Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/807

Rh ambassador and his suite went in solemn procession around the plaza, the carriage conveying Pacheco and Mangino, the introductor of foreign ministers, being drawn by six fine horses. In his speech Pacheco spoke of Mexico's independence, hoping that she and Spain would look upon one another as sisters.

Miramon had now every reason to believe that the constitutional army would soon make another attempt to capture the capital. Ortega had concentrated at Querétaro 7,000 men, among whom were the prisoners taken at the last three important actions lost by the reactionists, and 28 pieces of artillery. The constitutional contingent from Tamaulipas was called away, which had much influence to postpone the plan of attacking Mexico, where the reactionist brigades of Chacon, Gutierrez, Robles, and Negrete were already in position. Miramon organized his army in three divisions, under the respective commands of Robles, Marquez, and Mejía, with Oronoz, Negrete, Velez, Cobos, Cruz, and Chacon in charge of the brigades. Ortega went to Guanajuato after resources, which were so scarce that it became an absolute necessity to seize at Laguna Seca, near San Luis Potosí, the conducta bound to Tampico, amounting to $1,100,000, which had already paid eight per centum for duties on leaving Guanajuato, Zacatecas, and San Luis.