304 SPANISH AMERICA. 



home, after they had pledged their honour 

 not to fight against Buenos-Ayres. In the 

 course, however, of only a few days, they 

 violated this sacred engagement. The roy- 

 alist general, Truxillo, in a despatch to the 

 Viceroy of Mexico, Venegas, boasted of his 

 having admitted a flag of truce from the 

 patriot army, he being himself at the head 

 of his troops ; the bearers of the flag of 

 truce bore also a banner of the Virgin 

 Mary ; this Truxillo requested ; and having 

 obtained, he gave orders for firing upon the 

 envoys : ''by this means," he said, ** I free 

 myself from them and their proposals." 

 The royalist general, Calleja, entered Gua- 

 naxuato with fire and sword, and massa- 

 cred fourteen thousand old men, women, 

 and children ; and yet, notwithstanding this 

 and other similar acts of Calleja, he was 

 appointed by the Regency of Spain to 

 succeed the Viceroy Venegas. 



