The Tepeacans received their enemy on their borders. A bloody
battle followed, in which the Spanish horse were somewhat
embarrassed by the tall maize that covered part of the plain. They
were successful in the end, and the Tepeacans, after holding their
ground like good warriors, were at length routed with great slaughter.
A second engagement, which took place a few days after, was followed
by like decisive results; and the victorious Spaniards with their
allies, marching straightway on the city of Tepeaca, entered it in
triumph. No further resistance was attempted by the enemy, and the
whole province, to avoid further calamities, eagerly tendered its
submission. Cortes, however, inflicted the meditated chastisement on
the places implicated in the massacre. The inhabitants were branded
with a hot iron as slaves, and, after the royal fifth had been
reserved, were distributed between his own men and the allies. The
Spaniards were familiar with the system of repartimientos
established in the islands; but this was the first example of
slavery in New Spain. It was justified, in the opinion of the
general and his military casuists, by the aggravated offences of the
party. The sentence, however, was not countenanced by the crown,
which, as the colonial legislation abundantly shows, was ever at issue
with the craving and mercenary spirit of the colonist.
Satisfied with this display of his vengeance, Cortes now
established his head-quarters at Tepeaca, which, situated in a
cultivated country, afforded easy means for maintaining an army, while
its position on the Mexican frontier made it a good point d'appui
for future operations.
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