CORTES reviewed his army once more, preparatory to his attack upon the
city of Mexico. He found that he had eighty-six horsemen, eight hundred
infantry, together with three large cannons, fifteen small field-pieces,
a thousand pounds of gunpowder, and a large quantity of balls and
arrows. To these he added an immense number of Tlascalans and other
allies, and then divided his army into three parts, placing over these
his well-tried officers Sandoval, Alvarado, and Olid. The towns of
Tepejacac, Tacuba, and Cojohuacan, were situated on the causeways, and
served to guard the city from the first attacks. The three divisions
were to take possession of these three places, while Cortes himself took
the command of the fleet, which was considered the most important part
of the enterprise.
The parties soon set out for their respective positions. Alvarado and
Olid in a little time reached Tacuba. The aqueduct of Chapoltepec passed
through this place, affording a supply of fresh water to the Mexican
capital. This they determined to destroy, and at once set to the work.
The Mexicans opposed them fiercely; the struggle was a hard one, but at
length they succeeded in cutting off the pipes. Flushed with success,
they now attempted to take possession of the first bridge on the
causeway of Tacuba. As they approached this spot, they found immense
numbers gathered to oppose them; the causeway was thronged with the
enemy, while each side was lined with canoes, from which the Mexicans
poured in their arrows. At the first discharge, three Spaniards were
slain and thirty wounded. The Spaniards only fought the more fiercely;
yet, after all their efforts, they were forced to retreat to Tacuba,
eight of their number being dead, and more than fifty wounded. Leaving
Alvarado, Olid pushed on to his station at Cojohuacan.
In the mean time, Cortes had brought the fleet out on the lake, and
after various manœuvres, proceeded to attack a rock near the city,
where a large number of the inhabitants had fled for refuge. The
Mexicans, perceiving his design, sent out their whole naval force
(consisting of four thousand canoes) against his brigantines. Cortes now
moved fairly out into the lake, and formed his fleet in the shape of a
crescent to receive them. As they came near, the sails of the
brigantines were spread, and they dashed through them, overturning some,
and scattering the rest, to the great loss of the Mexicans. Olid had now
reached his post, and from the temple at Cojohuacan saw the conflict on
the lake. He instantly pushed along the causeway toward the city, drove
the Mexicans from some of the trenches, and took possession. Cortes now
attacked the bastion called Xoloc, situated at the angle made by the
junction of the roads of Cojohuacan and Iztapalapan. The Mexicans
defended the place with great obstinacy; multitudes fell in their
efforts to save it, but it was stormed and taken. As this was a spot of
great importance, and in direct communication with the division of Olid,
Cortes determined to establish his camp here. The three divisions were
now on the three causeways, and, as the principal attacks of the enemy
were from the canoes that lined them, he distributed his fleet so as to
protect the three divisions in their three efforts against the
city--giving orders that they were to be managed in strict obedience to
the three officers in command. The siege now regularly commenced.
From this moment, a series of attacks, retreats, skirmishes, and
manœuvres, were going on upon the causeways. The causeway of Tacuba
was the shortest, and it was supposed that Alvarado would be the first,
therefore, to enter the city. But the fact that it was the shortest
caused it to be the most carefully guarded. Every morning, Alvarado
renewed his attempt, and each day met with a sharp opposition. At night,
the Mexicans repaired whatever damage he had done, and in the morning
showed themselves as stubborn as ever; while the Spaniards, regardless
of wounds, endeavored to push their way onward to the capital, and were
continually disappointed in their hope of reaching it. Alvarado
perceived now, to his sorrow, that the destruction of the aqueduct of
Chapoltepec had not taken from the city its supply of water. Canoes were
seen continually by night bringing casks from the towns on the borders
of the lake. Provisions were brought in the same way; thus defeating the
hope of reducing the city by famine. Two of the brigantines were set to
watch these boats and intercept them, but the cunning of the Mexicans
defeated this. Their canoes were sailing in every direction, to beguile
them. So far from being taken themselves, they even contrived to tempt
the two brigantines near the border of the lake, where thirty of their
largest boats lay in ambush. An attack was instantly made: the
brigantines could not well be worked in that position; every Spaniard
was wounded, and one of the captains killed. To increase the difficulty
of the siege, periodical rains now set in; these, however, did not
deter Alvarado and his followers from their attempts, though these
attempts were still unsuccessful. Whatever advance he made, however, was
a safe one; if he gained a foot of ground, he kept it. Houses were
destroyed and ditches filled behind him as far as he passed, to enable
him to make good his retreat, if it became necessary. Very much the same
scenes were passing on the other causeways. Daily efforts were made,
both by land and water, to force an entrance into the city, and all
proved unsuccessful.
