Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/792

772 large quantities of arms, with which he reopened the campaign in Guanajuato.

The appearance of the liberal forces at La Estancia de las Vacas had been the first step of a well-arranged plan whose chief objective point was Mexico, but the want of simultaneous action resulted in the defeat at La Estancia, and the plan had to be abandoned. Fortune was frowning on the liberals, who met with disaster at Tulancingo, Maravatío, and Toluca. They had lost in the different encounters, since July, 10,000 men, 62 pieces of artillery, 7,300 muskets, 3,000 sabres, 3,000 accoutrements, and a large quantity of other effects.

The defeat at La Estancia was not considered in Vera Cruz a crushing blow, because of a wrong impression that Marquez had revolted against Miramon for suspending him from command and ordering him into arrest for his seizure of a money conducta. So much credence was given to the report that Juarez allowed semi-official commissioners to hold conferences with Robles Pezuela, which afterward assumed an official character, grounded on the belief that the latter would accept the constitution and reform laws. He denied it on the 11th of November, and finally declined negotiating without express instructions from Miramon. Marquez had taken in Guadalajara $600,000 from a conducta of $1,964,000, pleading extreme need of funds for the troops, which were becoming demoralized, and Jalisco might be lost. Shortly before he had levied a forced loan of $100,000. In a manifesto he tried to justify his acts. Miramon disapproved the affair of the conducta, from fear of consequences, repaired to Guadalajara, suspended Marquez, and ordered him to report in Mexico, where he was placed under arrest.