Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/310

290 republicans, who admitted a loss of 2,000 in killed and wounded, besides several hundred prisoners.

Arellano, whose prompt and spirited action had probably saved the day, was made a general, and the rare bronze medal for valor was bestowed upon the leading officers, gold and silver medals being distributed among the lower ranks. At the conclusion of this ceremony, Miramon took a bronze medal and asked permission of the emperor to decorate him in the name of the army, as worthy above all to receive the token, for his fearless conduct, noble endurance, and self-denying and sympathizing participation in the dangers and hardships of his soldiers. Deeply affected, Maximilian accepted it, and wore the medal ever after as the most valued of his decorations.

After this the republicans decided to waste no more blood in regular assaults, but to await the fall of the securely invested city by starvation, while submitting it to a continual bombardment. The latter proved not an unalloyed torment, however, for the missiles were welcomed by the besieged as additions to their scanty war material, rewards being paid to those who brought them in The energetic Arellano, chief of artillery, had established factories for powder and projectiles, assisted by the stock of raw material in the warehouses, and by that obtained from church-bells,