Page:Vol 5 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/812

792 liberal forces, having defeated their adversaries at every encounter, marched on toward the capital with the eclat that prosperity always imparts, swelling their ranks with officers and men of the other party.

The city of Mexico, being threatened on all sides by the constitutionalists, was placed under martial law on the 13th of November. At the end of the month Carbajal's forces were in Zumpango de la Laguna and Villa de Gudalalupe, Berriozábal's in Toluca, and Ampudia's in Tlalpam. The army from Guadalajara was advancing under the commander-in-chief, Gonzalez Ortega. Miramon made arrangements to move his forces with great rapidity, forced a portion of Ampudia's to retire from Cuautitlan, and sallying out on the first of December, struck the constitutionalists a blow at San Bartolo. With the continual movement of his troops he managed to get supplies into the city. But with all his extraordinary energy he could not check the discouragement of his party nor the repeated defection of his troops. Nothing daunted, however, he resolved to strike another blow, selecting as his objective point Toluca, the headquarters of the liberals, where a great many of their prominent men were assembled. He had not been misinformed about Berriozábal's lack of precaution. Leaving Mexico at dawn of the 8th of December, on the next day he gained a victory over the liberal forces, which were almost totally captured, together with Degollado, Berriozábal, and Benito Gomez Farías, as well as fourteen pieces of artillery, trains, a large supply of small arms, etc. The prisoners were kindly treated. Miramon's success facilitated the