At last, wearied and mortified with continued disappointment, Cortes
resolved upon a general assault. Accordingly, he commanded Alvarado and
Sandoval to lead on their divisions, regardless of all opposition, while
he himself took the command of the division at Cojohuacan. The order was
instantly obeyed: the three divisions moved forward. The Mexicans met
them with the fury of madmen; their opposition was tremendous. In spite
of this opposition, however, Cortes continued to gain ground, carrying
everything before him. Julian de Alderete, according to command that he
should follow on and fill up all ditches behind him, was close upon him,
but, in the ardor of the struggle, neglected this necessary duty. The
Mexicans at length fled before Cortes, in apparent dismay, and he
reached the capital. This was only a stratagem: the design was to bring
him beyond the narrow pass in the causeway. He had no sooner entered
the city, than the big drum was struck, the horns in the temple sent
forth their blasts: the Mexicans raised their horrid yells, and at once
flocked to the causeway. Alarmed for the safety of his men, Cortes
ordered a retreat. Accordingly, they commenced retreating, but when they
reached the narrow pass, all was confusion. Multitudes pressed upon them
by land, arrows were showered upon them from the boats; it was now a
general rout. Struggling to escape, the men pushed on only to plunge
into the big ditch left open by Alderete. In that fatal gap fell men and
horses, Spaniards and Indians, all in one mighty struggle. Cortes was
still self-possessed; regardless of his life, he plunged into the gap,
animating some, and rescuing others. Many a sinking companion did he
save that day. In the midst of these noble struggles, he received a
wound in the leg; six Mexicans seized him, and were carrying him off in
triumph. At this critical moment, two brave Spaniards, Olea and Lerma,
rushed to his rescue. Olea killed four of the Mexicans, and then lost
his own life; while Lerma, sinking with his wounds, would likewise have
been a captive, had not Quiñones, with a body of Spaniards and
Tlascalans, at that instant snatched them from their danger. Cortes was
lifted out of the water and placed upon a horse; the miserable remnant
of his division escaping as it could.
Alvarado was hardly more successful. Having vanquished Cortes, the enemy
now rushed upon him in greater numbers. To aid them, they cunningly
threw into his ranks five bleeding heads, swearing that they were the
heads of Cortes, Sandoval, and other chiefs, and that Alvarado’s should
soon be added to the number. The Spaniards were in dismay; they supposed
that their brave leader had perished, and could fight no longer.
Alvarado ordered a hasty retreat, and with great difficulty escaped with
a part of his division.
The division of Sandoval suffered the least loss. He had pressed far on
toward the city, and felt sure of success, when suddenly numbers rushed
upon him, both Cortes and Alvarado being defeated. The Mexicans resorted
to the same stratagem that had been practised upon Alvarado. With
desperate energy, however, he continued the fight, until, finding that
there was no hope of success, he commenced retreating. By an effort of
skill, he managed his retreat in so orderly a manner, that only two of
his men were killed. The great mass, however (among them Sandoval
himself), was wounded. In this general assault, which had thus ended,
sixty Spaniards and a great number of allies were slain, while almost
every survivor was suffering from his wounds. In addition to this, they
lost six horses, one cannon, and a quantity of their arms.
Night now closed in, but not to give them rest. The Mexicans prepared
for a frightful festival. The Spaniards heard the sound of the big drum,
and the blasts of the horns and trumpets, mingled with the exulting
yells of the conquerors, while in the temples, that were brilliantly
illuminated, they saw the priests moving about, and their poor captive
comrades made to dance naked before the idols. Then, too, they could
hear the piercing shrieks of the wretched prisoners as they were laid
upon the altars to be sacrificed; and while they spent the long night
weeping for their friends, they vowed in their hearts an awful revenge.
After this defeat, the Mexicans sent the heads of those slain in
sacrifice to all the neighboring towns and provinces, declaring to the
people that the gods, being delighted with the blood of those
sacrifices, had promised that in eight days the hated Spaniards should
all be destroyed, and peace restored to their empire. This was a cunning
stratagem. The superstition of the Indians allowed them to believe the
story; and thus those provinces already hostile to the Spaniards, became
more bitter in their hatred, while their allies began to desert. Even
the Tlascalans were disposed to abandon him.[17] Cortes very prudently
determined to attempt nothing during these eight days. He placed
himself on the defensive, and resolved to wait quietly until the Indians
should see that the story was idle.
