Return of Military Force in New Spain.

Provinces and Places.Disciplined and Regular European Troops.Regular Troops of the Country.Militia with Regular Field Officers and under Pay.Probable Armed Citizens.
Cavalry.Artillery.Infantry.Cavalry.Artillery.Infantry.Cavalry.Artillery.Infantry.Fire-arms.Bows, arrows, and lances.
Xalapa Ina. Vera Cruz 20020002000 3000 1000
Vera Cruz and sea-ports 8002000 600 2000
Mexico1000 100034001000
Provinces and viceroyalty 1500080000
New Mexico 100 10004000
Biscay 1100 50008000
Senora 900 200 50003000
Sinaloa 100 30006000
Cogquilla 400 10002000
Texas 488 5001000
Total1000100040005088 120070001000300030500109000
Cavalry.Artillery.Infantry.
Regular troops, European100010004000
Regular troops, Mexican5088....1200
Trained militia700010003000
Total1308820008200
Cavalry13088
Artillery2000
Infantry8200
Total23288disciplined and effective force.
30500undisciplined militia.
109000bow, arrow, and lance men.
162788total force.

The European troops are some of the choicest regiments from Spain; consequently, we may put them on the supposition that they are well disciplined, and officered by men of honor and science.

The regular troops of the kingdom who are in the viceroyalty, acting from the stimulant of ambition and envy, are supposed to be equal to their brethren from Europe. The militia, with the regular officers, are likewise good troops, but are not held in so high estimation as the other corps. Those three corps, forming a body of 23,288 men, may be called the regular force of the kingdom, as the militia of 139,500 would, in my estimation, be of no more consequence against the regular troops of any civilized power than the ancient aborigines of the country were against the army of Cortes.

The particular observations which follow must be considered as applying to the troops of the internal provinces, unless it is stated to the contrary.

The appearance of the Spanish troops is certainly, at a distance, à la militaire; their lances are fixed to the side of the saddle under the left thigh and slant about five feet above the horse. On the right the carabine is slung in a case to the front of the saddle, or pommel, crosswise, the breech to the right hand; and on each side of the saddle, behind the rider, is a pistol; below the breech of the carabine is slung the shield, which is made of sole leather three doubled, sewed together with thongs, with a band on the inside to slip the left arm through; those of the privates are round, and are about two feet in diameter. The officers and non-commissioned officers have their shields oval, bending on both sides, in order to permit the arrow to glance, and they have in general the arms of Spain with Don Carlos IV. gilt on the outside, with various other devices, which add much to the elegance of their appearance on horseback, but are only calculated to be of service against savages who have no fire-arms. The dragoons of the viceroyalty do not make use of the lance or shield, but are armed, equipped, and clothed after the modern manner, as are also the dragoons of the eastern provinces. When they recently expected to be opposed to the American troops they were deprived of the lance and shield, and received the straight cutlass in their stead.

Their dress is a short blue coat, with red cape and cuffs, without facings, leather or blue cotton velvet small-clothes and waistcoat, the small-clothes always open at the knees, the wrapping-boot with the jack-boot and permanent spur over it, a broad-brimmed, high-crowned wool hat, with a ribbon round it of various colors, generally received as a present from some female, which they wear as a badge of the favor of the fair sex and a mark of their gallantry.

Their horses are small and slender-limbed, but very active and capable of enduring great fatigue. The equipments of the horses are, to our idea, awkward; but I believe them superior to the English, and they have the advantage over us in the skill of the rider, as well as in the quality of the beast. Their bridles have a strong curb, which gives so great a mechanical force to the bridle that I believe it almost practicable with it to break the jaw of the beast. The saddle is made after the Persian mode, with a high projecting pommel or, as anciently termed, bow, and is likewise raised behind. This is merely the tree; it is then covered by two or three covers of carved leather and embroidered workmanship, some with gold and silver in a very superb manner. The stirrups are of wood closed in front, carved generally into the figure of a lion's head, or that of some other beast; they are very heavy, and to us present a very clumsy appearance. The horseman, seated on his horse, has a small bag tied behind him, his blankets either under him, or lying with his cloak between his body and the bow, which makes him at his ease. Thus mounted, it is impossible for the most vicious horse ever to dismount them. They will catch another horse with a noose and hair rope, when both are running nearly at full speed, with which they soon choke down the beast of which they are in pursuit; in short, they are probably the most expert horsemen in the world.