on Allende the rank of captain-general; Aldama, Ballerza, Jimenez, and Joaquin Arias being appointed lieutenant-generals. From Acámbaro the generalísimo directed his march by way of Maravatío, Tepetongo, and Ixtlahuaca, and rapidly approached the capital.
When intelligence was received in Mexico of Hidalgo's coming, Venegas laid his plans to oppose him. He had already at his disposal forces amounting to 7,000 men,[1] and despatched Lieutenant-colonel Torcuato Trujillo with a portion of them to watch Hidalgo's movements, and, if possible, arrest his advance.[2] Trujillo had accompanied Venegas from Spain, and the viceroy, who as yet had but little confidence in Mexican commanders in spite of their protestations, deemed it prudent to place one of his own men at the head of so important an undertaking. It was not altogether a happy choice. Trujillo, indeed, was faithful enough; but he had one fault, he was a fool. Conceited, shallow-headed, he soon succeeded in exciting the profound disgust of all around him. As a man, his followers hated him; as a soldier, they held him in contempt. His conduct as a military com-
- ↑ Bustamante says the force consisted of the infantry regiment of New Spain, a battalion of infantry of Mexico, another called the Cuahutitlan battalion, a battalion del fijo de México, the provincial militia regiment of Puebla, the city bakers' dragoons, two infantry battalions of merchants, three of the patriots of Fernando VII., a section of artillery, in addition to the veteran artillery, a troop of cavalry of the patriots, the militia infantry regiment of Toluca, and the Tulancingo, and various other pickets—in all 7,000 men. Cuad. Hist., i. 76.
- ↑ The forces placed under Trujillo's command were the infantry regiment of Tres Villas, which had lately arrived, a battalion of the provincial militia of Mexico, and a portion of the dragoons of Spain. These were afterward reenforced by 50 volunteers with two cannon, commanded by Juan Bautista de Ustariz, a lieutenant of the navy, and about 330 men drawn from the haciendas of Yermo and a Mexican named Manzano. Authors differ as to the total number. Alaman, Hist. Mej., i. 475, states that it barely reached 1,400; the author of Insurrec. Resum. Hist., 9, makes it amount to 2,000; Mora, Mex. y sus Rev., iv. 73, raises it to 2, 500; while Torrente, Hist. Rev. Hisp. Am., i. 151, places the number at about 1,200. Guerra makes it 1,500. Hist. Rev. N. Esp., i. 325. Negrete considers that the number may be safely estimated at 2,500. Hist. Mil. Sig. XIX., i. 354.
one shoulder cord, that on the right. Ib.; Guerra, Hist. Rev. N. Esp., i 305-6; Resum. Hist. Insurr. N. Esp., 8.