Eight days passed away, and the Spaniards were still undestroyed. The
Indians now flocked again to the standard of Cortes in larger numbers
than ever; he soon had the command of fifty thousand allies. Just at
this time, a vessel arrived at Villa Rica with men and ammunition. This
last article was very much needed, as the Spaniards had spent nearly all
their gunpowder. With a heart unbroken by his fresh calamity, and still
carrying the fixed determination of conquering Mexico, Cortes now
resolved upon another attack. This time he was resolved to trust to
prudence as well as courage; and, giving up all thought of preserving
the city, he at once commenced his siege of destruction.
The three divisions were commanded to advance in strict military order:
they were to destroy every house in the way; while the allies, following
immediately behind, were to fill up all ditches--thereby making a
retreat easy, if necessary. The divisions started, and the plan was
regularly followed up. Day after day the Mexicans found themselves shut
up in narrower limits; yet Guatimozin continued his resistance, and
seemed determined to see the last house in Mexico razed to the ground
before he would consent that the Spaniards should enter the city. At
length, Alvarado with his division worked his way to the great square of
Tlalteloco. He found that a great number of warriors and priests had
gathered in the temple which commanded the entrance to the square; and
as his comrades from the other causeways were to meet in this square
(the general mustering-place agreed upon), he determined to attack them.
With his whole force, he rushed impetuously forward, gained the temple,
drove out the Mexicans, set fire to the idols, and planted the Spanish
banner on the top of the building, to cheer his approaching companions.
This was a joyous signal to Cortes and Sandoval. With renewed energies
they pressed on, and in four days joined Alvarado in the square. His
plan was thus far successful; he was now master of the western portion
of the city, and Cortes resolved to pursue it further. Before doing
this, however, he sent another messenger to Guatimozin with proposals.
The proud Mexican King again gave him a scornful answer, and the
Spaniards at once renewed their operations. Every day the Mexicans were
enclosed in a narrower compass, while a heap of ruins continued to mark
the progress of the Spaniards. The situation of the Mexicans was now
awful. The brigantines commanded the lake, the Tlascalans cut off all
communication by land; and thus the horrors of famine were added to
those of war. The want of food soon produced disease among them, and now
the awful horrors of war, famine, and pestilence, were all upon them.
Every night the poor famishing creatures were prowling about the Spanish
quarters in search of food; every day they were shut up in smaller
limits. The heart of Guatimozin was touched, but not subdued; with a
proud and unconquerable spirit, he seemed resolved to see his beautiful
capital one complete ruin, rather than submit. All the city, except one
small quarter, was now in possession of the Spaniards, and this was soon
to share the fate of the rest.
The command of the fleet was given to Sandoval. He was to attack that
quarter by sea, while Cortes made an assault by land. The Mexicans now
perceived that all was well nigh over, and tried to persuade Guatimozin
to quit the place, fly to the distant provinces, and there rally his
troops. To aid him in this matter, they brought to Cortes pretended
proposals of peace--hoping that while he was negotiating with them,
Guatimozin might escape. In this plan they were disappointed: the bold
defence of Guatimozin, with his bold answers, had taught the Spanish
chief that the death or captivity of that prince was necessary to the
establishment of the Spaniards in his kingdom. Determined, therefore,
that he should in no way escape, he had given strict commands to
Sandoval to be on the lookout. Every canoe was closely watched. Seeing
some large boats moving speedily toward the land, Sandoval gave signal
for a chase. Garcia Holguin, who commanded the swiftest brigantine, soon
came up with them. From the superior appearance of one of the boats, he
judged it to be the King’s, and instantly prepared to fire upon it.
Guatimozin now showed himself, and declared he was ready to submit. With
the Queen and his attendants he was immediately taken on board the
vessel. His first demand was that he might be taken before the Spanish
general. He was carried to the shore, and brought before Cortes. Though
vanquished, his spirit was unbroken. He cried out to the Spaniard,
“_Malinatzin_, I have done all in my power to defend my kingdom and my
people. All my efforts have been fruitless. I have nothing else to
attempt. Take your dagger and stab me to the heart!” Cortes was too much
of a soldier not to feel. Guatimozin was a young man (only then
five-and-twenty), and, though a captive, had proved himself a hero. He
endeavored to console him in his sorrow, promising that he should
continue to reign, subject to the authority of the King of Spain; and
commanded that he, with his family, should be treated with marked
respect. The siege was now ended: he was master of the capital.
