San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-04-12

DlaZ ana q Few Officers maze tnelr
escape and repaired to the City OF
Mexico.
Soon after President Juarez evac-
uated the City OF Mexico. But be-
fore doing so he appointed DiaZ
general OF a division, and he at
once repaired to Oaxaca and organ
lied the army OF the east.
Soon after Marshal BaZaine with
$4,000 men and forty-eight pieces
of artillery, attacked Gen. Diaz and
forced him to surrender, and sent
him a prisoner to Puebla. He again
made his escape. Marshal Bazaine
offered $4,000 reward for his cap
ture or.proof OF his death, and Col.
Escamilla, chief OF police of the
city of Izugar, offered $1,000 add
tional. AS soon as he got away
from the French, he gathered
recruits around him and attacked
the enemy wherever he found
them. But soon after that he
gained his greatest triumph, when
with a few men, aud poorly
equipped at that, he gained a great
victory over the Austrians at the
battles OF Miahutlan and Carbo-
marc. In October 1865 he defeated
Gen. Vesoza, at the battle OF Julin-
90, in the state of Puebla. Soon |
after he marched to La Providen-
cha, where Gen. Juan Alvarez gave
him two hundred stand OF arms.
He then marched to Camillipa,
state OF Guerrero, and on the 18th !
of December 1865 he again defeated
Gen. Vesoza, and in March, 1866,
he won the battle OF Penopito, and
Jametepec, in the state Of Oaxaca,
and on the 4th Of the same he de-
feated the imperialists, who were
com manded by Major Cavallos,
at Puebla, and soon after he won
the battle of Nochistlan. The
Hungarian cavalry were COM
manded by Count Guaz. who was
left dead on the battle field.
Soon after Gen. Diaz fought the
battle of Miahuatlan, he captured
1000 muskets, two pieces OF artil.
lery and all the ammunition of
the enemy.
\ From Miahuatlan General Diaz
marched to the city OF Oaxaca, and
while laying siege to the city he
learned that the imperial govern.
ment had sent strong force I'M
der command Of Baron Luker, an
Austrian official, TO the relief OF
the besieged garrison of Oaxaca.
Gen. Diaz went to meet him, and
GU the 18th OF October, 1866, h
met him at Carbonera and( de-
feated him. Gen. Diaz then re-
turned to Oaxaca and forced the
garrison to surrender. The fruit
OF that victory was a large number
OF prisoners, $500 muskets, AZ pieces
of artillery, ammunition and pro-
visions.
On the 1st OF Novemb Der, 1866, he
re-entered his native city, Oaxaca,
and was received by his fellow citi.
zens with open arms and hailed as
their liberator.
But he was not permitted to en-
Joy the society Of his friends very
long, for the enemy of their coun-
try was still in the land destroying
life and property.
AS soon as he recruited his forces
he marched to Puebla and laid
siege to that city and on the End Of
April, 1867, he won the greatest
victory of his life.
Among the prisoners were eleven
generals and three bishops. By
law, all the Mexican officers taken
prisoners were to be shot as trait
ore, and so were the foreigners
who remained afte- the French
ar my had been withdrawn.
Gen. Dlaz presented himself
without guards and politely in
vited them to follow him to the
episcopal palace, where there were
over 600 officials who were making
their confessions, and all knew
what they did, and that they de-
served death. After they reached
the palace, Gen. Diaz called them
all up and addressed them thus:
"Gentlemen, it is very painful to
me it is impossible for me to exc
cute the punishment which the
law imposes, and there is no other
alternative for me but to make
you prisoners; but l remember
my own suffering while prisoner
in the same place, and l wish to
avoid your being put to such
straits. Go, then, you are free; all
that ask OF you is, that you put
yourselves at the disposition OF the
supreme government il you are so
ordered. The nation will pro-
nounce its sentence upon the en-
pire, but it will be indulgent to its
misguided sons"
These humane words had good
effect on the prisoners. The men
who had fought him and tried to
overthrow the republic now
pledged themselves to be his
friends.
Among the prisoners was Col.
Escamilla, the officer already re-
farred Tn as Offering ST. 900 reward