275
PAPEns OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
effect. The most vigorous noteworthy attack was made on the 12th of l\fay when they threw three hundred bombs into the city killing one woman and wounding two men. The siege continued until the middle of June when Calderon was compelled to raise it as a result of the sickness from which his troops were suffering. He then left for J alapa. Santa Anna with a small force left in pursuit of him, but with less impetuosity than on the former occasion, and allowed him to reach Jalapa without attacking him. ~nowing that Rincon held the nationaJ bridge with 700 men he forded the Antigua River and travelled toward Jalapa; but on receiving news that his enemies had left that city in search of him he halted at the Encero enclosure where he suddenly found himself surrounded by the combined forces of Facio, Calderon and Rincon. This is another of the infinite examples of his absolute lack of common sense in military matters, in forcing himself into dan- gerous situations without properly considering the means of escape from them. And how did he extricate himself from the present diffi- culty? We shall now see. We scarcely believed it possible that Santa Anna could again de- ceive Calderon who had been a witness on so many occasions to the superlative power which that villain possessed in the art of lying. He should have known that Santa Anna had never respected and never would respect an agreement of honor; that he had destroyed all such agreements that he had ever made and would continue doing so as long as he could benefit himself by some advantage in that manner. · To trust him again with this knowledge of his character shows a_ type of foolishness which almost approaches idiocy. Seeing himself sur- rounded by his enemies without any possibility of escape, Santa Anna reverted to his customary tactics, requesting an interview, making him- self out the repentant, and promising to comply with all that should be demanded of him. He had an interview with Facio and Calderon, and found no difficulty in obtaining from these two foolish men the following agreement;, to wit: that Santa Anna be permitted to return to Veracruz with his forces, and that from there he should send com- missioners who would interview Facio and Calderon for the purpose of making a treaty to end the struggle and avoid the shedding of blood. These commissioners should meet at the national bridge, which, in the meantime, should be occupied by neither of the belligerent parties. According to this agreement Santa Anna returned to Veracruz, but without the least intention of keeping any of his promises. The first thing he did on his return to Veracruz was to prepare a force sufficient to take poss.ession of the national bridge and to send commissioners and money to Cordova, Orizaba and· others places for the purpose of getting them to assist him in occupying the bridge and to join him in a war against Facio a:nd Calderon, from whose claws he had just escaped by the means already known to the reader. For the purpose of obtaining possession of the bridge he sent his commissioners, according to agreement, taking the precaution, however, of going with them in order to interview those of the other side; but in the nego- tiation, which he attended in person, he made proposals so deprived of. reason and order, that the meE:Jting dissolved without accomplishing anything. This was what Santa Anna wanted to happen, and using
Powered by FlippingBook