 Chapter 17 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre, translated by William Pilling. This Librivox recording is in the public domain, recording by Pietronater. Canciarayada, 1817-1818 The year 1817 had commenced with a victory, and ended with a defeat. The year 1818 was to commence with a defeat, to be followed by a victory, which would decide the fate of Chile. From this moment, all the forces of the revolution in South America would converge from the extremities towards the center, shutting up the colonial power of Spain in its last stronghold, Peru, where the two great liberators of the south and the north, San Martín and Bolivar, would join hands. In the epoch at which we have now arrived, Chile had as yet no definite form, but possessed all the elements of a vigorous nationality, patriotism, energy, and a pronounced tendency to independence, a democracy yet in embryo, combined with an aristocracy, at once territorial and political. The instincts of the masses decided them for the cause of independence, while their political organization assumed the most elemental form. That of a people become an army, under the direction of a class and under a military dictatorship to which all were subject. The revolution and the leveling pressure of the Spotic Rule had destroyed provincialism and the social inequalities, which stood in the way of national unity. Common misfortunes and common efforts had created public spirit. Independence thus became a fact, and the establishment of a republic the necessary sequence. With the assent of all, the convocation of a congress was still postponed, but the political situation was compact. Yet there was some resistance to this system of government. The educated classes accepted it only as a transient necessity, and there were still some partisans of the royal cause in the south. Among the rulers themselves, there were still some who clung to the fallen party of the Carveras, but for the presence of Argentine bayonets and the influence of San Martín, the intestine dispute would have broken out afresh. Viceroy Abascal, who had crushed the revolution in Upper Peru, in Quito and in Chile, had in 1815 been replaced by General Pethuela, and the army of Upper Peru was put under the command of General Lacerna. Pethuela lacked the talents of his predecessor, but he continued his policy. Seeing Chile threatened by an invasion from Endotha, he ordered Lacerna to effect a diversion by marching on Tucumán. But Lacerna was held in check by the Gauchos of Salta and Jujuy, under Martin Guémez, and the successful passage of the Andes by San Martín forced upon him a disastrous retreat. Pethuela did not fully appreciate the importance of the victory of Chacabuco, and contended himself with sending back the fugitives in the belief that the royalist army was still able to hold the country unaided. The defeat of Ordonyeth at Gavilan opened his eyes to the danger, and the arrival of reinforcements from Spain enabled him to fit out a fourth expedition. While busy in these preparations, the British ship of war Ampheon, Captain Bowles, anchored at Cayao, bringing Don Domingo Torres as special envoy from San Martín. So far as its ostensible object was concerned, the mission was a complete failure, but Torres succeeded in communicating with the Patriots of Peru and took back with him in January 1818 full particulars of the expedition, which followed close upon his heels. 3,400 well-equipped men reached Talcauano early in January, in four ships mounting 234 guns. Most of these were veteran troops, and were commanded by General Osorio, the conqueror of Chile in 1814, who was sent to supersede Ordonyeth. His instructions were, after driving the Patriot army to the north of the Maule, to re-embark his entire force, land in the neighborhood of Valparaiso, and march on the capital. The plan was apparently a good one, but was drawn out in ignorance of the strength of the Patriots. The losses in the Army of the Andes had all been made up, and the new Chilean army by this time almost equalled it in number. The United Army now consisted of 9,000 men, of whom three-fourth were well-drilled troops, while the total force collected at Talcauano did not much exceed 5,000 men with 12 guns. The cannon which roared a welcome to the Spanish squadron at Talcauano were heard by the Patriot army then in full retreat upon the capital. Osorio saw at once that he had failed to surprise the enemy, and that all chance of an easy landing in the neighborhood of Valparaiso was at an end. He dispatched the squadron to blockade that port, and after 15 days spent in organizing his forces at Concepción, he marched for the north, stimulated to activity by Ordoniev. On the 12th of February, his advanced posts on the Maule heard the salute fired by Ohigins at Talcauano in celebration of the first anniversary of Chacabuco. The roles were now changed, the general of the Army of the Andes, instead of choosing the place of invasion on a line of 1,300 miles of Cordillera, had now to defend 1,300 miles of coast. He expected the enemy to land near Valparaiso, and in December had written to Ohigins to make every preparation for a rapid retreat, leaving the country behind him destitute of horses and supplies. Ohigins commenced his retreat on the 1st of January, 1818, and on the 20th reached Talca, accompanied by more than 50,000 people with their cattle and horses, and there proclaimed triumphantly