Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/302

282 vivacious energy had raised him foremost among north-western soldiers.

Régules was a Basque who had served under Don Cárlos as sergeant. Riva Palacio stood distinguished for ability both with sword and pen, and the humane sentiments conveyed in his poetry he practised as a soldier. Treviño, tall and of fair complexion, also possessed a heart and an admirable integrity. Antillon of Guanajuato, Echeagaray, so prominent ten years before, Paz, the artillerist, Velez and Rocha, old companions of Miramon, Guadarrama, Juan Mendez, Joaquin Martinez, Aureliano Rivera, Jimenez, and the Highty Carbajal figured among the ablest leaders, under whom ranged the usual disproportionate mass of inferior officers, who, in guerrilla or militia service, or by intrigue, had acquired titles, from general down, which they flaunted with no small bravado. The imperial officers could safely be rated a grade higher as military men, on an average, and the record of their four leading generals with the initial M could hardly be equalled so far by the leaders of the siege.

The imperialists, who at first extended their batteries to the slopes of San Gregorio, soon confined their north line along the southern bank of the river, from Cerro de la Campana, an oblong hill some seventy feet high, which formed the western apex of the defences, to the eastern line skirting the slight elevation on which rose the Convento de la Cruz. Thence the line of fortifications ran parallel to the