the district of Tlapa toward the end of March 1812, was requested by Brigadier Bonavía, commanding at Oajaca, to keep within call, as the city was in danger, a large force of insurgents having entered the Mizteca country. That trouble being over, he again began his march, when a second detention occurred, caused by the insurgents having besieged Régules at Yanhuitlan. Caldelas was despatched to Régules' aid, but as the insurgents raised the siege and went to Huajuapan, those officers invested that town. March and April having passed, it was too late for the expedition to Tiapa, and Páris, aware that Régules and Caldelas had met at Huajuapan, concluded to take up a position at Ayutla, to watch the departure or flight of Morelos, who on being pursued must go by way of Tlapa if he retreated to the coast of Tecpan. He must pass, too, through Ayutla, and there Páris hoped to place him in check[1] While there, the inhabitants of Chilapa, said to have been intensely loyal to the crown, on hearing of the approach of a royalist party from Ayutla, with the giant Martin Salmeron leading, struck a blow for the royal cause, seizing Francisco Montezuma, the subdelegado, and others of insurgent antecedents, and sent them as prisoners to Páris at Ayutla. Their example was followed at Tixtla, Mochitlan, Petaquillas, Quechultenango, and other neighboring towns; in consequence of which the independent chief Máximo Bravo, finding his position at Chilparicingo untenable, after the artillery and a few muskets had been taken to El Veladero, took refuge at the hacienda of Chichihualco, belonging to his family.[2] Páris placed Captain Manuel del Cerro in command at Chilapa, and Captain Añorve was also ordered there with a force to support him. Both officers at once organized
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PROGRESS OF THE WAR.
