100 ITS FORTIFICATIONS, ETC. 
which are supplied with water raised by mule 
power, from wells among the adjacent hills. 
From these the city is chiefly furnished with 
water. 
I have already mentioned, that General 
Santa Anna was at this time marching against 
Zacatecas with a large force. It may be re- 
membered that after the General’s accession - 
to the supreme authority of Mexico (upon 
the establishment of Centralismo), he deemed 
it expedient to issue a decree abolishing the 
state militia, known as Civicos, as being dan- 
gerous to the liberties of ——the dictador, Za- 
catecas, so far from obeying this despotic man- 
date, publicly called on the Civicos to defend 
their rights, and Santa Anna was now de- 
scending upon them with an army double 
that which the city could raise, to enforce their 
obedignce. The Zacatecanos, however, were 
not idfe The militia was pouring in from 
the surrounding villages, and a degree of en- 
thusiasm prevailed throughout the city, which 
seemed to be the presage of a successful de- 
fence. In fact, the city itself, besides being 
from its location almost impregnable, was 
completely protected by artificial fortifications. 
The only accessible point was by the main 
road, which led from the south immediately up 
the narrow valley of the ravine. Across this 
commanded by a bastion upon the hillsi 
above, whence a hundred men well supplied 
with arms and ammunition, might easily cut 
