Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/173

Rh mainly at garrisons, and in April of the following year, while the French were reduced to 28,000, the Mexican force remained undiminished. The rural guard had grown to 8,500; but a regular corps had risen in the Austrian and Belgian recruits of 7,300 men. The former were stationed chiefly in Puebla and on the Vera Cruz road, the Belgians farther in the interior, and both roused ill feeling by their presumption. The creation of the guard proved in a sense a blow to the regulars, and afforded a plea for not fully carrying out the measure, thus leaving a rankling injury as well as a sad deficiency. These half-way proceedings have been the bane of Mexico.

Early in 1865 was announced the reorganization of the national army on the rather theoretic plan prepared by the commissions, having for an object its limitation to 31,200 men, including officers. The latter, forming a host of ignorant and unfit commanders, either self-created or risen by favor and intrigue during the series of petty revolutions, were to be reduced to eighteen generals, with a fair proportion of subordinates. To attempt a reform so sweeping in the face of the enemy seemed dangerous. Aside from this, the officers were not likely to submit humbly to a loss of position and prospects in life. So serious became the discontent that the project had to be modified, and since Bazaine show ed little desire to effect