Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/802

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DETHRONEMENT AND DEATH OF ITURBIDE.

While these events were occupying the capital, affairs of no less moment were going on in Vera Cruz. Santa Anna's arbitrary proceedings were exciting comment. There was insubordination in his ranks, and defalcations in the regimental chest.^[1] Luaces, the captain general of the provinces of Puebla, Vera Cruz, and Oajaca, had retired on account of failing health,^[2] and the brigadier José Antonio Echávarri was appointed to succeed him. It appears that Santa Anna had informed the government that he was devising a scheme to obtain possession of Fort Ulúa, and Echávarri was ordered to march from Jalapa to Vera Cruz, where he arrived on the 25th of October. Dávila had been relieved^[3] by Brigadier Francisco Lemaur, and Santa Anna conceived the plan of gaining possession-of the fort by surprising it under cover of a feigned surrender of Vera Cruz to the new commander.^[4] He therefore made overtures to Lemaur, and it was arranged between them that the Spaniards should take possession of the fortifications on the night of the 26th of October. Echávarri, informed on his arrival by Santa Anna of the scheme now ripe for execution, gave his consent to it. Leaving the final dispositions to the management of Santa Anna, and accompanied only by Pedro Velez, Colonel Gregorio Arana, and a guard of about a dozen

vately informed by certain deputies that the congress had these particular funds in view. Iturbide, Manifesto, 56-8.

↑ Iturbide says: 'Unidas las repetidas quejas que tenia contra Santa Anna del anterior capitan general, de la deputacion provincial, del consulado, de muchos vecinos en particular, como del teniente coronel del cuerpo que mandaba, y de varios oficiales. . .me ví en la necesidad de separarlo del mando.' Id., 49. See also Álvarez, Santa-Anna, hasta 1822, 7.
↑ He died shortly after at Tehuacan. Alaman, Hist. Méj., v. 069.
↑ He returned to Spain, and was rewarded for his loyalty by being appointed governor of the real alcázar de Sevilla, one of the best appointments in the kingdom, and which he retained till his death. Id., v. 671.
↑ Santa Anna had been previously frustrated in an attempt to bribe the garrison of the fortress of Ulúa. His present plan was that Lemaur should send, on the night of Oct. 26th, detachments to take possession of the fortifications of Vera Cruz, which were to be surrendered without resistance. The Spaniards were then to be overpowered, and Mexican troops, dressed in the uniforms taken from them, were to proceed to Fort Ulúa in the launches on which the Spaniards had arrived, and under cover of the darkness and disguise gain possession of it. Bustamante, Cuad. Hint., vi. carta 5^a, 107-13.

[1] Iturbide says: 'Unidas las repetidas quejas que tenia contra Santa Anna del anterior capitan general, de la deputacion provincial, del consulado, de muchos vecinos en particular, como del teniente coronel del cuerpo que mandaba, y de varios oficiales. . .me ví en la necesidad de separarlo del mando.' Id., 49. See also Álvarez, Santa-Anna, hasta 1822, 7.

[2] He died shortly after at Tehuacan. Alaman, Hist. Méj., v. 069.

[3] He returned to Spain, and was rewarded for his loyalty by being appointed governor of the real alcázar de Sevilla, one of the best appointments in the kingdom, and which he retained till his death. Id., v. 671.

[4] Santa Anna had been previously frustrated in an attempt to bribe the garrison of the fortress of Ulúa. His present plan was that Lemaur should send, on the night of Oct. 26th, detachments to take possession of the fortifications of Vera Cruz, which were to be surrendered without resistance. The Spaniards were then to be overpowered, and Mexican troops, dressed in the uniforms taken from them, were to proceed to Fort Ulúa in the launches on which the Spaniards had arrived, and under cover of the darkness and disguise gain possession of it. Bustamante, Cuad. Hint., vi. carta 5^a, 107-13.

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