Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/802

786 While these events were occupying the capital, affairs of no less moment were going on in Vera Cruz. Santa Anna's arbitrary proceedings were exciting comment. There was insubordination in his ranks, and defalcations in the regimental chest. Luaces, the captain general of the provinces of Puebla, Vera Cruz, and Oajaca, had retired on account of failing health, and the brigadier José Antonio Echávarri was appointed to succeed him. It appears that Santa Anna had informed the government that he was devising a scheme to obtain possession of Fort Ulúa, and Echávarri was ordered to march from Jalapa to Vera Cruz, where he arrived on the 25th of October. Dávila had been relieved by Brigadier Francisco Lemaur, and Santa Anna conceived the plan of gaining possession-of the fort by surprising it under cover of a feigned surrender of Vera Cruz to the new commander. He therefore made overtures to Lemaur, and it was arranged between them that the Spaniards should take possession of the fortifications on the night of the 26th of October. Echávarri, informed on his arrival by Santa Anna of the scheme now ripe for execution, gave his consent to it. Leaving the final dispositions to the management of Santa Anna, and accompanied only by Pedro Velez, Colonel Gregorio Arana, and a guard of about a dozen