to Santa Anna, and one vote going to General Echeagaray. The junta then drafted an oath of office, which Zuloaga read the following day, promising to uphold and protect, independence, religion, and unity between all Mexicans, echoing the promises made in the Plan of Iguala. The newly established conservative government was recognized by the foreign diplomatic corps at the capital with the exception of the United States. On the 24th, Zuloaga named his ministers. Luis Gonazaga Cueva was made Minister of the Interior, Hilario Elguero was made Ministry of Government, Manuel Larrainzar was made Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, and Jose de la Parra was made Minister of War, and Jose Hierro Maldonado was made Minister of Development. Zuloaga then named a council of government made up of two representatives from each state. On 28 January, a decree was published nullifying the Ley Lerdo, and calling for the property which had been seized by the church to be returned. Other decrees published on the same day restored to their former employment all civil servants who had lost their jobs in refusing to swear an oath to the constitution of 1857, and also nullified the Ley Juarez. On 31 January, President Zuloaga directed a letter to Pope Pius IX reaffirming his country’s adherence to the Catholic faith. States were declaring their loyalty to either Juarez or Zuloaga and their respective armies were preparing for war. After hostilities broke out Zuloaga, knowing the strategic importance of Veracruz, tried to win over the governor of the state, , who however affirmed his support for the government of Juarez. In the meantime liberal forces in the north were being organized by Santiago Vidaurri while Manuel Doblado led a liberal coalition in the interior headquartered in the town of Celaya. On 10 March 1858, the liberals lost the Battle of Salamanca, which opened up the interior of the country to the conservatives. Juarez at this point was in Guadalajara, when part of the army there mutinied and imprisoned him, at one point threatening his life, until fellow liberal minister and prisoner Guillermo Prieto dissuaded the hostile soldiers from shooting Juarez. As rival factions struggled to control the city, Juarez and other liberal prisoners were released on agreement after which Guadalajara was fully captured by conservatives by the end of March. Juarez now made Santos Degollado the head of his armies, and then decided to