Page:Vol 6 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/72

52 The conservative general Lopez on the 8th of May visited Almonte to tell him that Zuloaga, finding his presidential claims ignored, was endeavoring to prevent his, Almonte's, recognition by the reactionary forces. The latter recognized Almonte, however, and under Marquez and Vicario, started to join him at Orizaba. Marquez on the 18th reported his force at Barranca Seca kept in check by the republicans. The latter under Tapia were signally defeated by the reactionists, aided by a battalion of the French 99th under Major Lefêvre, after which the victors entered Orizaba. This defeat was soon followed by another of one of the brigades under Gonzalez Ortega, surprised in the morning of the 14th of June on the Cerro del Borrego by the French. After which Gonzalez Ortega retreated to Santa María, Zaragoza having failed in an attack on Orizaba, made in ignorance of the affair on the Borrego, abandoned the heights of Acultzingo, and went off to El Ingenio. The Mexican army still had 12,000 men.

The government continued its efforts as best it could to meet the emergencies of the war. Among its measures was the appointment of Ex-president Comonfort, who had been in the country by permission several months, comandante general of Tamaulipas. Vidaurri's attitude, being suspicious, required close watching. The president demanded the contingent of troops and a personal tax from the states. He went to reside at Tacubaya, and accepted, on the 13th of August, the resignation of Doblado, which caused general surprise, for Doblado was regarded as having defeated the European intrigue. He had controlled public affairs during eight months with unlimited powers, as Juarez' minister-general, though some of his acts had met with public disapproval.