the independence of the Chilean Republic, which in default of a Congress had been decreed by a general vote of the Chilean people on the 17th of November previous. At Santiago, Don Luis de la Cruz, deputy director, presided at a solemn ceremony in the Great Square. Guido was the bearer of the standard of the new nation. Besided, the president of the municipality carried that of the United Provinces. The declaration of independence being read, de la Cruz was the first to swear to maintain it. He was followed by the bishop and by San Martin. Then the people kneeling down repeated the oath, and commemorative medals were distributed among them. Meantime, San Martin had drawn the greater part of his troops from the city and had established an encampment at Las Tablas, near the coast, in readiness to meet the enemy at any point, giving the command there to Balcarce, and looking himself to the construction of bridges over the rivers to the south of Santiago to facilitate the concentration of the different call when requisite. By the end of February, he was no longer in doubt as to the intentions of the enemy. Ahiggins was directed to evacuate Talca and retreat 60 miles to the north. Early in March the concentration was complete. The San Martin had under his command 4,500 infantry, 1,500 cavalry, and 33 guns. On the 4th of March, Osorio crossed the Maule and encamped at Talca. On the 14th, the United Army broke up from quarters and marched against him. The same day the Royalist Army left Talca and Primo de Rivera, chief of the staff, crossed the river Lomtoe with a strong detachment of infantry and cavalry to reconnoiter the position and force of the Patriots, of which Osorio as yet knew nothing, recrossing the river the same night. On the 15th, Freire, supported by Briar, with the bulk of the cavalry and eight guns, crossed the river with 200 light horse, advanced to Quecheragua, where the Royalist vanguard was quartered, and summoned Primo de Rivera to surrender, but receiving no support from Briar, who did not even cross the river, he was forced to retire with the loss of 17 men. Rivera, after this success, retreated upon his reserves at Camarico. On the 16th, the entire Patriot Army crossed the Lomtoe and encamped at Quecheragua, while Osorio retired precipitately. San Martin, afraid that he would repass the Maule, marched inland to cut him off. The two armies marched on parallel lines at a distance of only seven miles, one from the other, both crossed the Lircae on the 19th. On the afternoon of the same day, Osorio, whose rear was greatly harassed by the Patriot cavalry under Balcarthe, wheeled into line in an excellent position. His right resting on the suburbs of Talca, his left on the Claro River, and his front defended by a stretch of broken ground known as the Cancerayada, which he occupied with 500 horse. Balcarthe, ignorant of the nature of the ground, charged this advanced corps, and coming under fire of the Royalist artillery, was compelled to retire in disorder. O'Higgins, with 20 guns, forced back the enemy's right wing into the suburbs of Talca, but as darkness came on, decisive action had to be postponed till next day. In the twilight, the Royalist generals, after gazing upon the Patriot army from the church towers of Talca, held the Council of War. Before them was an enemy greatly superior in numbers. Behind them flowed a deep and rapid river. Osorio talked of continuing the retreat to Talcahuano, but was overruled by Ordonyeth, who said that the attempt could only result in the total destruction of the army, and advised a night attack upon the Patriot position. Most of the officers supported him, and Osorio retired to a convent, leaving him in command. At 8 p.m. under a cloudy sky, Ordonyeth drew up his army in line of battle, with cavalry on the wings, and guns in the intervals between the different battalions. He himself took charge of the center. Prima de Rivera led the right wing, and Colonella Torre the left. So, in deep silence, they marched across the Canciarayada, straight upon the watchfires of the Patriot vanguard. Meantime, San Martin, warned by a spy of what was going forward in the Royalist camp, and seeing that his troops were in the worst possible position to resist a night attack, had marched several battalions, and the Chilean artillery from his front to a strong position on his extreme right. The broken nature of the ground much retarded the maneuver, and the rest of the army had not moved at all when the cavalry outposts gave warning of the approach of the enemy. The right of the Royalist army, having the least distance to march, was the first to come into action, and was received by O'Higgins with so heavy a fire, whilst at the same time a detached company under Captain de Hessa opened fire on their left, that for a moment the advance was checked, till Ordonyeth in person led them again to the charge. O'Higgins had his horse killed under him and received a ball in the elbow. From this moment all was confusion in the Patriot camp. The artillery was abandoned, and the grenadiers on the extreme left roused from sleep by the firing, fled in a panic. The cavalry of the right retired upon the reserves, and were received by a volley of musketry under the belief that they were Spaniards. Alvarado, with the first light infantry, passed behind the Royalist line and joined the right wing, being also taken for a Spanish corps and losing 21 men by the fire