TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
rageous Landero and Andronequi were killed in this action. Very few of his seattered troops returned to Veracruz. Thus we see how a vain and presumptuous man lost an active and powerful force through the most culpable ignorance of all military oper- ations. Audacious without courage, and ready to undertake without knowledge to guide him, he blindly throws himself in the way of danger leaving the consequences to fortune and relying on his physical activity to make the escape which he always succeeds in doing by fleeing at the first sign of danger with a speed which outdoes the wind. After the defeat he said that his first intention was to take the national bridge when: he could, as he believed, detain Calderon and force him to surrender. This was true, but after seeing that Calderon did not attack him at Santa Fe, he changed his pla1_1 and decided to meet at Tolome, resting his hopes of victory not on his own strength, skill or position, but merely on the supposed fear and cowardice of his opponent. Such is the foolish calculation and blind confidence which ignorance inspires. Nor was his first plan any wiser, because if he · had succeeded in taking possession of the national bridge, he would not have gained anything, for it is obvious that Calderon with superior forces would not have surrendered to him, there being no reason for him to do so, and in case of his being prevented from going to J ala p a he could have halted at the bridge and cut Farfulla's communication with Veracruz, thus separating him from his source of supplies. What would the very wise Farfulla have done in such a case? And what would have prevented Calderon from taking Veracruz, now abandoned and exposed? It is obvious that Santa Anna could not have made a move more favorable to the enemy and more fatal t.o himself. Such is the military genius of this general who is such only in name. On arriving at Veracruz Santa Anna's first care was to take active measures for his personal safety. He bought a brigantine and loaded it with everything necessary in order that he might set sail at any moment, nor did he forget to place on board copious sums of m<;mey which he took from the treasury under the pretext of securing it for the aid of the partisans in the int~rior. While he thus occupied him- self the principal authorities, seeing the city undefended, devoted them- selves to organizing a force by enlisting private citizens and forming them into companies. Santa Anna joined in this work as soon as he had completed his preparations to escape in case of an emergency, and due to his activity they soon put up some breastworks to prevent Calderon and his forces from entering the city, but Calderon, who always moved with the stupid sluggishness of a tortoise only reached Veracruz sixteen days after the battle. If, after his victory of the 3rd, the imbecile general had sent two or three hundred mounted men in pursuit of the fugitives, as he should have done, he could have made prisoners of Santa Anna, Arago, Jfexia, Vasquez and all who escaped the action; but Calderon was crazed by his triumph and scarcely knew what he was doing or what he ought to do. Finally, Calderon appeared before the city, and not being able to advance on account of the exterior works which prevented him, he laid siege in due form to the place which he sustained for a considerable length of time without much honor to himself or damage to the enemy. Several attempts were made to take the place by storm, but without
Powered by FlippingBook