MEXICO. 



635 



was cut off to a man, and the remainder was 

 compelled to retire. This was the severest 

 check which the French received, their loss 

 amounting to several hundred killed and pris- 

 oners, and Gen. Forey was induced, in conse- 

 quence, to suspend further decisive proceedings 

 until the arrival of his heavy siege artillery. 



A few days of comparative inactivity fol- 

 lowed. On the 5th and 6th of May, Comon- 

 fort, with the cooperation of the garrison, en- 

 deavored to throw a convoy of provisions and 

 ammunition into the city, but was driven away 

 with loss ; and on the 8th he was attacked by 

 Gen. Bazaine near San Lorenzo, and completely 

 routed, losing 2,500 men and a considerable 

 part of his artillery and ammunition. His 

 troops retired in a demoralized mass toward 

 Mexico, leaving Puebla to the mercy of the 

 besiegers. On the 16th the latter had their 

 heavy guns in position, and at once opened on 

 Fort Totimihuacan, which was soon breached. 

 An assault was ordered for the same night, 

 and in the midst of the preparations for it Or- 

 tega, now effectually cut off from all reenforce- 

 ments and supplies, sent word to Forey, that 

 if he would permit the garrison to retire with 

 arms, baggage, and artillery, the town would 

 be surrendered. This proposition was rejected, 

 and shortly afterward a flag of truce was sent 

 by Ortega, announcing his unconditional sur- 

 render. Previous to this, the Mexican army 

 had been disbanded, arms of every kind ren- 

 dered unserviceable, and the magazines blown 

 up. About 15,000 men, including 1,000 offi- 

 cers, of whom 23 were generals, fell into the 

 hands of the French. A part were sent to Mar- 

 tinique, 3,000 joined the Mexican contingent 

 under Marquez, and an equal number were em- 

 ployed as laborers on the railroad between 

 Vera Cruz and the city of Mexico. Ortega 

 himself, wtyh a few officers, succeeded in mak- 

 ing his escape. On the 19th, General Forey 

 made his triumphal entrance into Puebla amid 

 a salute of 101 guns, just two months after he 

 had commenced the siege. 



The retreat of Comonfort's disorganized 

 troops upon the capital in a measure prepared 

 the Mexican Government for ttye great calamity 

 which was to follow. "With the fall of Puebla, 

 where was concentrated their best army, and 

 which had been their chosen position for a 

 stand against the invaders, all idea of further 

 resistance in that part of the country ceased. 

 Even had Ortega's troops escaped from Puebla, 

 the capital was untenable against an attack 

 with heavy artillery, and the French, flushed 

 with victory, were capable of overpowering all 

 resistance. Hence Juarez, gathering up the 

 remnant of his troops, and accompanied by 

 Congress and the Government officials, carrying 

 with them the public archives, left Mexico on 

 the 31st for Queretaro, whence he retired to 

 San Luis Potosi, and established there the seat 

 of Government. 



Meanwhile, on May 20th, the French ad- 

 vance under Gen. Bazaine pushed on toward 



the capital, followed some days later by the 

 main body of the army; and on June 10th, 

 Gen. Forey entered the city amidst extrava- 

 gant demonstrations of joy from the Church 

 party, and the resident French population. Im- 

 mediately afterward he published his manifesto 

 to the Mexican people, announcing that his mis- 

 sion had the twofold purpose of making the 

 weight of French arms felt, and of offering 

 Mexico the cooperation of France to assist in 

 establishing a government which should be the 

 result of free choice " a government which 

 shall practise, above all, justice, probity, and 

 good faith in its foreign relations, and liberty 

 at home ; but liberty, as it should be under- 

 stood, walking in the path of order, with re- 

 spect for religion, property, and family." 



He then proceeded to explain the basis 

 upon which the new Government would be es- 

 tablished : no forced loans nor requisitions; 

 property to be under the safeguard of the laws; 

 frauds of public property to be punished ; the 

 army to be formed by recruiting instead of 

 levying; imposts to be proportioned to the 

 condition of the person, and, if possible, certain 

 laws, weighing on the poorest producers, to be 

 abolished ; employes who are guilty of dis- 

 honesty to be removed and punished ; the 

 Catholic religion to be protected, and the 

 bishops reinstated in their dioceses the general 

 believing that the emperor would view with 

 great pleasure liberty of worship proclaimed by 

 the Government; energetic measures to be 

 taken to suppress robbery, and the courts to be 

 organized in such a manner that justice maybe 

 administered honestly and without fraud. " I 

 invoke," he added, "the cooperation of all 

 minds ; I invite all parties to lay down their 

 arms, and employ their efforts in future not in 

 destroying but in constructing. I proclaim 

 forgetfulness of the past, a complete amnesty 

 to all who adhere in good faith to the Govern- 

 ment which the nation, in the full enjoyment 

 of its liberty, may choose. But I declare en- 

 emies of their country those who turn a deaf 

 ear to my conciliatory voice, and I will pursue 

 them wheresoever they may seek refuge." 



Having prepared the way for "regenera- 

 tion " by silencing the public press, he under- 

 took, in conjunction with M. Dubois de Saligny, 

 the French minister, to organize a provisional 

 government. A superior council or junta, com- 

 posed of 35 members, instituted by a decree of 

 June 16th, designated in its turn three Mexican 

 citizens, Gen. Almonte, the Archbishop of 

 Mexico, and Gen. Salas, to whom were in- 

 trusted the executive powers of the Govern- 

 ment ; and the junta itself was divided into 

 sections, each of which took charge of a minis- 

 terial branch of the administration. The same 

 junta subsequently summoned an Assembly of 

 Notables to the number of 215 persons, who 

 were to decide upon a form of government, one 

 half of the members constituting a quorum. 

 Should this body be unable to come to a deci- 

 sion, the junta had power to dissolve them and 