of his own friends before the mistake was discovered. The second Chilean infantry, under command of an Italian officer, moved to the rear and also reached the right wing in safety. Ordonyeth pushed on to a hill in the rear of the Patriot position, then halted and opened fire in every direction. One of these chants shots killed and aid the camp of San Martin at his side, and after some fruitless efforts to restore order, he was forced to repast the Lyrkai with the fugitives, and was followed by O'Higgins with the remains of his division and the reserve artillery. All seemed lost. It was eleven o'clock and the autumn moon shone down through the heavy clouds upon the plain so lately occupied by an army. In the distance were heard occasional shots and the gallop of Spanish horse in pursuit, while the right wing in its secure position listened in silence, receiving no orders and knowing nothing of what had happened. The commander, Colonel Quintana, had gone off for orders and had not returned. The officers held a council of war and put themselves under command of Las Eras. He found himself with 3,500 men, but had no ammunition for his guns and no cavalry. He placed his guns in front and, forming his infantry into one compact column, commenced his retreat soon after midnight, pursued by a squadron of royalist horse, which did not dare to attack him. At daybreak he was sixteen miles from the field of battle. He rested for an hour and found that 500 men had deserted during the night. At ten a.m. he continued his march and at five in the afternoon reached Quechiraguas, where he remained till midnight, when he crossed the Lontua and resuming his march next morning reached Chimbarongo at midday, where he received news that San Martín and Ohiggins were at San Fernando with the Eighth Battalion occupied in collecting the dispersed cavalry. San Martín came to meet him and praised the soldiers for their steady behavior. He was by no means cast down and directed Las Eras to continue his march to Santiago. Ohiggins suffered much from his wound, but was more determined than ever. By the dispersion of Cancharayada the patriots lost 120 killed, 22 guns and four flags, but the nucleus of the army was saved and with it the independence of America. The royalists had more than 200 killed and wounded and had so many missing that they could not at once follow up their victory. News of the disaster reached Santiago on the afternoon of the 21st, carried there by some of the principal officers, among them being Breyer. According to them everything was lost, San Martín killed and Ohiggins mortally wounded. Consternation spread over the city and shouts of Viva el Rey were heard occasionally in the streets. Some talked of flying to Mendoza or to the ships Edvalparaiso. The royalists and some of the leading citizens opened communications with the conqueror, one of them even had a horse shod with silver to present to him on his arrival. No one slept that night in Santiago. Government hastily resolved to erect a fort on the southern road and to send the public treasure to the north for safety while they called in outlying detachments of troops and summoned the National Guard. The next day news was received that San Martín was at San Fernando. Breyer, interrogated by the deputy director, affirmed that the country could never recover from such a defeat, an opinion which was warmly disputed by Guido. On the 23rd of April a despatch was received from San Martín announcing the safe retreat of Las Eras and stating that he had 4000 men under his orders. Still the panic was not elade, and Dr. Rodriguez, taking advantage of the circumstances, rode on horseback through the streets, haranguing the people till he induced them to meet in an open cabildo and appoint him the coadjutor to la cruz. His fantastic measures were of no real use, but they served the temporary purpose of raising the spirits of the people till the real leaders arrived upon the scene. Early the next morning O'Higgins reached the city. He soon put an end to disorder, purchased horses, and prepared supplies of ammunition. On the 25th he was joined by San Martín, who, worn out by fatigue and want of sleep, yet found strength as he drew rain at the gate of his palace to make the one speech of his life in which he assured the excited people that the cause of Chile would yet triumph and promised them soon a day of glory for America. On the same day a council of war was held in his apartments, at which O'Higgins was present, when it was resolved to establish a camp on the plain of Maipá, about 7 miles to the south of the city, there to await the approach of the enemy. On the 28th Las Eras joined the army with his division, and day and night were spent in active preparation. Public confidence revived, but San Martín trusted nothing to fortune, he prepared for any contingency, gave secret orders for concentration on Coquimbo, in case of a second reverse, established stores of supplies on the way there, and dispatched Colonel de la Cruz to organize the northern provinces. He also established guards at the entrances to the passes of the Andes, and the park at Santa Rosa, so as to secure his retreat to the east. Further he stationed a strong corps of cavalry at Rancagua, 15 miles to the south of his camp. Ten days after the dispersion, the United Army was reorganized and ready for the fray. It consisted of five battalions of Chilean and four of Argentine