captains he had little confidence; plan as he might, he foresaw under the present system only failure. While at Aguascalientes, he therefore submitted to the viceroy a plan of military organization which he thought might hasten peace. He would arm all the towns in the kingdom for their own defence, and thereby avoid the crippling effect of dividing and subdividing the standing army into sections. The troops would likewise be relieved from long and fatiguing marches from one point to another. By a judicious disposal of the regular troops in suitable localities, assistance could quickly arrive at any point attacked. Both Calleja and the viceroy recognized the risk incurred in placing arms in the hands of the people, and thus establishing a power which might turn against the government. Nevertheless, Calleja believed that such danger could be avoided, and the viceroy adopted the plan. Henceforth this system was pursued by the royalists to the close of the war.

The system was put into immediate practice as far as possible, and was methodically developed and extended as circumstances allowed. In each town, companies of infantry and cavalry and batteries of artillery were raised, the strength of which was proportionate to the number of inhabitants. All house holders were compelled to take service in these corps, which were placed under the direction of a comandante de armas, in whom were also vested, wherever practicable, the judicial functions. At each town from 100 to 150 of such troops were to be in constant service and daily drilled. Arms were at first supplied by collecting weapons in possession of the inhabitants. All persons not enrolled in these military corps were forbidden to keep any kind of arms.