VICTORY OF THE SPANIARDS AT OTUMBA. 



51 



below filled, as far as eye could reach, with the spears and stand- 

 ards of the Aztec victors, whose forces had been augmented by 

 levies from the territory of the neighboring Tezcoco. Cortez pre- 

 sented a sorry array to be launched from the cliffs upon this sea of 

 lances. But he was not the man to tremble or hesitate. He 

 spread out his main body as widely as possible, and guarded the 

 flanks by the twenty horsemen who survived the noche triste, and 

 the disastrous march from Tacuba. He ordered his cavalry not to 

 cast away their lances, but to aim them constantly at the faces of 

 the Indians, whilst the infantry were to thrust and not to strike 

 with their swords ; — the leaders of the enemy were especially to 

 be selected as marks ; and he, finally, bade his men trust in God, 

 who would not permit them to perish by the hands of infidels. 

 The signal was given for the charge. Spaniard and Tlascalan 

 fought hand to hand with the foe. Long and doubtfully the battle 

 raged on both sides, until every Spaniard was wounded. Sud- 

 denly Cortez descried the ensignia of the enemy's commanding 

 general, and knowing that the fortunes of the day, in all proba- 

 bility, depended upon securing or slaying that personage, he 

 commanded Sandoval, Olid, Alvarado, and Avila to follow and 

 support him as he dashed towards the Indian chief. The Aztecs 

 fell back as he rushed on, leaving a lane for the group of galloping 

 cavaliers. Cortez and his companions soon reached the fatal spot, 

 and the conqueror driving his lance through the Aztec leader, left 

 him to be dispatched by Juan de Salamanca. This was the work 

 of a moment. The death of the general struck a panic into the 

 combined forces of Tenochtitlan and Tezcoco, and a promiscuous 

 flight began on all sides. At sunset, on the 8th of July, 1520, 

 the Spaniards were victors on the field of Otumba, and gathering 

 together in an Indian temple, which they found on an eminence 

 overlooking the plain, they offered up a Te Deum for their miracu- 

 lous preservation as well as for the hope with which their success 

 reinspired them. 1 



The next day the invaders quitted their encampment on the battle 

 field and hastened towards the territory of their friends, the 

 Tlascalans. The Spaniards now presented themselves to the 

 rulers of their allies in a different guise from that they wore when 

 they first advanced towards Mexico. Fully equipped, mounted, 

 and furnished with ammunition, they had then compelled the 



1 We nave no accurate estimate of the numbers engaged in this battle, or of the 

 slain. 



