Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/324

304 Salas' enemies tried to overthrow him, and Santa Anna then published a manifesto stating that the relations between him and the government were most cordial. The administration was making the most strenuous efforts to procure resources, and finally issued a decree, affecting the property of the clergy, to raise two million dollars, which created a great commotion, and made still worse the horrible situation of the country.

The installation of congress, which had a majority of more or less radical liberals, took place on the 6th of December; and on the 23d Santa Anna was chosen president ad interim, and Gomez Farías vice-president. The latter took the oath of office at once, and assumed the executive authority in Santa Anna's absence. This statesman's accession to power impliedhad much military experience and toughness acquired in their many years of revolutionary strife. The cavalry, mostly lancers, had a factitious reputation both at home and abroad. Many bodies were fairly disciplined, and expert in horsemanship and the management of the lance. Their carbines were mostly useless for accurate aim. The artillery had several foreign officers, and most of the juniors had been educated in the military college at Chapultepec. They were quite proficient in the theory of their profession, and had besides some practical experience. The guns were fine, but clumsily mounted. Of light artillery, such as modern troops used, there was but little. The infantry had some tolerably drilled regiments. The muskets were generally inferior, and by no means accurately made. The staff of the army was not what it should have been. In the engineers the country had some talented and skilful officers, who were quite perfect in the branch of field fortification. Of general officers there was a great disproportion. It was often said they had brigades of generals rather than generals of brigades. There were but few of them, if any, possessing the various qualifications of a general. Ripley's War Mex., 87-90. As for a naval force, Mexico had two steamers, one schooner of six guns, seven small vessels mounting one gun each, and two brigs with 10 carronades each. Most of the vessels were unserviceable. ''Rivera, Hist. Jalapa'', iii. 720, 722, 744-5. The fortifications of Vera Cruz and San Juan de Ülúa, though repaired since the French bombardment, were yet weak. Matamoros and Tampico had no defences worth mentioning. The U. S. had on the gulf coasts a squadron with about 300 guns and 2,400 men, and on the Pacific several frigates and corvettes with 250 guns and about 2,250 men. The American army on the Rio Grande was of about 4,003 men, and had reënforcements at easy distance.