But what was the capital now? Three fourths of that once beautiful city
lay in ruins, and all the squares, streets, and courts, were filled with
dead bodies. It was scarcely possible to move without stumbling over
them. Bernal Diaz (one of the soldiers of Cortes) declared that “all the
streets, squares, and houses, were covered with the bodies of the slain;
among the heaps of which were to be seen many wretches crawling about in
an advanced stage of those loathsome diseases produced by famine, or
unnatural food, exhaustion, and infected air. The trees had been
stripped of their bark--the earth dug up, in search of food. Not a drop
of fresh water could be found.” The Spaniards had lost in that siege
more than one hundred of their men; their allies had lost thousands;
while no less than one hundred and fifty thousand Mexicans had perished.
The air was polluted with the masses of the dead. Cortes was forced to
leave the city, that it might be cleansed; and during three days and
nights the causeways were filled with miserable beings carrying off the
dead.[18]
In all this misery, the Spaniards felt the joy of conquerors. They had
endured a hard struggle; their enemy was subdued: they were now to find
their treasures. Returning to the city, they commenced their search; but
it was only to be disappointed. No booty was to be gathered; the whole
quantity of gold that was discovered amounted only to one hundred and
twenty thousand dollars, hardly sufficient to pay the expense of the
enterprise. Their golden hopes were clouded: now they began to murmur.
By the advice of Father Olmedo, this treasure was divided among the sick
and wounded. The murmurs of the discontented now became louder; they
began to insinuate that Cortes was unjust. There was a rumor that
Guatimozin, four days before he was taken, had thrown quantities of gold
and precious stones into the lake, to disappoint the avarice of the
Spaniards; and now they openly declared that Cortes knew more about this
matter than he was willing to confess. They demanded that Guatimozin
should be put to the torture until he should confess where the treasures
were hid. Cortes very properly refused this cruel demand. They were only
the more clamorous, crying out that it was no good feeling which
prompted him to deny them, but a desire to keep the place concealed,
that he alone might have all the treasure. A revolt was openly talked
of. Thus ungenerously accused, to prove his innocence, in a weak moment
Cortes allowed them to seize Guatimozin. He was instantly put to the
torture. The agony was borne by the unfortunate King with unflinching
fortitude, until Cortes, in a rage, snatched him away from them. He had
no story to tell: the treasures were not to be found.[19] The life of
this unhappy captive was, however, only prolonged three years; the
statement of a Mexican inducing the Spaniards to suspect a revolt, in
which he was said to be concerned, he was condemned to die, and was
hanged.
Cortes now resolved to send some of his men to the distant provinces, to
subdue them and plant settlements. This was necessary, to make his
conquest complete; while, at the same time, it would serve to employ his
soldiers, turn their thoughts from their disappointment, and possibly
lead them to the treasures they desired. Accordingly, Sandoval, Olid,
and others, were started off with parties in various directions.
But while he was thus busily engaged in conquests which were daily
adding kingdoms to the Spanish crown, his enemies had been busy in
Spain. The Bishop of Burgos and others tormented the King with the
entreaty to take all power and command from the Spanish conqueror. Moved
by their importunities, Charles at last consented. Mexico was scarcely
reduced, when Christoval de Tapia arrived at Vera Cruz, with full power
to seize Cortes, and treat him as a guilty man. Alvarado, who was in
command at Villa Rica, received Tapia very kindly, but at the same time
sent a messenger to Cortes, to tell him of the danger that threatened
him. Tapia was now advancing toward Mexico, and Cortes commanded some of
his officers to go out and meet him, that they might come to terms
peaceably. Father Olmedo and others persuaded him to return to
Chempoalla, and there show his commission to them. Tapia was treated
with great respect, but he soon found that he was dealing with men more
cunning than himself, and that he could hardly hope to fulfil his
orders; time was wasted, and his business not at all forwarded. By the
advice of his friends, Cortes now tried the power of gold upon Tapia.
The plan succeeded; he was at once bought over.
This danger being averted, Cortes now set diligently to the work of
rebuilding Mexico. This was to be done in grand style, suitable to the
capital of the New World. The ruins and rubbish being cleared away,
grounds were marked off for the erection of churches, convents, and
public buildings, while others were laid out for squares and
market-places. He caused a magnificent palace to be erected for himself,
and here took up his residence. His old prisoner Narvaez was now thought
of. Sending to Villa Rica, he had him brought to Mexico, that he might
be reconciled to him. Cortes received him with great kindness, embraced
him warmly, and would not allow him to submit to the custom of kissing
his hand. He was now at liberty. This generosity was forgotten by
Narvaez. Led on by the Bishop of Burgos, he became afterward one of the
bitterest enemies of Cortes.