might see them and be led to believe that they would attack Cerralvo. Then, in two days, with the greater number of his troops he marched 70 miles to Derramaderos near Camargo where the Imperialists were camped with a large convoy which had marched from Matamoros destined to Monterrey, and whence he might observe their march and attack them at the place where the least water might be found, because in that locality one might not exist many hours without water. The convoy consisted of 200 wagons escorted by 1,000 Mexicans, 328 Austrians, and two cannon, all under the Imperialist General, Olvera. On the fourteenth of June, the convoy was seen approaching the Santa Gertrudis hills not far from Camargo, at which place Escobedo had entrenched his army. The convoy advanced unconscious of any contemplated ambuscade. Escobedo had ordered complete silence, but one of the impatient subaltern chiefs sallied out to provoke the enemy, who, observing the danger sent forward a column of cavalry. On the morning of the fifteenth Olvera had placed his wagons so as to serve as a barricade, also placing his troops in battle formation and planting the two cannon.

Not seeing the Liberals, as they had hidden in the draws surrounding the hills, Olvera advanced along the road, discharging at random to ascertain if the Liberals possessed any cannon. Escobedo's line was protected by four columns of infantry, two of cavalry, and the reserve also infantry. His principal officers were Col. Alonso Flores, Colonel Caceres, Col. Miguel Palacios, Lieut. Col. Emilio Mayer, Col. Narciso Davila, Col. Francisco Naranjo, Col. Adolfo Garza, Gen. Servando Canales, Col. Julian Cerda, Col. Joaquin Garza Leal, Lieut. Col. Higinio Villareal, Lieut. Col. Juan N. Saenz, Col. Salvador de la Cabada, Lieut. Col. Vicente Mariscal, Major Gen. Sostenes Rocha, Brig. Gen. Geronimo Treviño. The entire Liberal army charged simultaneously and the Imperialists broke and column by column surrendered, the Austrians

THE FRENCH, BELGIANS, AND AUSTRIANS EMBARKING FROM

MATAMOROS, MEXICO, JUNE 23, 1866

On June 23, 1866, the remnants of Gen. Mexia's Imperial forces commanded by Dupin, embarked on the Steamboat Antonia, at Matamoros. They were transported to Bagdad, at the mouth of the Rio Grande, and two days later sailed for Vera Cruz and for home. This picture was taken on that day.

alone making a stand. Olvera with about 100 horsemen and some officers barely escaped. It resulted in a complete rout, Escobedo capturing the entire convoy in which a great amount of money was being transported to the interior. The Liberals lost 155 killed and 78 wounded. The Imperial loss was 251 Mexicans killed, and 145 Austrians killed; 121 Mexicans and 45 Austrians wounded; 858 Mexicans and 143 Austrian prisoners. Many of the Austrians were executed.

The Imperialists claimed that the success of the Liberals in the battle of Santa Gertrudis was due to the fact that from 1,200 to 1,500 Americans assisted Escobedo. The Liberals denied this, asserting that there were not more than three, and countercharging that the Imperialists had enlisted two companies of Confederates. The author personally knew of more than fifty Americans who handled the Liberal artillery at Santa Gertrudis.

After the battle of Santa Gertrudis, the Imperialist General, de Tuce, learning that the Liberals were concentrating at Camargo, marched to Mier where he arrived on the seventeenth of June. But, learning there of the defeat and routing of Olvera and his army, and the number of deserters increasing daily, he retreated to Monterrey, where he arrived on the twenty-eighth.

The Imperialists were no longer able to maintain themselves in Matamoros, so Mejia quickly capitulated to General Carvajal, named governor and military commander of Tamaulipas, who was at the time a refugee in Brownsville with money and arms to continue the campaign. Mejia evacuated Matamoros on June 23, 1866, leaving there 43 pieces of artillery. The balance of his army were embarked via the mouth of the Rio Grande to Vera Cruz.

In August, 1866, Carvajal was deposed and Gen. Servando Canales was proclaimed as governor of Tamaulipas. On the twenty-first of the same month Gen. Juan N. Cortina, then at

When Col. Thomas Sedgwick crossed into Mexico in November, 1866, he stretched the pontoon bridge across the Rio Grande. It was dismantled on December 7, 1866.

Camargo, proclaimed himself as governor and started to Matamoros. In the meantime President pro-tem Juarez had proclaimed Gen. Santiago Tapia as governor, so Cortina did not advance his own claims but congratulated Tapia. Canales, however, who had been acting with Carvajal, declared for Gonzalez Ortega, refused to recognize Tapia and prohibited him from entering Matamoros. As soon as Juarez received information of the deflection of Canales, he ordered Escobedo, who had taken possession of Monterrey, to advance on Matamoros and subjugate Canales.

On November 11, 1866, Escobedo with 1,500 men arrived at the outskirts of Matamoros, reënforcing the besiegers. He at once communicated with his life-long friend and comrade in arms, Canales, from whom, to his surprise, he learned that Canales had enlisted in Ortega's behalf. Upon the refusal of Canales to surrender the town, Escobedo began a general assault. In the meantime, Gen. Thomas L. Sedgwick, in temporary command at Brownsville, realizing the disastrous effect which might result to the Mexican cause at the very time that their entire coöperation was necessary to drive out the French and Austrian invaders, and possibly bearing in mind the real intent and purpose of the American government in placing so many troops along the border, quietly threw a pontoon bridge across the Rio Grande and, under the pretext that his presence in Matamoros with U. S. troops was necessary to protect foreigners and their property, crossed. over to Matamoros. Escobedo, ignoring the true purpose of the American invasion, protested against Sedgwick's occupation. Sedgwick refused to evacuate unless assured of the protection of all foreigners. So, on the morning of November 27, 1866, one of the most sanguinary battles was fought in Matamoros between the rival Mexican factions, the Americans remaining inactive in a neutral zone upon which even Escobedo did not fire. Escobedo was repulsed