Les scalpeurs blancs. English. Page 5

  CHAPTER III.

  THE RETREAT.

  After this frankly expressed opinion there was a rather lengthenedsilence, and the Colonel was the first to resume the conversation.

  "General," he went on, "you evidently know nothing of the events thathave occurred during the last four and twenty hours."

  "How could I know anything? These demons of insurgents have organisedGuerillas, who hold the country and so thoroughly intercept thecommunications, that out of twenty spies I have sent out, not one hasreturned."

  "And not one will return, be assured."

  "What is to be done, then?"

  "Do you really wish for my advice, General?"

  "On my honour, I desire to know your real opinion; for you are the onlyone among us, I fancy, who really knows what is going on."

  "I am aware of it. Listen to me, then, and do not feel astonished atanything you may hear, for all is positively true. The information I amabout to have the honour of communicating to you was given me, by theJaguar himself, scarce three hours back, at the Salto del Frayle,whither he invited me to come to converse about some matters in no wayconnected with politics."

  "Very good," the General remarked, with a slight smile. "Go on, I amlistening to you with the deepest attention."

  The Colonel felt himself blush under his chief's slightly ironicalsmile; still he recovered himself, and continued--

  "In two words, this is our position: while a few bold men, aided by aprivateer brig under the American flag, carried by surprise the_Libertad_--"

  "One of the finest ships in our navy!" the General interrupted, with asigh.

  "Yes, General, but unhappily it is now an accomplished fact. While thiswas taking place, other insurgents, commanded by the Jaguar in person,got into the Fort of the Point, and carried it almost without a blow."

  "But what you tell me is impossible!" the old soldier interrupted with aburst of passion.

  "I tell you nothing that is not rigorously true, General."

  "The vague rumours that have reached me, led me to suppose that theinsurgents had dealt us a fresh blow but I was far from suspecting sucha frightful catastrophe."

  "I swear to you, on my honour, as, a soldier, General, that I only tellyou the most rigid truth:"

  "I believe you, my friend, for I know how brave and worthy of confidenceyou are. Still, the news you give me is so frightful, that, in spite ofmyself, I should like to be able to doubt it."

  "Unhappily, that is impossible."

  The General, suffering from a fury which was the more terrible as it wasconcentrated, walked up and down the room, clenching his fists, andmuttering broken sentences. The Colonel looked after him sadly, notdreaming of offering him any of those conventional consolations which,far from offering any relief to pain, only render it sharper and morepoignant. At the end of some minutes, the General succeeded so far inmastering his emotion as to draw back to his heart the annoyance hefelt. He sat down again by the Colonel's side, and took his hand kindly.

  "You have not yet given me your advice," he said with a ghost of asmile.

  "If you really insist on my speaking, I will do so, General," the youngman answered, "though I am convinced beforehand that our ideas areabsolutely similar on this question."

  "That is probable. Still, my dear Colonel, the opinion of a man of yourmerits is always precious, and I should be curious to know if I reallyagree with you."

  "Be it so, General. This is what I think: we have but insufficientforces to sustain an assault effectively. The town is very badlydisposed toward us: I am convinced that it only wants an opportunity torise and make common cause with the insurgents. On the other hand, itwould be a signal act of folly to shut ourselves up in a town with anissue, where we should be forced to surrender--an indelible stain forthe Mexican army. For the present, we have no succour to expect from thegovernment of Mexico, which is too much engaged in defending itselfagainst the ambitious men of every description who hold it continuallyin check, to dream of coming effectively to our assistance, either bysending us reinforcements, or carrying out a diversion in our favour."

  "What you say is unfortunately only too true; we are reduced to reckonon ourselves alone."

  "Now, if we obstinately shut ourselves up in the town, it is evident tome that we shall be compelled eventually to surrender. As the insurgentsare masters of the sea, it is a mere question of time. On the otherhand, if we quit it of our free will, the position will be singularlysimplified."

  "But, in that case, we shall be compelled to treat with thesescoundrels?"

  "I thought so for an instant; but I believe we can easily avoid thatmisfortune."

  "In what way? speak, speak, my friend."

