Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/230

210 movement also the capitals of Durango and San Luis Potosí, but without success. Farther down on the gulf coast, however, Cos, who had been intrusted with an expedition against Tuxpan, was routed by the federalists under Mejía, who now stood prepared to assume the offensive.

This blow, together with the fear that when the French departed the federalists might descend on Vera Cruz, served to rouse the loitering Bustamante, and he was at last persuaded to start upon his campaign, for which troops were no longer lacking, owing to the enrolment lately made against invasion and the release of the corps of observation against the French. The war feeling being still rife, advantage was taken of it to continue the levy and the formation of volunteer bodies; The departments had also been fired with patriotic zeal, and even the interior Guanajuato and Durango were taking energetic steps to raise men. Instance Durango, Iniciativa, 1-10; ''Pap. Var''., clxxx. pt 7. By decree of January 26, 1839, was issued the general annual draft of men for the army. Méx., Decreto para Reemplazar Ejército, 1-21; Méx., Lejis., 183, 253-63; and on July 8th one for reorganizing the army, fixed for the time at 12 regiments of permanent infantry, 8 and a fraction of cavalry, both known by numeric order, 3 brigades of artillery, besides 3 companies on foot and 1 on horseback, and a battalion of sappers, the whole to be distributed into 6 divisions. Of active militia there were to be 9 regiments on foot and 6 mounted. The government could appoint the generals of division to control the 7 comandancias generales of the republic. Méx., Decreto para Organizar Ejército, 1-7; Arriilaga, Recop., 1839, 70-7, 162-4. Militia rules in ''Méx., Col. Ley. y Dec''., 1840, 693-9, 619-20. For light cavalry and for the regiment formed by traders, see Mér., Decreto Regimiento Comercio, 1-7; ''Pap. Var''., cl. pt 27. Comments on insufficient armament in Tornel, Carta, 8-17, 21-5. An order of July 10th regulates the uniforms: the infantry in blue, with collar and facings of [sic]diferent color, according to the regiment; white trousers to take the place of blue with the change of season. The cavalry varied greatly in their uniform. Both were given an enormous shako covered with ornaments. See for decree of May 11, on uniforms, ''Vallejo, Col. Doc. Mex''., MS., ii. pt 191. A military commission was appointed to collect statistics. ''Soc. Mex. Geog. Bolet''., i. 11213. Undue proportion of officers and regulations for them. Arrillaga, Recop., 1839, 40-65, 157-8, 225-32, 263-6; Méx., Estatuto Plana Mayor Ejército, 1-22; ''Pap. Var''., lxxix. pts 3, 4, cl. pts 30-1, clxxx. pt 8. and an effort was made to reorganize the army and to give it a more martial appearance, yet with only partial success, owing to the