Roger the Bold: A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico

by F. S. Brereton

"An arrangement which we have foreseen," Roger reminded him. "We are prepared for combined attack from three or more quarters, and for one from the lake side itself."

"Then these are the commanders and their positions, the information being reliable. Pedro de Alvarado will go to Tlacuba, which lies close to the post which we have just defended, and is at the end of the shorter causeway. He commands thirty horsemen, some twenty with crossbow or musket, and twenty thousand native allies. In addition, he will have one hundred and fifty soldiers armed with sword and buckler.

"Cristoval de Olid has a force of like proportions, except that he will command more of the allies, and he will take post at Cuyoacan, a town at the entrance of a second short causeway, and one which runs to the main causeway outside the city.

"Gonzalo de Sandoval will take charge of the third force, and will have as many as thirty thousand allies, and Spaniards equal in numbers to the other commanders, only fifty of his swordsmen will be picked soldiers, who are to act as a bodyguard to Malinché when he joins the troops. But we shall see, my lord. It may be that a bodyguard even will be unable to protect them. This third force will go to Iztapalapa, and march on to the main causeway, where they will fight their way, with the object of coming to the junction of the smaller causeway and there meeting their friends under De Olid. They will be supported by the brigantines, which will have all the sailors aboard, as well as fighting men, and will be commanded by Malinché himself."

"Then we must make a special effort against them," said Roger. "As to the junction being formed, that is a matter which we must put a stop to. We must do all that we can to delay the advance, and, if possible, we must lure the attacking divisions on singly, so as to destroy them one by one."

The plans of the Spaniards needed a large amount of consideration on the part of the Mexicans, and Roger and the king, with Teotlili and other nobles, spent many hours in discussing the means of defence. That Cortes had made clever arrangements for the siege and taking of the city could not be denied, and his first action had shown his astuteness; for he had cut off the water supply, well knowing that the resistance of the Mexicans depended largely on this. Then, too, his decision to assail the city from three separate points at one and the same time was a wise one, for thereby he engaged every one of the defenders, and none could rest. This in itself was a serious matter, for though the Mexican numbers were huge, their whole force would be compelled to remain alert, if not actually engaged, ready to reinforce any part specially threatened. The troops under Cortes, on the other hand, were even more numerous, and some could rest while their comrades were fighting; for the causeways gave limited space, and it was impossible for all to come to close quarters with the enemy.

As to the points from which his attacks were to be launched, they were undoubtedly the best under the circumstances, though, had he wished, he could have selected a fourth, thereby launching his men along each end of the main causeway, and by each one of the branches which led into it. But he was too astute to block up the path of retreat. He recognised that even with all his allies he had an enormous host to contend with, and that all were filled with desperation and determination. His spies had told him that, and also that amongst the allies who had come into the city there were some who, like those outside, might in time waver. It would be wise policy to give them a free outlet to escape, and thereby reduce the numbers of the defenders. And to further this solution he took care to send messages to these friends of the Mexicans, offering every inducement to cause them to waver in their allegiance.

His arrangements made, as Teotlili had correctly reported, Cortes no sooner saw the aqueduct destroyed, than he sent his divisions to their posts, and caused the brigantines to be floated. A glance at the plan of Mexico will show the camps of the Spaniards, and the reader will be able to see the construction of the causeways. One running directly from shore to shore, through the heart of the city, while a second—that by which Pedro de Alvarado was to force an entrance—cut out from the shore to what might be described as the back of Mexico. For this fine city was situated at one end of the lake, within easy distance of the shore to which the causeways connected it, while its face might be said to look out to the vast expanse of salt lake on which the brigantines had just been floated. And these latter could attack this side alone and the long causeway running through the heart of the city, for the latter presented a barrier through which only canoes could pass. There were three other causeways or viaducts, one of which De Olid was to march by, while the other two were small and insignificant, and ran from the north-western shore.

A few words will describe the preparations of the defenders, many carried out at the suggestion of Roger. Numerous breaches had been constructed along the causeways, planks being left for the use of the Mexicans. Then barricades had been built of sun-dried bricks at the back of these breaches, and crossbow shafts piled there, with an ample supply of lances and other weapons. Canoes lay on either side, ready to hamper the attackers in every possible manner, while all carried long poles with hooks at the end.

It must not be imagined that the Mexicans allowed each party to fight independent of the others, for to have done so would have led to early disaster; but, as Cortes had anticipated, they held a huge force in reserve, and their operations were directed from the central and tallest tower of all from the summit of which all the causeways, the lake, and, in fact, the whole fighting arena, could be seen. Thus prepared, with a store of water and of food, and with arrangements made whereby fresh provisions were brought in from the northern shore by canoe or by the open causeway every day, the Mexicans, with their gallant young king and Roger at their head, looked for the coming of the enemy, and particularly for the sailing of the fleet of brigantines. Nor had they long to wait, for by now the canal which Cortes had caused to be dug at Tezcuco was completed and joined to the lake, and very soon the brigantines were floating on the surface of the vast basin, at the far corner of which was situated the city of Mexico. Then the report came that their masts were erected, and soon they were steering down the lake, propelled by a light breeze.