and also promising the Indigenous communities to protect their communal lands which had also been affected by the Ley Lerdo. The government sent General Manuel Doblado to take back the city, and Mejía was forced to evacuate it on October 21, heading towards the Sierra Gorda. Mejía was now dedicated to waging guerilla warfare while staying based in the Sierra Gorda. General Vicente Rosas Landa attempted to reach a compromise with Mejía , and offered official government recognition of his rank, an arranagment which President Comonfort opposed. Negotiations fell apart, and Mejía went back to the Sierra. Reform War The revolts against La Reforma would develop into full blown civil war after President Comonfort joined Félix María Zuloaga's Plan of Ayutla, amounting to a self coup, and which proposed to draft a new, more moderate constitution. Comonfort later backed out of the plan, and left the capital. The constitutional presidency now passed on to the president of the Supreme Court Benito Juarez, while a conservative junta declared Zuloaga to be president. States began to split ther allegiances among the rival governments. By April, 1858, the liberal Juarez government was esconced in Veracruz, while the conservative government remained in Mexico City. On January, 1859, the conservatives chose Miguel Miramon as their new president. Mejía joined Miguel Miramon to occupy the city of San Luis Potosi on September 13, 1858, and they defeated the liberal general Santiago Vidaurri on September 29 In April, 1859, Mejía was among the conservative troops falling back upon Mexico City where they routed liberal troops under the command of Santos Degollado. On April 12 Mejía participated in a Mexico City celebration regarding the victory. On April 19, Mejía and Marquez were dispatched with a strong army to operate in the state of Michoacan. The tide of the war began to turn against the conservatives in 1860. Miramon had already failed to capture the liberal capital of Veracruz and another attempt in July of that year failed due to the intervention of the United States Navy. Miramon retreated back to Mexico City as liberal forces closed in on the capital. Mejía was present at the Battle of Silao at August 10 at which the conservatives were routed. Miramon then retreated to Mexico City. The liberals finally captured Mexico City on January, 1861. Mejía was at Queretaro when the conservative government fell, and he escaped afterwards to the Sierra