No. 276.
Mr. Nelson to Mr. Fislu,
Mexico, December, 9, 1871. (Received January 2.)
Sir: On the 3d instant the insurgent-general Porfirio Diaz commenced a retrograde movement toward the defenses of the city of Oaxaca, and is now being closely pursued by the forces under the federal [Page 370] generals Alatorre and Rocha. A telegram from General Rocha, dated the 6th instant at Teotitlan, announces a skirmish with the troops of General Diaz near Tecomavaca, in which the government forces were victorious, killing seven men, including the commanding officer, Colonel Marquez, and taking a number of prisoners.
General Diaz is said to be greatly disappointed because of the want of enthusiasm with which his revolutionary movement has been seconded, having received very little support even in the state of Oaxaca. It is probable that his force will evacuate the city of Oaxaca before the arrival of the combined forces of Alatorre and Rocha, and break: up into predatory bands, for purposes of robbery and plunder, and that General Diaz and his leading officers will escape from the country. If General Diaz should give or receive battle, he will, no doubt, be overwhelmed by the government troops.
From the north very little intelligence has been received for several weeks. The rebel General Treviño is supposed to be still at Monterey, organizing his army with a view to operations against Saltillo, but the government now has a formidable force in that city which will probably successfully resist any attack of the insurgents. From the west coast I have received communications from our consuls at Guaymas, Mazatlan, Manzanillo, and La Paz. Under date of November 6, our consul at Guaymas informed me of the revolt of the federal garrison of that port, numbering about two hundred and forty men, on the night of the 29th of October, killing their commanding officer and three others, and making prisoners the remaining officers. The command was assumed by one Jesus Leyva, of the national guard, who immediately proclaimed Porfirio Diaz as the legitimate president of the republic. They held possession of the town for four days, levied a forced loan upon the merchants of $15,000, and compelled Mr. Bartwing, the Prussian consul, who had just received a cargo of goods, to pay $30,000 in cash on account of duties. On the 2d of November, Leyva embarked with his troops, numbering about three hundred men, and started in the direction of Ajiabampo, the coasting port of the town of Alamos. I have since learned that he entered Alamos on the 9th ultimo without opposition. The governor of the State, with a federal force of about six hundred men, is reported to be at a short distance from Alamos, and has, no doubt, by this time captured or dispersed the rebels.
I have received a communication from our consul at Mazatlan, dated the 20th ultimo, advising me that on the morning of the 16th of that month the federal soldiers of that place, led by their colonel, Palacios, left their “barracks, marched through the city, and took possession of the custom-house and the government house, and issued a “pronuncia-mento” proclaiming Porfirio Diaz president, and Mateo Mogaña provisional governor.
In anticipation of this movement, the money in the custom-house, and, indeed, most of the money in the city, it is said, was placed on board the United States steamer Mohican. Efforts were being made at the date of the said communication to enforce a loan upon the inhabitants of the town. I have since learned that they exacted $30,000 from the merchants.
Intelligence has been received at Mazatlan that the federal troops at La Paz, Lower California, have pronounced, and that Colonel Drake De Kay and party were driven away, on the 8th instant, by the soldiers m La Paz.
The government has issued decrees declaring the ports of Salina Cruz [Page 371] and Puerto Angel, in Oaxaca, and those of Guaymas and Mazatlan, closed.
On the whole, the military Situation is decidedly favorable to the government, and I shall be greatly deceived if the rebellion should not be suppressed in every part of the republic within the next two months.
I am, &c.,