Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/360

340 The operations against Puebla were carried on with the utmost vigor, the besiegers gaining some advantage every day, till on the 2d of April at 4 o'clock in the morning their artillery opened fire, under cover of which assaults were undertaken simultaneously at different parts, which culminated in the capture of the place. In less than one hour the assailants were assembled in the place d'armes, the survivors of the garrison having taken refuge in the Loreto and Guadalupe forts. The latter offered on the 4th to surrender if honorable terms were granted them, but Diaz would listen to nothing but an unconditional surrender, and they had to comply. Being amenable to the death penalty for high treason, many of the prisoners employed that day in preparation for it. But such was not to be their fate. The victorious general had a difficult problem to solve. He had in Dajaca over 1,000 prisoners — Mexican officers of all ranks, and foreign Officers and soldiers — and those of Puebla were more numerous, for even leaving out the rank and file, they must have exceeded 600. To shoot them was out of the question, and to set them at liberty, though a magnanimous act, might not meet with the approval of the government. He adopted the latter course. That same day he issued a general order to the military commandants to release all the prisoners, who were to remain for the time under