  "The flag of truce the insurgents send you, will not arrive at thecabildo till nine in the morning; what prevents you, General,evacuating the town, ere he makes his appearance?"

  "Hum!" said the General, growing more and more attentive to the youngman's remarks. "Then you propose flight to me?"

  "Not at all," the Colonel retorted; "remember, General, that theposition is admitted, that in war, recoiling is not flying. If we renderourselves masters of the country by leaving the town to the insurgents,by this skilful retreat we place them in the difficult position in whichwe are today. In the open plains, and through our discipline, we shallbe enabled to hold our own against a force four times our strength,which would not be possible here; then, when we have obtained thosereinforcements Santa Anna will probably himself bring us ere long, wewill re-enter Galveston, which the insurgents will not attempt to defendagainst us. Such is my opinion, General, and the plan I should adopt,had I the honour to be Governor of this State."

  "Yes," the General answered, "the advice you offer would have somechance of success, were it possible to follow it. Unluckily, it would bemadness to reckon on Santa Anna's support: he would allow us to becrushed, not perhaps of his own will, but compelled by circumstances,and impeded by the constant obstacles the Senate creates for him."

  "I cannot share your opinion on that point, General; be well assuredthat the Senate, ill-disposed though it may be to the President of theRepublic, is no more desirous to lose Texas than he is. Besides, underthe present circumstances, we must make a virtue of necessity; it wouldbe great madness for us to await here the enemy's attack."

  The General seemed to hesitate for some minutes, then, suddenly forminga determination, he rang a bell. An aide-de-camp appeared.

  "Let all the general officers assemble here within half an hour," hesaid. "Begone."

  The aide-de-camp bowed, and left the room.

  "You wish it," the General continued, turning to the Colonel; "well, beit so. I consent to follow your advice. Besides, it is, perhaps, theonly chance of safety left us at this moment."

  In Europe, where we are accustomed to see great masses of men come incontact on the field of battle, it would cause a smile to hear the nameof army given to what, among us, would not even be a regiment. But wemust bear in mind that the new world, excepting North America, is verysparely populated; the inhabitants are scattered over immense districts,and the most imposing regular forces rarely attain the number of five orsix thousand men. An army is usually composed of fifteen to eighteenhundred troops, all told, infantry, cavalry, and artillery. And whatsoldiers! ignorant, badly paid, badly armed, only half obeying theirChiefs, whom they know to be as ignorant as themselves, and in whom theynaturally have not the slightest confidence.

  In Mexico, the military profession, far from being honoured as it is inEurope, is, on the contrary, despised, so that the officers and soldiersare generally blemished men to whom every other career would be closed.The officers, with a few honourable exceptions, are men ruined by debtand in reputation, whose ignorance of their profession is so great, thatone of our sergeants could give them lessons. As for the soldiers, theyare only recruited among the leperos, thieves, and assassins. Hence thearmy is a real scourge for the country. It is the army that makes andunmakes the Governments, which suc
ceed each other with perfectlyheadlong rapidity in Mexico; for, since its pretended emancipation, thisunhappy country has witnessed nearly three hundred pronunciamentos, allorganised in the army, and carried through for the benefit of theofficers, whose only object is to be promoted.

  Still, what we say is not absolute. We have known several Mexicanofficers, highly educated and honourable men; unluckily their number isso limited, that they are impotent to remedy the evil, and areconstrained to put up with what they cannot prevent. General Rubio wasundeniably one of the most honourable officers in the Mexican army.Still, we have seen that he did not hesitate to plunder the very personswhom his duty obliged him to protect against all annoyance. My readerscan judge by this example, selected from a thousand, what tricks theother Generals play.

  The corps d'armee placed under the command of General Rubio, and shut upwith him in Galveston, only amounted to nine hundred and fifty officersand men, to whom might be found at a given signal some three hundredlanceros scattered in little posts of observation along the coast.Though incapable of effectually defending the town, this force, welldirected, might hold in check for a long time the worse armed, andcertainly worse disciplined insurgents.

