Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/705

Rh besieged being slain, or perishing in their attempt to escape down the precipice. Bravo, though dreadfully bruised in the descent, managed to conceal himself, and eventually made his way to Huétamo.

Further calamities now rapidly followed, and a tide of adversity overwhelmed the remnant left of the first great leaders of the cause. Ignacio Rayon, persecuted by the present junta, had fallen into its hands, and been sent a prisoner to Patambo, there to await his trial. Verdusco, after narrowly escaping capture in November 1816, had been appointed in 1817, by the junta at Jaujilla, comandante general first of the province of Mexico, and then of the south. In neither region did he accomplish anything, and he retired to Purechucho, about half a league from Huétamo. The capture of these two chiefs was determined upon, and the execution of it intrusted to Captain de la Cueva and Padre Salazar. Their undertaking was not an easy one, but by falsely representing that they were going to join Bravo, they arrived with a small force near Huétamo without encountering any obstacle, and arrested Verdusco at Purechucho. Bravo, who had reached Huétamo two days before, on his flight from Cóporo, unbroken in spirit by suffering or disaster, gathered what force he could and attempted a rescue. His effort was unavailing, however, and Cueva and Salazar, having beaten him off, pushed forward with all speed to Patambo, where they surprised and captured Rayon and his family on the night of the 11th of December. Bravo was, however, still intent on rescuing the prisoners, and having collected about 300 men, would probably have succeeded had not Colonel Armijo, the royalist commander in the south, being instructed to aid Cueva and Salazar, arrived with a