CHAPTER II. 

 1810 — 1816. 



VENEGAS VICEROY. RAYON. JUNTA IN 1811 ITS WILLING- 

 NESS TO RECEIVE FERDINAND VII. PROCLAMATION BY THE 



JUNTA MORELOS. ACAPULCO TAKEN SUCCESSES OF THE 



INSURGENTS. SIEGE OF CUAUTLA IZUCAR ORIZABA 



OAXACA CHILPANZINGO. CALLEJA VICEROY ITURBIDE. 



REVERSES OF INSURGENTS — MORELOS SHOT. 



Lieutenant General Don Francisco Xavier Venegas, 

 LIX. Viceroy of New Spain. 

 1810 — 1813. 



After Hidalgo's death the country was for a considerable 

 time involved in a guerilla warfare which extended throughout the 

 whole territory of Mexico, to the provincas internas of the north 

 Rayon assumed command of the fragments of Hidalgo's forces at 

 Saltillo and retired to Zacatecas, but he had no command, or in- 

 deed authority, except over his own men. The whole country was 

 in ferment. The valley of Mexico was full of eager partisans, who 

 lazo'd the sentinels even at the gates of the town ; yet, in all the 

 chief cities, the viceroy's authority was still permanently acknow- 

 ledged. 



Men of reflection immediately saw that the cause of liberation 

 would be lost, if, amid all these elements of boiling discontent, 

 there was no unity of opinion and action. The materials of success 

 were ample throughout the nation ; but they required organization 

 under men in whose judgment and bravery the insurgent masses 

 could rely. 



Such were the opinions of Rayon and his friends, who, in May, 

 1811, occupied Zitacuaro, when on the 10th of the following Sep- 

 tember, they assembled a Junta, or, central government, composed 

 of five members chosen by a large body of the most respectable 

 landed proprietors in the neighborhood, in conjunction with the 

 Ayuntamiento and inhabitants of the town. 



The doctrines of this Junta were liberal, but they maintained a 

 close intimacy with Spain, and even admitted the people's willing- 

 ness to receive Ferdinand VJT. as sovereign of Mexico provided he 



