The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-24
QUERETAR0.
Maximilian's Generals Review the
Desperate Situation.
THE FAILURE OF MARQUEE Ruins ALL
Heroic Defence by the mperialiStS and
Capture Of Republican Artillery.
SEVENTY DAYS HOPELESS STRUGGLE.
Nocturnal Visit Of Colonel Lopez and His Re-
ported Efforts to Save Macmillan
A ROYAL SWORD SURRENDERED.
Republican Arrangement Of an Imperial In
truder and His Way to the ScaffOld.
AN HISTORIC TRIAL.

L l.
1t is not intended here to follow the progress of the
siege of Queretaro but to lay before the public such
leading features of that memorable struggle are
not generally known. The sources of information
have been ample and the writer has endeavored to
use them to great advantage the limits OF
newspaper article would admit. They are derived
from the official papers of Mr. Juan de Dios Aras Sec
rotary General Escobedo the captor of Maximilian
from the mouths of some Of the foremost public
men in Mexico and from the writer's own knowledge
of the events treated Of
From the 9Th of March, 1867, when the siege was
established in due form. the situation of the i'm
perslsts became critical daily and the action of
the republicans correspondingly daring. until finally
the staff of the former became convinced that the
critical hour for solving the momentous question
had arrived. 1t absolutely necessary to do some
thing decisive, and to this end Generals Miramon,
Meja, Castillo and Arellano drew up plan Of opera
tions which. had it been boldly executed as it was
ably conceived, would doubtless have enabled the
imperaliss to break through the besieging lines and
make for Mexico. Morelia Leon. The document
drawn up by these leading imperalists, before
published in English, will be found worthy Of perusal.
1t says:--
REMARKABLE IsPERIALIsT PAPER.
The undersigned generals. in compliance with the
supreme resolution of Your Majesty relative to the
report which they should submit touching the con-
dtion Of the defence of this place. well as the
ton that should be adopted in presence OF the stua
in which the imperial army is placed, after hav
ing conscentiousy studied the grave questions just
Indicated have the honor to make manifest the fol-
lowing suggestions to Your Majesty:-
To form exact opinion of the state in which we
md ourselves to-day and cordially resolve what Is
most convenient to do it is necessary to take re-
prospective glance ut the events which preceded the
plan of operations that traced for the army,
that it might face the politco- military situation
80 Ealxr nV1<h n haat sNf
March last The advice of the general staff having
been had when Your Majesty reached Querctaro,
against troops. the Juarists effected conccntra-
ton of their forces without difficulty, thing which
ing them in detail at the time Of their approach
to Queretaro. When the opportunity passed which
was presented by the inex Is OF ,' the
for the imperial arms-battes which
ought to have been delivered against the great rac-
tions of the armed forces Of the Juarsts-and the
opposition of General Marquee tenacious against
attacking the enemy, whereby we could have saved
ourselves the actual. difficult and dangerous situa
ton Immediately created. and the imperial
was reduced to defend itself in this place.
THE MoNARcHIsTs SORE
Once the policy of remaining the defensive
in fact adopted, which would bring, as q necessary
consequence the siege Of this place. the first general
stan or the two which Your Majesty had did not
cupy itself In any Of the preparations indicated by
the rules of the art of war for similar Pro-
cation raised. the defence required. The rich
haciend1s in the approaches to Queretaro, some of
these not five hundred yards from the city, remained
filled with all sorts OF grain. facilitating this
why the commodious subsistence OF the
besieging army. at tho same time that
= long defence which provisions ana forage.
After the general staff Of which speaking
had proceeded in this manner and in eight days
after the Juarist army sighted, it attacked this
place OH the l4th of March with more than 10000
men, but repulsed by the 5000 Of the three arms
which then composed our troops
The faults of the staff caused 1t to be thought
by some the 10th of March that the situation in
longer time and weak characters or those easily
frightened yentured to propose to Your Majesty re-
artillery and abandoning the trains. The
indications in this direction went so far
a capitulation with the enemy. Your Majestys
energy and dignity, your heroic resolution to combat
in favor OF the national salvation, and your faith in
the triumph of cause which is that OF social order
and the independence OF Mexico influenced you to
submit the matter to the resolution of council of
war; celebrated on the same 10th of March, with alb
solute liberty ana without Your Majesty's being
present while tho deliberations lasted. The council
resolved to continue the defence OF ueretaro with
more vigor than 1t had been conducted up to that
time; that the place should be conveniently fortified
ard that establishments for the construction OF war
material should be established which offered to
be inproviscd, and which done in such man.
ncr as enabled the army to count upon much am
Munition as It would need for long time.
MARQUEE Az LIEUrESASr EMPIRE.
Your Majesty was pleased to approve Of the opin-
General Leonardo Marquee Lieutenant of the En-
pire. he being ut that time chief of the general STAFF
granting him in his new capacity full powers to
this place in company with General vidaurr who
had been appointed Secretary OF the Treasury and
President OF the Cabinet. leaving here on tine 22d of
March, escorted by 800 horses. with the principal
mission of returning to aid Queretaro with the
largest number of troops that would be possible
10 concentrate.
The undersigned chief of the general STAFF by
Your Majesty's will replaced General Marquee. The
untiersigned chief of the infantry army
corps commenced, with the previous authorization
OF Your Majesty. to engage the enemy. making
frequent sorties against the bcsegng army, which
have proved be many triunphs tor the imperial
The raids on the San Juanico road aud on
of Ceaya practsed the 22d and Odd of March,
procured forage and provisions and gained some
time for the army. The surprise OF the Nth OF
April OF that portion of the troops which cover the
line fronting san Gregorio gained great number OF
prisoners and two mountain howitzers taken from
tho enemy Tho sortie of the 25th OF April against
the approaches the west and east OF the city cost
the bcsiegcrs great portion the Battalion Suprenas
Ioderes. who were taken prisoners. The attack OF
Cimatcrio constituted q complete victory, In which
5000 men of the imperial army defeated seventeen
yuarist battalions, whose total force came up TO
10000 taking from them in this glorious deed OF arms
q pieces OF artillery. 600 prisoners provisions. for.
age, equipments sc. The sortie of the LIST Of May
road to Mexico, effected after the former had
been battered in breach by General Arel-
lano. resulted in the dslodgement of the
enemy from that hacienda and In causing him inn
portant losses at the Mexican tollgate Lastly. the
attack of the ID Of May against the Cerro dc San Gre
gorio, which 1t was necessary to suspend after hav
Ing disodgcd the enemy from his positions, on ac
count of the favorable that through
tho Juarist prisoners, which assured OF the
arrival OF General Marquee to succor tho place. All
this Sire. has put barrier to tho beseger ipctu
osity. reducing him to critical position, In which
lie has everything to hope for from time. but
nothing from the power of his troops.
THE RErUBficASs NARROWING THE CIRCLE.
The Juarist army, on its part after being repulscd
on the i4th OF March remained In its positions be-
scging Queretaro; but. reinforced by 10000 addi-
tiona men, attacked the city the Gath OF the
month. bringing some sixteen thousand men into
notion against our line on the south Your Majesty
saw the valor and enthusiasm with which our roops
rcturncd TO rcpulsc this formidable push of the be-