work, I need not impose upon myself the task of straying so far back. And as the immense combinations of circumstances which led to the first revolution in Mexico have already been so well and ably defined, and must, therefore, be perfectly understood, I can confine myself to a brief sketch, by referring the reader to other authors, such as Humboldt, Brackenridge, Don Carlos Bustamante, Robertson, and Ward, for full and interesting details of those events which led to the establishment of republican institutions in New Spain.

The first Mexican revolution was commenced by Don Miguel Hidalgo, the parish priest of Dolores, who had devoted much of his life to the introduction of the silk-worm, and the establishment of vineyards in the immediate neighbourhood of the village of Dolores, as an example to those among his flock who had ample means to follow it, and so give employment to the poor of his parish. This his laudable design, however, was rendered abortive by a special order from the Spanish Government prohibiting the inhabitants of Mexico from making wine. Hidalgo attributed the promulgation of this prohibition to the unjust interference and undue influence of Europeans. He therefore resolved to avenge an act, which he held, as far as it concerned himself, to be extremely oppressive, and most injurious to the country at large. Accordingly, he consulted with Allende, Abasolo, and Aldana, three creole officers then stationed at Guanaguato, who,

considering the great influence which Hidalgo possessed among the Indians and people of the province generally, and knowing that the whole of Mexico (more particularly the creoles) was ripe for a revolt against the Spaniards, did not hesitate to enter into a conspiracy to overthrow the govern

ment.

Such a conspiracy soon found many other able supporters, and on the 16th of September, 1810, the signal of revolt was given, by imprisoning the Spaniards in the neighbourhood and town of Dolores. On the following day (17th) the insurgents took possession of San Felipe, and on the 18th, of San Miguel el Grande, both towns of considerable importance. Hidalgo next turned his attention to the capital of the province, Guanaguato, which he took, after an obstinate resistance on the part of the royalists, on the 28th of September. The day before the taking of Guanaguato, Hidalgo was elected "captain-general of America," by the general voice of his followers, who, in the short space of twelve days, amounted to about 20,000, and as such he was duly recognized by the ayuntamientos (corporations) of the towns of Celaya and San Miguel, and afterwards by the ayuntamiento of Guanaguato. The property of Spaniards, that had fallen into the hands of the Mexicans up to this period, was here distributed among Hidalgo's troops, a circumstance which led thousands of recruits to join the insurgents. The fall

of Guanaguato filled the Spaniards in the capital with the greatest consternation, which was in some measure appeased by the prompt measures taken by the new viceroy, Don Francisco Xavier Venegas, to quell the insurrection. The first steps taken by Venegas, was to arm the Spaniards, and to order the troops stationed at La Puebla, Orizaba, and Toluca, to march upon the capital, while he despatched all the creoles in the city of Mexico, under the command of the Conde de la Cadena, to join Don Felix Maria Calleja, military commandant of San Luis Potosi, who was ordered to march with all his force in pursuit of the insurgents. Hidalgo, on hearing of the approach of Calleja, hastened his departure from Guanaguato, which he left on the 10th of October, directing his march to Valladolid, of which he took possession without any resistance being made, on the 17th of October. Hidalgo remained only two days in Valladolid, where he was joined by Don Jose Maria Morelos, a priest of Nucupetaro, whom Hidalgo immediately appointed to command in chief on the south-western coast of Mexico. On the 28th the insurgents took possession of Toluca. Here Hidalgo halted for two days, to refresh his troops. On the 30th he marched out of Toluca upon the capital; but on reaching Las Cruces, he met the corps of observation sent by Venegas from the capital, under the command of Colonel Truxillo, and Don Augustin Iturbide, then a lieutenant in the royalist ser

vice, but afterwards Emperor of Mexico. The defeat of this corps by Hidalgo removed every obstacle that stood in the way of the triumphal entry of the insurgents into the capital; but when he reached a position whence he beheld the city of Mexico in all its grandeur, he betrayed considerable emotion; and, like a visionary enthusiast, he seemed from that moment to sink under the weight of an enterprize which originated with himself. Being unable longer to direct the wild elements, which he saw rampant in the 40,000 faces that then stood round his standard, towards the completion of a task for which he had brought those elements into action, he ordered a retreat; thus giving to the world the most undeniable proof of his cowardice, and an advantage to his enemy, which soon after brought him to that ignominy he so justly merited.

Calleja, who had by this time reached Queretaro, on his way to defend the capital, commenced again to pursue Hidalgo, followed by a strong reinforcement from the capital, and succeeded in overtaking the insurgents (who were retreating upon Valladolid) at Aculco, on the 7th of November, when a general engagement took place, and Hidalgo and Allende were driven from the field, leaving 10,000 Indians dead. Hidalgo, with the main body of the insurgents, with difficulty effected a hasty retreat to Valladolid, while the royalists pursued Allende, who retreated to Guanaguato, which being unable

to defend, he evacuated, leaving his partisans, and many of his followers, to provide for their own safety. The mistake which Calleja made, by following Allende instead of Hidalgo, gave the latter time to collect another body of men, sufficient to enable him to take the field; which he did on the 17th, and proceeded to Guadalaxara, where Rayon, one of Hidalgo's chiefs, had raised a large force. On the 24th of November Hidalgo entered the city of Guadalaxara with great pomp, and was received by Rayon with military honours.

Calleja having received another reinforcement from the capital, marched out of Guanaxuato towards the north. On the 16th of January, 1811, he came again in sight of the insurgents, who had fortified the bridge of Calderon, about sixteen leagues from Guadalaxara. Here, on the 17th of January, a general and decisive engagement took place; and, like the former, ended in the defeat of the insurgents. Hidalgo, with several of his chiefs, retreated to Saltillo, with the remnant of their shattered forces, while Rayon volunteered to carry off the military chest from Guadalaxara, which contained 300,000 dollars; this he accomplished, and arrived with it at Saltillo, where he found Hidalgo, Allende, Aldana, and Abasolo, preparing to go to the United States, to purchase supplies to carry on the war. Rayon was appointed to command the insurgents during Hidalgo's absence; but Hidalgo and his companions were made prisoners before