Our Cath<Jlic Heritage in Tc%as
on Zambrano's door. Briefly they told their story while Zambrano dressed. On their way to arrest the leaders of the plot they stopped only long enough to get Ignacio Perez, Miguel de Musquiz, three or four officers of unquestionable loyalty, and a guard of six soldiers. They rushed to Father Arocha's house, summoned witnesses, interrogated the accused, and proved their guilt. The sun had now risen. The troops and militia, unaware of what had occurred in the small hours of the night, were assembling and making ready for their march to the Rio Grande. Zambrano and his companions continued to deliberate whether to put the two padres in prison at Valero with the others, or banish them from the province. To allow them to stay was dangerous, because they were both long-time residents of San Antonio and had many friends who might start trouble while the Junta was away. It was proposed and approved that Chaplain Garza be left a prisoner in San Antonio, but that Father Arocha, the leader and instigator of the new plot, be ordered to accompany the expedition to Laredo. Padre Arocha at first protested, but when he was convinced that he had no alternative, he agreed to go without creating a scene.zs Few among the crowd gathered on Military Plaza to bid farewell to the five hundred setting out for the Rio Grande on March 26 knew of the frustrated attempt at rebellion. Father Arocha marched quietly along with the others. The expedition hurried to Laredo only to find no enemy in sight. The blow at Bajan had been decisive. The Revolution was, for the time being, at an end. The Junta and Zambrano busied themselves feverishly writing letters and reports. For Simon Herrera at Monclova and Don Nemesio in Chihuahua they set down in detail everything that had happened since that eventful March 2, when Casas was overthrown. On the third day a cloud of dust appeared on the horizon. Not knowing whether friends or foes, Indians or rebels were approaching, Zambrano dispatched scouts and readied his men for action. The suspense was finally broken by the scouts' shouting their report that it was only a few soldiers escorting a train of mules packing some thirty or forty cargas {loads) of silver bars. This booty, so unexpectedly and easily taken, Jimenez had sent to Father Salazar and Marshal Aldama by way of Laredo the day he departed from Saltillo. Whatever misgivings the leaders of the expedition had entertained re- garding the means of defraying the expense of their martial enterprise
UParl, Gnural, April 29, 18u, Na&ogdoc/,11 ·,frcM114s.
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