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VILLAGRAN DISCOMFITED.
431

lessly persecuted the latter, and Cura Correa, who for his gallantry had been promoted to mariscal de campo, had to flee to Nopala, and thence to Chapa de Mota. From this time the Villagranes were again masters of the whole country extending from San Juan del Rio and Cuesta de Tula to the sierra de Zimapan; from which we must conclude that the elder, who had been supposed to disapprove of his son's course on the 22d of October, had taken no pains to check his unjustifiable career.[1] The younger, however, in due time thought over the matter, and

Seat of War.

concluding that nothing was to be gained by going counter to recognized authority sought reconciliation through the agency of two clergymen.[2] To this Rayon was well disposed; but he answered that Villagran's future good conduct would be accepted as his.

  1. Rayon's secretary, at the time that both father and son were given high military rank, recorded that they were rewarded for good service rendered the national cause in the north; now El Chito was called an 'alevoso, ingrato á los beneficios recibidos,' who had acted as he did 'para entregarse sin estorbo á su libertinaje, arbitrariedad y escesos con que ha desolado estos contornos.' Diario de Operac., in Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., v. 614, 623; Mendíbil, Resúmen Hist., 161-2; Alaman, Hist. Méj., iii. 348-51.
  2. The secretary says the priests made a warm intercession. Diario de Operac., in Hernandez y Dávalos, Col. Doc., v. 629-30.