Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-06-25

warfare well suited to the wild habits of tie
natives, and at the same time, calculated 10
baiie all pursuit. The instant a blow was
| struck, general dispersion followed: IN tire
event OF failure, rendezvous was fixed for
some distant point and thus losses were often
repaired, before il was known in the capitai
that they had been sustained at all. Nor were
Victoria's exploits confined to his desultoly
wariareS in 1915, he detained a CONVOY Of 81.
thousand mules, escorted by two thousand
men, under the command Of Colonel Aguu,
at Pucnte del Rey, a pass, the natural strength
OF which, the insurgents had increased, BY
placing artillery upon the beigbts by which It
rs commanded; nor did il reach Vera Cruz for
upwards OF six months. The ne cessity of keen
ing the channel Of communication with En-
rope open, induced CaIleja, in December 1915,
TO lntrust the chief command, both civil and
military, ofthe province of Vera Cruz, 10 Don
Fernando Miyares, (an officer Of high rank
and distinguished attainments, recently arri,
we'd from Spain,) for the special purpose Of es-
tabllshing chain Of fortified posts, on tho
whole ascent to TIE Tablelsnd, sufficiently
strong to curb Victora's incursions. The ex-
ecution OF tins plan was preceded md accom-.
panied by series of actions between the in
surgents and royalis.s, in the course Of mhich
Mlyares gradually droveVictoria from his strong
holds at Puente del Rey, and Puente de Sar
Juan (SepteInber 1859 and although the lat
ter maintained the unequal struggle for up.
wards OF TWO years, he never was able 10 OBJ
tain any decisive advantage o, er the reinforce
ments which the government was continually
sending TO the scat Of war Two thousand
European troops landed with Miyarcs, one tho..-
sand more wi h Apodaca, lin 1861 and not
"Hhsfandng the desperate efforts OF Victoria's
men, Their courage was Of no avail against the
superior discipline and arms Of Their adverse
ries. In the course Of the wear 1916, most Of
the old soldiers fell; those by whom he repla-
ced them, had neither the same enthusiasm
nor the same alta achmcnt to his person. The
zeal with which the inhabitants had engaged
IN the cause Of the revolution, was worn out.
with each reverse their discouragemchi IN
creased; and, as the disastrous accounts from,
the interior 'cit them but tile hope OF bring
ing the contest To a favourable issue, the VII
lagos refused 10 furnish any further SUPPLIES,
the last remnant Of Victoria Is followers desert
ed ann, and he was left absolutely alone
Stll hls courage was unsu. dued, and hi. reso.
luton not TO yield, on any terms, 20 the 81 H.
Iarcs, unsllakcn. Tie refused The rank and re-
wards which ApOdaca profiered as the price OF
MS submission, and determined TO seek an asy.
lum in the solitude Of the forests, rather than
accept the induro, on the faith Of which, &c
many OF the insurgents yielded up their arne.
ms extraordinary PROJECT was carried into ex.
ecu'ion with a dccis on highly chara cterstic or
the man. Unacconl panied by single aiten-
dan', and provided only with a little linen
and sword, Victoria threw himself into the
mountainous district which couples 70 larpe q
portion OF the province of Vera Cruz, and dis
appeared from the eyes Of liis countryr,en -
iis after history Is so extremely wild, -lat
shouin hardly venture 10 relate ii here do not
t"e unanimous evidence Of his countrymcn GOA
..rm the story OF his suflerngs, as have oit,-
heard 1t from his own mouth. During ne la.
lew weeks, Victoria was supplied with prove
ions by the Indians who all knew and re ttpcci-
cd hls name; but Apodaca was so apprehen-
slve that lac would again emerge from his re
Ireat, That thousand mcn were ordered our
III small deiachments, literally 10 hunt hin,
down. Wherever il was discovered that a VII
iage had received him, or releyed his wants
1t was burnt without mercy; and this IiroL,
struck the Indians with such terror, that they
either He'd at the sight of Victoria, or were tie
nrt 10 dcnoHnce the approach Of a man whose
presence nIieht prove so fatal 10 the,n For
lpwar1s OF SIX months he was followed like
VIA beast by ms pursuers, who were often 80
near hrn, that he could hear their impreca
cations against himself, and Apoda cha too,
Tor having condemned them 10 so ffuitlesse
search. On one occasion, he escaped a Ge4
iachment, which he fell in with uneapc cte6ly,
by swimming river, whirh they were unabls
10 cross and on severa! others, he concealed
Amseli, when IN the immediate vicinity Of tiiv
oyal troops, beneath the thick shrubs and
rreepers with which the woods of Vera Gre;
abound. Al last story was made up, IN sat-,
sly the viceroy, of body having been found,
which had been recognized as that of Victo4
IA minute description was given of his
Do, son, which was inserted olh caIly ~ the Ga,
ct;e OF Mexico, and the troops were cailcd ic
more pressing labours in the Interim Bu
J Ficioria 8 trials did not cease with the rurs,i
arrassed and worn out bv tie iatieues which
c had undergone, his clothes torn to piece.
nd his 'ody iascera,cd by the ,horny under
iood OF the tropics, he was indeed al!owsd
ttio tranquility, but bis suiierings were aln,us'
lcrcdibie: during the summer nc managed ~
Ib"lst upon the fruits Of which nature is 81
iNHh ~ those climates; but in winter he was
tionuated by hunger, and have hoard hiir
speaiedly o!irm, that 10 rcpas; has aiiordc6
IN 80 much pleasure since, as he experience
iter beng long deprived Of food, in gnawInc
nc bones "i horses, or other animals. that hc
appenes 10 find dead in the woods. By uc.
recs he accustomed himself TO such absii
encc, that he could ,cmain four, and ever
We days, without tasting any thing but wat,-
hhoni experiencing any serious inconven-
nee; but whenever he was deprived of s,,-ic-
nnce i"r longer period, his suflerings yc,c
'ry acute. For thirty months he nevcs tasi-
bread, nor saw human being, nor tholrht
tunes, ever 10, sec one again His cloth,s
etc reduced 10 single wrapper Of cotton.
hi"b he found one day, when driven by hur-
r, he had approached nearer thar usrsl ~
mo Indian huis, and this he rcgnrtcd as ~
esiiniable treasure. The mode IN whnh
Ictoria, cu' oil, as he was, from all con,n,d.
cation with the world received in, ,aoncc
the revolution of 1921, is hardly lees exfr.-
dinarv than the Il. "a of b,s n. v;n,, ~, ,t.ft