Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/564

548 María Manuela Molina, who having raised a company had been commissioned captain by the junta. She had journeyed 100 leagues to join him.

Though measures were adopted to press the siege, which was now confined to the castle, only slow progress could be made, for the want of heavy artillery. Moreover, the defenders obtained fire-wood from La Roqueta Island, and had the communication by sea open to them. Thereupon Morelos constructed a mine from the Padrastro, and carried it to within 100 varas of the counterscarp of the intervening moat. Provisions being scarce, and disease having broken out in his camp, the general called a council of war, at which, by the suggestion of Pedro Irrigaray, it was resolved to occupy La Roqueta, which lies about six miles from shore, and was defended by one company, three small guns, two launches, fourteen canoes, and the armed schooner Guadalupe. Ruvido, who had proved himself so inefficient at the hospital fort, had the command. The enterprise was intrusted to Colonel Galeana, a nephew of the mariscal, and Montes de Oca, who succeeded in crossing over unnoticed four times from 11 o'clock in the night of June 9th with a canoe, conveying eighty of their regiment to the Guadalupe. They then attacked the royalists, who made but slight resistance, most of them being taken prisoners, the rest making their escape in the canoes. The only casualties were one little girl from the city accidentally shot, and another drowned. The schooner Guadalupe attempted to sail away, but was captured. The loss of La Roqueta would have been a terrible blow to the garrison of the castle but for the timely arrival of the government brig San Cárlos, which with proper precautions landed her cargo. Colonel Galeana attacked her with two canoes in the night of July 9th, but was repulsed, and she returned to San Blas. About the middle of August the