Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/215

Rh and other circumstances made the project undesirable. Its abandonment, however, did not diminish the allurements of the region, and the Sinaloa successes enabling Castagny to turn his attention to the upper coast, his soldiers eagerly entered upon the expedition. A main object was to deprive Juarez of Guaymas, the only valuable port left to him. On March 29th the French squadron landed several hundred men under Colonel Garnier, Patoni retiring with the republican garrison, yet seeking to bar all communication with the interior, supported on the road to Hermosillo by the combined forces of Governor Pesqueira and Morales, numbering about 3,000 men. While unable to effect much in this direction for a time, Garnier sent troops by sea to Álamos, and managed to gain several adherents, notably anong the Yaquis, Mayos, and Opatas, Tauori, chief of the last named, joining at Guaymas with a large band. Thus reënforced, the colonel marched unmolested into Hermosillo on July 29th, and a fortnight later into Ures, Pesqueira falling back on Arizpe. This left the main part of the state in the hands of the imperialists.

The concentration of French forces at this time under Bazaine left this and the adjoining province of Sinaloa combined to the care of only one regiment; one battalion, under Colonel Cotteret, confining itself almost exclusively to Guaymas; Hermosillo, Alamos, and other points being intrusted to the Indian allies, with varying success. Such stanch auxiliaries