Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/797

Rh on the coast to prevent supplies reaching Vera Cruz; and the liberals procured the desertion of the enemy's soldiers, before whose minds was constantly kept the fear of death by black vomit.

Miramon marched slowly, having with him about 3,000 men with a large supply of artillery and ammunition. He was incessantly harassed by guerrillas. At Paso de Ovejas he granted amnesty to all who would retire to live peaceably, and promised death to every man taken in arms three days after the date of the proclamation. Negrete marched from Orizaba, by the Tejería road, and joined Miramon, who now had about 5,000 men, and established headquarters at Medellin on the 2d of March, awaiting Marin's arrival to begin his attack. Success was by no means certain, for the reason that the steamer Indianola — under the United States flag — which had been chartered by Juarez to watch Marin's squadron, came into port and anchored with other vessels of the same nationality under the fortress of San Juan de Ulúa, thus indicating their intention to take part in the defence.

At this time negotiations were opened between Medellin and Vera Cruz that came to no result, the proposals of both presidents being rejected. These negotiations were initiated by Captain Aldham of the British war ship Valorous, who obtained a pass from Juarez to visit Miramon and hand him a note from the British foreign office, in which was manifested a desire that an armistice of six months or a year should be agreed to by the belligerents, to allow time for a general assembly empowered to give the country a government of respectability and order, together with civil and religious freedom. The British government threatened, if its proposition were unheeded, to demand reparation of damages to its subjects inflicted by either belligerent. Miramon assented to the armistice, under the joint mediation of England,