Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/229

MEXICO. 191 general proscription : the hospital in which they lay was fired at all the four corners at once, and those who attempted to escape the flames, were bayoneted as soon as they reached the square without : the few prisoners to whom the soldiers had given quarter in the first instance, were compelled to de- molish the works of the fort, and then shot. Amongst them was Colonel Noboa, Mina's second in command, and two other officers, who had been in all his actions. The fort of JauxTlla had been invested before the fall of Los Remedies, (15th December, 1817?) by a detachment of Linan's army, commanded by Colonel Aguirre. The defence, conducted principally by two of Mina's officers, Lawrence Christie and James Dewers, was maintained with spirit until the first week in March, 1818, when the two Americans were treacherously seized by the Creole Commandant, Lopez de Lara, and delivered over bound, as a peace offering, to Aguirre. To his honour, be it said, that he was so disgusted with the perfidy of Lara, that he exerted his whole influence with the Viceroy, in order to obtain the pardon of the Ame- ricans, and succeeded. Of all those who fell into the hands of the Spaniards, they alone were spared. The fortress surrendered on the 6th of March, 1818, and with it the Insurgents lost their last strong-hold in the centre of the country. The members of the Government escaped, before the place was fully invested, and sought a refuge in Guerrero's camp, in the Tierra Caliente of Valladolid. This was soon the only place in which even a shadow of re- sistance was kept up. The tyranny of Torres, which seemed to increase with his misfortunes, became intolerable to his associates in the Baxio, and urged by their remonstrances, the Government deprived him of his commission, as General- in-chief, with which they invested Colonel Arago, who, in conjunction with Don Andres Delgado, (better known under the name of El Giro,) endeavoured to compel Torres to submission.