The distribution of forces as given by Cortés stands thus: To Alvarado,
30 horse, 18 arquebusiers and archers, 150 sword and shield men, and over
25,000 Tlascaltecs; to Olid, 33 horse, 18 archers and arquebusiers, 160 sword
and shield men, and over 20,000 allies; to Sandoval, 24 horse, 4 arquebusiers,
13 archers, 150 sword and shield men, and over 30,000 allies from Huexotzinco,
Cholula, and Chalco. Cartas, 207. Others differ more or less, some giving
details that hardly accord with the totals. Bernal Diaz names as Alvarado’s
three captains his brother Jorge de Alvarado, Gutierre de Badajoz, and
Andrés de Monjaraz, the latter an agreeable, bright-faced fellow of about
32 years, always suffering from a Lotharian disease which prevented him
from doing anything. The three captains under Olid were Andrés de Tápia,
a growing favorite of Cortés’, Francisco Verdugo, the unconscious fellow-conspirator
of Villafañe, and Francisco de Lugo, the natural son of a prominent
estate-holder at Medina del Campo. Sandoval had but two captains, the insinuating
Pedro de Ircio, and Luis Marin of San Lúcar, a muscular and
dashing fellow, of Monjaraz’ age, with an open blonde face, somewhat pitted,
and possessed of a voluble tongue. Hist. Verdad., 139, 240, 246. Ixtlilxochitl
gives a longer list, which is clearly wrong in many respects, and he adds some
names of native leaders.
Alvarado kept the Tlascaltecs of Tizatlan and Tepeticpac;
Olid those of Ocotelulco and Quiahuiztlan. Hist. Chich., 313-14. He further states that his namesake joined Cortés’ fleet with 16,000 canoes,
containing 50,000 Tezcucans, of whom 8000 were nobles. Hor. Crueldades, 21. Brasseur de Bourbourg follows this author in many respects, improving somewhat
on the names. Herrera names five of the sub-captains, among them
Hernando de Lerma of Galicia. dec. iii. lib. i. cap. xii.