Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/811

Rh till a few hours before being attacked. Marquez and Velez took to Querétaro and Mexico the news of their disaster.

Miramon then frankly set forth the situation in a manifesto, and summoned a junta of prominent citizens residing in the capital to determine what ought to be done. The junta, among whom were the archbishop, bishop of Monterey, other ecclesiastics, and several generals, met on the 3d of November, but no result was arrived at on that day; two days later it was resolved to defend the city to the last. Miramon's government had been unable to establish any financial system, its only resources being obtained from the clergy, or by forced loans, which together with those levied by the liberal party ruined many fortunes and put others in great jeopardy. Having now no means to support his troops, he permitted the chief of police, Lagarde, on the 16th of November, to enter the house of Mr Barton, in the calle de Capuchinas, with an order from Marquez, under the pretext of arms being hidden there. The next day an armed force under Colonel Jáuregui invaded the house with a number of workmen, who forced open the doors on which were the seals of the British legation, and carried away nearly $700,000, in disregard of all protests, and of the fact that the money belonged to British bondholders. With these funds Miramon organized new troops to fight the numerous hosts that were approaching the valley, including Ampudia's force from Vera Cruz.

A large number of reactionists had now forsaken their sinking cause and joined the liberal party. The