  The General had rapidly seen the value of the Colonel's advice. The planthe latter proposed was, in truth, the only practicable one, and hencehe accepted it at once. Still, it was necessary to act with vigour; thesun was rising, and the coming day was Sunday; hence it was importantthat the army should have evacuated the town before the end of mass,that is to say, eleven in the morning, for the following reason:

  In all the slave states, and especially in Texas, a strange customexists, reminding us distantly of the Lupercalia of ancient Rome. On aSunday masters grant their slaves entire liberty; one day in seven iscertainly not much; but it is a great deal for the Southern States,where slavery is so sternly and strictly established. These poor slaves,who seek compensation for six days of hard servitude, enjoy withchildish delight their few holiday hours: not caring a whit for thetorrid heat that transforms the streets into perfect ovens, they spreadover the town singing, dancing, or galloping at full speed in cartsbelonging to their masters which they have appropriated. On this day thetown belongs to them, they behave almost as they please, no oneinterfering or trying to check their frolic.

  General Rubio rightly feared lest the merchants of Galveston, whom hehad so cleverly compelled to disgorge, might try to take their revengeby exciting the slaves to mutiny against the Mexicans, and they wouldprobably be ready enough to do so, delighted at finding a pretext fordisorder, without troubling themselves further as to the more or lessgrave results of their mutiny. Hence, while his aide-de-camp performedthe commission he had entrusted to him, General Rubio ordered ColonelMelendez to take with him all the soldiers on duty at the Cabildo, placehimself at their head, and seize the requisite number of boats for thetransport of the troops to the main land.

  This order was not difficult to execute. The Colonel, without losing amoment, went to the port, and not experiencing the slightest oppositionfrom the captains and masters of the vessels, who were well aware,besides, that a refusal would not be listened to, assembled a flotillaof fifteen light vessels, amply sufficient for the transport of thegarrison. In the meanwhile, the aide-de-camp had performed his dutieswith intelligence and celerity, so that within twenty minutes all theMexican officers were collected at the General's house.

  The latter, without losing a moment, explained to them in a voice thatadmitted of no reply, the position in which the capture of the fortplaced the garrison, the necessity of not letting the communication withthe mainland be cut off, and his intention of evacuating the town withthe least possible delay. The officers, as the General expected, wereunanimous in applauding his resolution, for in their hearts they werenot at all anxious to sustain a siege in which only hard blows could bereceived. Taking the field pleased them, on the contrary, for manyreasons: in the first place, the pillage of the estancias and thehaciendas offered them great profits, and then they had a hope of takinga brilliant revenge on the insurgents for the numerous defeats thelatter had inflicted on them since they had been immured in the town.

  Orders were therefore immediately given by the General to march thetroops down to the quay with arms and baggage; still, in order to avoidany cause for disorder, the movement was executed very slowly, and theColonel, who presided over the embarkation, was careful to establishnumerous posts at the entrance of each street leading to the port, sothat the populace were kept away from the soldiers, and no disputes werepossible between them. So soon as one boat had its complement of troopson board it pushed off, though it did not start, as the General wishedthe entire flotilla to leave the town together.

  It was a magnificent day, the sun dazzled, and the bay sparkled like aburning-glass. The people, kept at a distance by the bayonets of thesoldiers, watched in gloomy silence the embarkation of the troops.Alarmed by this movement, which they did not at all understand, and wereso far from suspecting the departure of the Mexican garrison, that theysupposed, on the contrary, that the General was proceeding with aportion of his troops to make an expedition against the insurgents.

  When all the soldiers, with the exception of those intended to protectthe retreat of their comrades, had embarked, the General sent for thealcade mayor, the Juez de letras, and the corregidor. These magistratescame to the General, concealing, but poorly, under a feigned eagerness,the secret alarm caused them by the order they had just received. Inspite of the rapidity with which the troops effected their embarkation,it was by this time nearly nine o'clock. At the moment when the Generalwas preparing to address the magistrates whom he had so unexpectedlyconvened, Colonel Melendez entered the cabildo, and after bowingrespectfully to the Governor, said--

  "General, the person to whom I had the honour of referring last night isawaiting your good pleasure."

