CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.
VALERIO TRUJANO.
In Colonel Valerio Trujano the reader will recognise the ex-muleteer,who, it will be remembered, declined exposing his life to the chances ofwar before paying his debts. Though in full command at Huajapam, he wassimply a leader of guerilleros--nothing more; and in these partisanchieftains the country at the time abounded. The renown, however, whichTrujano had gained within the narrow sphere of his exploits, had alreadyrendered him a subject of constant inquietude to the government ofOajaca; and to crush this formidable enemy had been the object of themarch upon Huajapam, where Trujano chanced to be at the time. TheRoyalist officers believed that a favourable opportunity had offered, inthe absence of two of Trujano's ablest supporters--Miguel and NicolasBravo--both of whom had been summoned by Morelos to assist at the siegeof Cuautla.
Such was the importance attached to the defeat of the religiousinsurgent, that the government employed against him nearly every soldierin the province--concentrating its whole force upon Huajapam.
The little town was at the time entirely without fortifications of anykind, and on all sides open to an enemy. All the more does theremarkable defence made by Trujano deserve to be immortalised.Fortunately for him the place was well supplied with provisions.
For all this, resistance against such a superior force would have beenimpossible, according to the ordinary rules of war; and it was not bythese that Trujano succeeded in making it.
His first act was to store all the provisions in a common magazine; andthese were served out every morning in rations to each soldier and eachhead of a family among the citizens. He also established a code ofdiscipline, almost monastic in its severity; which discipline, from thefirst hour of the siege, in the midst of its most sanguinary episodes,during the long period of nearly four months, he managed to maintainwithout the slightest infraction. The energy of his character, combinedwith the prudence of his dispositions, obtained for him an irresistibleascendency over both soldiers and citizens.
The time was distributed for various purposes in the same manner as in aconvent; and the most part of it that was not taken up by militaryduties, was spent in prayers and other devotional exercises. Orationsand vespers were performed in public--every one, both soldiers andcitizens, taking part; and in this remote village, cut off from allcommunication with the world, amidst a population little used to thepleasures of life, hourly prayers were offered up with that fervour withwhich the mariner implores the protection of God against the fury of thestorm.
It must be acknowledged that these dispositions were somewhat droll andeccentric. They were prudent, however; since the followers of theinsurgent chieftain, thus continually kept in occupation, had no time tobecome discouraged. If provisions were becoming scarce, they knewnothing about it. No curious gossips were permitted to explore themagazines, and report upon their emptiness. No indiscreet tongue wasallowed to talk of approaching starvation. This arrangement could onlylead to one of two issues: either the besiegers must destroy the lastman in Huajapam, or themselves abandon the siege.
During more than a hundred days, as already stated, this strangecondition of things existed in the town; and in all that time only oneattempt had been made from without to relieve the place. This was bythe insurgent leaders, Colonel Sanchez and the priest Tapia. Theattempt had proved a failure; but even that did not shake the constancyof Trujano and his followers. The discouragement was altogether on theside of the Royalists.
Among the besieged perfect confidence was placed in their leader--atruly extraordinary man--one in whom were united the most brilliantqualities, and even those of a kind that are rarely found existingtogether.
Never did he permit the ardour of his courage to interfere with theprudence of his plans; and never did he advance them too hastily tomaturity. Brave almost to rashness, he nevertheless calculated minutelythe chances of a combat before commencing it. His frank opencountenance had something so winning in it, that all freely yielded uptheir secret thoughts to him, while no one could penetrate his.
His gentleness towards his soldiers, tempered with a due measure ofjustice, had the effect of gaining their obedience by love rather thanfear. An indefinable charm, in short, emanated from his person, whichexcluded all idea of disobedience to his will.
It may here be observed that at this period of the Mexican Revolution(1812), the Spaniards were in possession of all the resources ofadministration--the posts, and express couriers, with the principalhighways of the country. The insurrectionary forces were in scatteredand isolated bodies, either besieged in towns or pursued among the_sierras_. Bearing these facts in mind, it will not be wondered at,that although, while Trujano was besieged in Huajapam, and Morelos wasin Cuautla, at the distance of only two or three days' journey, theMexican general was entirely ignorant of the situation of theex-muleteer! Even a month after Morelos had evacuated Cuautla, andretired upon Isucar, the position of his compatriot still remainedunreported to him. Fortunately Trujano had learnt the whereabouts ofthe general, and had despatched a messenger to him demanding assistance.
Enclosed as Huajapam was by the enemy--who guarded every approach withthe strictest vigilance--it seemed impossible that any messenger couldmake his way through their lines. Several days had passed since theman--an Indian--had gone out of the town; but whether he had succeededin safely reaching Morelos' camp, or whether he might be able to returnwith the answer, were questions of prime importance to the plans ofTrujano.
On that same day in which the council of war was held in the Spanishcamp, Trujano had ordered a mass to be performed--specially devoted toprayer for the return of his messenger. It was in the evening, the hoursucceeding twilight, that this mass was held; and all the population ofthe town, including the soldiers, was assembled in the public piazza,which was illuminated by torches of _ocote_, although the moon wasshining brilliantly above. A church, whose dome was shattered withbombs, and rows of houses in ruins, surrounded the square. The templein which the offering was made was the Piazza itself, and the roof wasthe starry canopy of the sky. There, under the red glare of thetorches, might be seen the assembled people of Huajapam; the priests whoassisted at the ceremony in their robes, covering a military garbunderneath; the women, children, and aged, grouped around the walls ofthe houses; the soldiers, in ragged uniforms, with guns in hand; and thewounded seated upon doorsteps with bloody bandages--having draggedthemselves thither to take part in the sacred ceremonial.
Profound silence reigned throughout the Piazza.
On the appearance of a man who advanced into the centre of the square,his countenance calm, and his eye beaming with religious enthusiasm,every head was uncovered, or bent in obeisance. This man was Trujano.
Stopping in the midst of the multitude, he made sign that he was aboutto address them. The silence, if possible, became more profound.
"Children!" he commenced in a sonorous voice, "the Scripture saith,`except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.' Letus pray, then, to the God of battles to watch with us!"
All bent down at the summons, the speaker kneeling in their midst.
"This evening," said he, "we celebrate mass for a special purpose. Letus pray for our messenger; let us pray to God to protect him on hisjourney, and grant him a safe return. Let us sing praises to that God,who has hitherto preserved from evil the children who have trusted inHim!"
The speaker then intoned the verse of the well-known psalm--
"His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid ofthe terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for thepestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction thatwasteth at noon day."
After each verse of the psalm, the people repeated--
"Lord have compassion upon us! Lord have mercy upon us!"
The devout Colonel, as if he expected that God would show him somesignal mark of his favour, in more emphatic tone chanted the verse--
"I will deliv
er him because he hath known My name; I will protect himbecause he hath loved Me."
And as if in reality the Divine interpretation had been granted, themessenger at that moment appeared entering the Piazza!
The man had seen Morelos, and brought back the glad news that theinsurgent general would instantly place his army _en route_ for therelief of Huajapam.
Trujano, raising his eyes to heaven, cried out--
"Bless the Lord! oh, bless the Lord, all ye who are His servants!"
He then proceeded to distribute the supper rations--giving them out withhis own hands--after which the torches were extinguished, and thebesieged betook themselves to sleep, trusting in Him who never slumbers,and whose protection was to them as a shield and buckler.