infantry, in all nearly 4,000 strong. Two regiments of Argentine and one of Chilean cavalry, with 1,000 sabers, and 22 guns, in all more than 5,000 men. And of Chapter 17. Chapter 18 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre, translated by William Pilling. This Librivox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Piotr Natter. Maipo, 1818. At daybreak on the 20th of March, the royalist army, although triumphant, was in utter confusion. Only one battalion, that of Arequipa, under Rodil, had not dispersed. Osorio, leaving his convent, rode over the field of battle, endeavoring to estimate the value of the victory he had done nothing to win. The orderly retreat of Las Eras filled him with apprehension, and his own cavalry was worn out. He crossed the Lircai and advanced to Pangae, from whence he dispatched Ordonieth with a flying column in pursuit, and returned with the rest of his force to Talca to reorganize. Ordonieth reached Quechiragua the next day, when Las Eras had already crossed the Lontue. On the 24th he was joined by Osorio with the rest of the army. The country was a desert. The roads were inundated by the waters from the irrigating ditches which the Patriots had cut as they retreated. The royalist general could learn nothing of the position or condition of the Patriot army. Marching blindly on, he reached San Fernando on the 28th and sent forward a detachment of 200 horse, which, being attacked and dispersed by 60 grenadiers under Captain Cajaravia on the 30th, were the first to give him certain information that there still remained an enemy in front of him. On the 31st the royal army, 5500 strong, crossed the Cachapoal and advanced so cautiously that only on the afternoon of the 2nd of April they didn't encamp on the left bank of the Maipo. Leaving the main road, Osorio crossed by a fort lower down and encamped at Calera on the 3rd, moving on in the afternoon to the farmhouse of Espejo, where he established his headquarters with the Patriot army close at hand. On the 4th he held a council of war and proposed to retire on Valparaiso. Ordoniev, Rivera and the principal officers opposed this idea, so it was resolved to fight the next day. The scene of the decisive battle of the 5th of April 1818 is a plane bounded on the east by the river Mapocho, which divides the city of Santiago on the north by a range of hills that separates it from the valley of Aconcorua and on the south by the river Maipo, which gives it its name. The west of this plane consists of a series of downs with some low hills covered with natural grasses and occasional clumps of thorny trees. From Santiago there runs in this direction a stretch of highland called the Loma Blanca from the chalky nature of the soil. On the crest of this Loma the Patriot army was encamped. In front of the western extremity of this Loma rose another of triangular form beyond the southwestern angle of which stood the farmhouse of Espejo, communicating with the higher ground by a sloping road of about 25 yards in width, shut in by vineyards and by the mud walls of enclosures and crossed at the foot by a ditch. This Loma was occupied by the royalist army. Between the two lomas lay a stretch of low ground varying in width from 300 to 1,250 yards which was shut in on the west by a hillock which formed a sort of advanced work on the left of the royalist position. The position held by the Patriot army commanded the three roads from the capital to the passes of the Maipo and the road to Valparaiso. For its further security San Martín entrenched the city and garrisoned it with 1,000 militia and two battalions of infantry under command of a Higgins whose wound precluded him from service in the field. The army was in three divisions, the first under Las Eras on the right, the second under Alvarado on the left and a reserve in a second line under Quintana. Balcarthe was in general command of the infantry, San Martín keeping the cavalry and the reserve under his own orders. San Martín issued the most precise orders for the regulation of the troops in action especially in joining upon every corps whether cavalry or infantry that they should never await a charge from the enemy but that when fifty paces distant they should rush forward with saber or bayonet. During the whole day of the 4th of April skirmishers of the Patriot army were constantly engaged with the enemy advancing from the 4th of the Maipá. Early on the morning on the 5th San Martín attended by O'Brien and Dalbe with a small escort rode to the edge of the Loma to watch for himself the movements of the foe. He feared that they would go far to the west and secure the road to Valparaiso for a retreat in case of a reverse. As he saw them occupy the high ground in front of him with their left only extending to the road he exclaimed what broods these Spaniards are Osorio is a greater fool than I thought him I take the sun for witness that the day is ours. At that moment the sun shone forth over the snowy crests of the Andes from the cloudless sky upon him. At half past ten the Patriot army advanced by the crest of the Loma from its camping ground. On the march Marshal Breyer presented himself to San Martín asking permission to retire to the buffs of Colina. You have the same permission you took on the field of Talca, replied San Martín, but as half an hour will decide the fate of Chile as the enemy is in sight and the buffs are thirteen leagues off you may