  "Ah! Ah!" the General replied, biting his moustache with an ironicalair, "Is he there, then?"

  "Yes, General; I have promised to act as his introducer to yourExcellency."

  "Very good. Request the person to enter."

  "What!" the Colonel exclaimed, in surprise, "Does your Excellency intendto confer with him in the presence of witnesses?"

  "Certainly, and I regret there are not more here. Bring in the person,my dear Colonel."

  "Has your Excellency carefully reflected on the order you have done methe honour to give me?"

  "Hang it! I should think so. I am sure you will be satisfied with what Iam about to do."

  "As you insist, General," the Colonel said with marked hesitation, "Ican only obey."

  "Yes, yes, my friend, obey; do not be uneasy, I tell you."

  The Colonel withdrew without any further remark, and in a few momentsreturned, bringing John Davis with him. The American had changed hisdress for one more appropriate to the circumstances. His demeanour wasgrave, and step haughty, though not arrogant. On entering the room hebowed to the General courteously, and prepared to address him. GeneralRubio returned his bow with equal courtesy, but stopped him by a sign.

  "Pardon me, sir," he said to him, "be kind enough to excuse me for a fewmoments. Perhaps, after listening to what I shall have the honour ofsaying to these Caballeros, you will consider your mission to me asfinished."

  The American made no further reply than a bow, and waited.

  "Senores," the General then said, addressing the magistrates, "orders Ihave this moment received compel me to leave the town at once with thetroops I have the honour to command. During my absence I entrust thedirection of affairs to you, feeling convinced that you will act in allthings prudently and for the common welfare. Still, you must be cautiousnot to let yourselves be influenced by evil counsels, or led by certainpassions to which I will not allude now, particularly here. On myreturn, which will not be long delayed, I shall ask of you a strictaccount of your acts during my absence. Weigh my words carefully, and beassured that nothing you may do will be concealed from me."

  "Th
en, General," the Alcade said, "that is the motive of the movement ofthe troops we have witnessed this morning. Do you really intend todepart?"

  "You have heard me, Senor."

  "Yes, I have heard you, General; but in my turn, in my capacity asmagistrate, I will ask you by what right you, the military governor ofthe state, leave one of its principal ports to its own resources in thepresent critical state of affairs, when the revolution is before ourgates, and make not the slightest attempt to defend us? Is it reallyacting as defenders of this hapless town thus to withdraw, leaving it,after your departure, a prey to that anarchy which, as you are aware,only the presence of your forces has hitherto prevented breaking out?The burden you wish to lay upon us, General, we decline to accept; wewill not assume the responsibility of so heavy a task; we cannot bearthe penalty of another person's faults. The last Mexican soldier willscarcely have left the town, ere we shall have handed in ourresignations, not being at all desirous to sacrifice ourselves for agovernment whose conduct toward us is stamped with egotism andcold-blooded cruelty. That is what I have to say to you in my name andin that of my colleagues. Now, in your turn, you will act as you thinkproper, but you are warned that you can in no way reckon upon us."

  "Ah, ah, Senores!" the General exclaimed, with an angry frown, "Is thatthe way you venture to act? Take care, I have not gone yet; I am stillmaster of Galveston, and can institute a severe example before mydeparture."

  "Do so, General, we will undergo without a murmur any punishment you mayplease to inflict on us, even were it death."

  "Very good," the General replied, in a voice quivering with passion; "asit is so, I leave you free to act, according to circumstances. But youwill have a severe account to render to me, and that perhaps shortly."

  "Not we, Excellency, for your departure will be the signal of ourresignation."

  "Then you have made up your mind to plunge the country into anarchy?"

  "What can we do? What means have we to prevent it? No, no, General, weare not the persons who deserve reproach."

  General Rubio in his heart felt the logic of this reasoning; he sawperfectly well how egotistic and cruel his conduct was toward thetownsmen, whom he thus surrendered, without any means of defence, to thefury of the popular passion. Unfortunately, the position was no longertenable--the town could not be defended, hence he must depart, withoutanswering the decade; for what reply could he have made him? The Generalgave his aides-de-camp a sign to follow him, and prepared to leave thecabildo.

