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352 sprung up between them; and though an apparent reconciliation occurred in the face of a danger common to all, mutual confidence was never restored.

On the 1st of January, 1812, Calleja appeared before Zitácuaro, the doomed city. He had left Guanajuato on the 11th of November, and the slowness of his movements marks at once the repugnance with which he undertook the enterprise and his care to secure a successful issue. Proceeding to Acámbaro, he there conferred with Trujillo, who met him for that purpose, and was joined by Castillo y Bustamante, García Conde, Meneso and other chiefs with their divisions, according to previous instructions. From Acámbaro he leisurely continued his march, and arrived at Ixtlahuaca toward the middle of December, in order to open communication with Toluca and combine his operations with these of Porlier. Here he received some reënforcements, and his army now amounted to 4,900 combatants, with twenty-three pieces of artillery of different calibre.

On the 22d of December Calleja marched from San Felipe del Obraje, where he had concentrated his troops, and on the following day entered the rugged defile of San Mateo. The difficulties which he