Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/667

Rh content himself with occupying the Franciscan convent of the town, with little ammunition and hardly any food. His position was rendered still more precarious by the dispersion and desertion of a great part of his force during preliminary skirmishes, so that only half remained to oppose the closely pressing royalists. Bracho was fully informed of his condition, and eager to obtain for himself the honor of reducing so important a place and leader before his superior, Hevia, should arrive and secure the prize, he warmly urged the surrender, with free pardon for all insurgents in the district, or a terrible alternative. In a moment of weakness Teran consented not only to yield, but to order the surrender of the impregnable Cerro Colorado, and induce Osorrio and other chiefs to submit. And so on the 21st of January, after a siege of barely two days, fell famed Tehuacan, the centre of insurgent hopes, and with it the reputation of Teran. All his past successes were overclouded by that one hasty step, and a nation which forgave such men as Rosains refused to inscribe his name among its heroes.Bustamante, who had admired him till he overthrew the congress, bewails bitterly the results of his act, especially in ordering the surrender of Cerro Colorado, to which he should have fought his way. ''Cuad. Hist''., iii. 393-422. Yet it must be stated, in partial vindication of Teran, that mutiny had broken out at the fortress with desertion, which might have made its capture easy. Teran stipulated for himself a pass with means to go abroad, but the viceroy found a pretence for refusing to comply. Bustamante admits that Teran declined to accept proffered service under royalists, and most honorably contented himself with a humble clerkship in Puebla. After Iturbide's revolution he served successively and ably as member of congress, minister of war, and comandante general of the northern provinces. In 1832 he took part against the government, and being defeated at Matamoros, he committed suicide in July of that year. He was buried by the side of Iturbide. Payno, in Gallo, Hombres Ilustres, iv. 251-81, paints him only as a hero. See also Museo Mex., ii. 121-31, with portrait that somewhat resembles Iturbide's. Alaman also upholds his noble traits at Tehuacan rather exclusively. ''Hist. Méj''., iv. 518-23; Blasco, Discurso, 6-9. He believed Teran feared that Hevia might come up and prove less lenient. Teran had shown perhaps the least cruelty of all the insurgent leaders. He himself pleads lack of ammunition, desertion of men, and deceptive offers from Bracho, and intrigues with the fortress. He could have broken away with the cavalry, but would not sacrifice the rest. See his Segunda Manifest., 60-95, and appendix; also Mora, Obras, L p. Ixi. The blame cast upon him is for not breaking through to the adjoining fortress, with its greater resources, there covering his honor by a longer resistance; also for ordering its surrender, and promoting the submission of Osorno and others. This chief submitted on February 11th at San Andrés, with 175 followers, and retired to one of his farms. His example was