Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/344

328 capture of all the enemy's arms, ammunition, guns, and baggage, and more than 300 prisoners.

Rayon was at this time at Tusantla; and on receipt of the important news hastened to Zitácuaro, where he assumed command. With considerable skill he proceeded to put the town in a state of defence, recognizing the importance of its position as a central point of operation. A ditch was cut round it five varas wide and a league in circumference, which could be converted at will into a moat by inundating it from an extensive dam with which Zitácuaro was provided. Behind the ditch a concentric barricade three varas in width was erected, all the assailable portions of it being covered with cannon, the number of which was increased as rapidly as guns could be turned out of the foundry which Rayon had established. The roads also leading into the town were closed against hostile approach by ditches and breastworks of timber.

The defeat of Torre and destruction of his division almost neutralized the previous advantages gained by him. Communication between Valladolid and the capital was entirely closed, and the valley of Toluca left open to the insurgents. Venegas, in this extremity, being unable to detach any more forces from those retained in the capital, had recourse to those under the command of Empáran, who, contrary to the orders of Calleja, had approached toward Valladolid. That commander was, therefore, instructed to unite his division with the forces under the lieutenant-colonel José Castro, then at Tultenango, and proceed with all possible despatch against Zitácuaro. This separation of Empáran's important division from the army of the centre caused Calleja great annoyance, and from this time date the differences which arose between him and the viceroy, and which afterward developed into personal enmity. Empáran, who estimated more correctly than the viceroy the difficulty of the undertaking, was not inclined to engage