  "Pardon me for detaining you for a moment, General," John Davis said:"but I should have liked to have a short conversation with yourExcellency, prior to your departure."

  "For what good object, sir?" the General answered, sharply; "did you nothear what was said in this room? Return to those who sent you, andreport to them what you have seen, that will be sufficient."

  "Still, General," he urged, "I should have desired--"

  "What?" the General interrupted, and then added, ironically, "To make meproposals, I presume, on the part of the insurgents. Know, sir, thatwhatever may happen, I will never consent to treat with rebels. ThankColonel Melendez, who was kind enough to introduce you to my presence.Had it not been for his intervention I should have had you hung as atraitor to your country. Begone!--or stay!" he added, on reflection; "Iwill not leave you here after I am gone. Seize this man!"

  "General, take care," the American replied. "I am intrusted with amission; arresting me is a violation of the law of nations."

  "Nonsense, sir," the General continued, with a shrug of his shoulders,"why, you must be mad? Do I recognize the right of the persons from whomyou come to send me a flag of truce? Do I know who you are? Viva Dios!In what age are we living, then, that rebels dare to treat on equalterms with the government against which they have revolted? You are myprisoner, sir! But be at your ease I have no intention of ill-treatingyou, or retaining you any length of time. You will accompany us to themainland, that is all. When we have arrived there you will be free to gowherever you please; so you see, sir, that those Mexicans, whom youlike to represent in such dark colours, are not quite so ferocious asyou would have them supposed."

  "We have always rendered justice to your heart and loyalty, General."

  "I care very little for the opinion you and yours have of me. Come on,sir."

  "I protest, General, against this illegal arrest."

  "Protest as much as you please, sir, but follow me!"

  As resistance would have been madness, Davis obeyed.

  "Well," he said, with a laugh, "I follow you, General. After all, I havenot much cause to complain, for everything is fair in war."

  They went out. In spite of the dazzling brilliancy of the sun, whosebeams spread a tropical heat through the town, the entire populationencumbered the streets and squares. The multitude was silent, however;it witnessed with calm stoicism the departure of the Mexican army; notan effort was attempted by the people to break the cordon of sentriesdrawn up on the fort. When the General appeared, the crowd made wayrespectfully to let him pass, and many persons saluted him.

  The inhabitants of Galveston detested the Mexican Government; but theydid justice to the Governor, whose honest and moderate administrationhad effectually protected them during the whole time he remained amongthem, instead of taking advantage of his authority to plunder andtyrannize over them. They saw with pleasure the departure of the troops,with sorrow that of the General. The old soldier advanced with a calmstep, talking loudly with his officers, and courteously returning thebows he received, with smiling face and assured demeanour. He reachedthe port in a few minutes, and at his order the last soldiers embarked.The General, with no other weapon but his sword, remained for someminutes almost alone in the midst of the crowd that followed him to thequay. Two aides-de-camp alone accompanied him. John Davis had alreadyentered a boat, which took him on board the schooner, in which theGeneral himself intended to cross.

  "General," one of the aides-de-camp said, "all the troops have embarked,and we are now only waiting your Excellency's pleasure."

  "Very good, Captain," he answered. He then turned to the magistrates,who had walked by his side from the cabildo. "Farewell, senores," hesaid, taking off his hat, whose white plumes swept the ground,"farewell, till we meet again. I pray Heaven, from my heart, that,during my short absence, you will be enabled to avoid the scenes ofdisorder and anarchy which the effervescence of parties too oftenoccasions. We shall meet again sooner than you may possibly suppose.Long live Mexico!"

  "Long live Mexico!" the two officers shouted.

  The crowd remained dumb; not a man took up the General's shout. He shookhis head sadly, bowed for the last time, and went down into the boatwaiting for him. Two minutes later the Mexican flotilla had leftGalveston.

  "When shall we return?" the General muttered, sadly, with eyes fixed onthe town, whose buildings were slowly disappearing from sight.

  "Never!" John Davis whispered in his ear; and this prophetic voiceaffected the old soldier to the depth of his heart, and filled it withbitterness.