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Rh they were allowed to reoccupy for the empire several towns taken from them, a course which led to fresh troubles.

Westward, the French, under L'Hériller, had entered Durango July 3d, Acting Governor Mascareñas retiring toward Nazas and joining Governor Patoni, who, reënforced by Ortega and Carbajal, prepared in September to retake the city. They approached to Estanzuela with nearly 4,000 men, and gained at first an advantage over the smaller Franco-Mexican force which marched against them; but superior discipline prevailed over raw recruits, and they were obliged to retreat, with a loss of about 400 men, dead, wounded, and captured, and twenty cannon. Two months later the new republican governor, Quesada, suffered another defeat.

Juarez and his cabinet had reached Nazas in September, proceeding thence to Chihuahua, where the capital was established on the 15th of October. General Ortega, who had lost prestige since his late defeat at Durango, and been wholly ignored, made a