Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/371

Rh of other arms and an immense store of ammunition. The casualties of the victors were insignificant. Exemplary punishment must necessarily be inflicted upon a city which had twice witnessed the disgrace of the royalist arms. Most of the belligerents had escaped and the prisoners were few. Of these, eighteen were shot on the following day; too small an offering to appease the royalist gods; so the destruction of the city was determined upon, and on the 5th Calleja published a proclamation, declaring that the Indians of Zitácuaro and its district were deprived of their property, all their immunities and privileges forfeited, and that every building would be razed to the ground or destroyed by fire. Six days were given for the unfortunate inhabitants to leave the town. The conde de Casa Rul was charged with the execution of the sentence, which was rigorously carried out, after the place had been well sacked by the royalist troops, the churches and convents only being spared. On the 13th Calleja departed from Maravatío by the Tuxpan road, while in his rear ascended the flames and smoke from the burning town, which had been dignified by the revolutionists with the high title of Villa Imperial.

Porlier in the mean time sustained a reverse in his operations. According to the first plan formed by Calleja, he was to have occupied the San Mateo road