stay if you can. The Marshal answered that he could not quote because of an old wound in the leg end quote. Senior General, replied San Martín the lowest drummer in the United Army has more honor than you and turning grain he gave orders to the Balcarthe to announce to the army that the general of twenty years of warfare was cashiered for unworthy conduct. On reaching the edge of the Loma the army was drawn up in order of battle four heavy guns in the center the light pieces and the cavalry on the wings and the reserve two hundred yards in the rear. The first movement of the Royalist general was to detach Primoderevera with eight companies of infantry and four guns to occupy the detached hill on the left threatening the right of the Patriots taking them in flank if they crossed the low ground and securing as he thought the road to Valparaiso Morgalo with some cavalry keeping up the connection with the main body. The crest of the Loma was occupied by the infantry in two divisions with four guns each the rest of the cavalry being stationed on the extreme right both armies were in such excellent positions that neither could attack except at disadvantage. San Martin uncertain of the whereabouts of the enemy's artillery was the first to open fire with his four heavy guns from the center the reply gave him the information he required and he at once ordered the two divisions to attack the enemy Las Eras advanced resolutely with the 11th battalion under the fire of the four guns on the hill to another hill to the right of Primoderevera while the Grenadiers under Escalada, Medina and Thapiola drove Morgalo and his horsemen in confusion from the field. Rivera was thus cut off from the main body at the same time the left wing crossed the hollow ascended the slope in front of them and reached the high ground without seeing an enemy but were then vigorously charged by the bulk of the royalist infantry under Ordonith and Morla and driven back with heavy loss but the royalists pursuing them down the slope were in their turn forced to retire by a withering fire from the Chilean guns under Borgoño which had remained on the crest of the Loma Blanca. San Martin now sent orders to the reserve to advance at once in support of the left wing by an oblique movement across the low ground so as to fall upon the flank of the Spanish infantry. On his way Quintana was joined by three battalions of these that had been driven back and fell with great impetuosity upon the royalists who however held their ground most tenaciously. Meantime Freire with the Chilean cavalry had charged and put to flight the royalist cavalry on the right and now came back upon the other flank of the Spanish infantry. Alvarado, having rallied his broken division came to the assistance of Quintana with Borgoño and his eight guns. Osorio, after sending orders to Rivera to withdraw from his advanced position fled leaving Ordonith in command who at once commenced to retreat in excellent order upon the farmhouse of Espejo. At this moment Ohiggins, wounded as he was appeared upon the field meeting San Martin greeted him as the savior of Chile but it was already five o'clock and the battle was not yet won. Ordonith with heavy loss had made good his retreat to the farmhouse where he made the most active preparations for defense. Las Eras in pursuit of the left wing was the first to arrive there but found several detached corps there before him. He immediately ordered the occupation of the high ground around it which commanded the position but Balcarthe coming up ordered an immediate attack by the road. Colonel Thompson with a battalion of Chilean light infantry led the assault but was beaten back with gripe and musketry losing 250 killed and all his officers wounded. Borgoño and Blanco Encalada from the high ground then opened fire with 17 guns and soon drove the enemy from his outer defenses into the houses and vineyards. Then the 11th battalion supported by pickets of the 7th and 8th broke their way through the mud walls and took the houses by assault. The carnage was frightful till Las Eras succeeded in putting a stop to it. Ordonith and all his principal officers with the exception of Radil who escaped gave up their swords to Las Eras and the victory was complete. This was the hardest fought battle in all the war of independence the royalists lost 100 killed 12 guns, 4 flags and a great quantity of small arms, ammunition and baggage captured and one general, 4 colonels, 7 lieutenant colonels, 150 officers and 2,200 men were made prisoners. The patriots lost more than 1,000 men killed and wounded the greatest sufferers being the freed Negroes of Cuyo of whom more than half remained upon the field. Great tactical skill was displayed by San Martín in this battle. The victory was achieved by the opportune attack of the reserve upon the weakest flank of the enemy. Like Epaminondas he won only 2 great battles and both by the oblique movement invented by the Greek general. Its importance was only equaled by that of Boyacá and that of Ayacucho and without my paw neither the one nor the other would have been fought. My paw crashed the spirit of the Spanish army in America and that of all adherents to the cause of royalty from Mexico to Peru. It had, further, the singular merit of being won by a beaten army 15 days after its defeat. The Arequipa battalion retreated in good order under Rodil but dispersed after crossing the Maula. This battalion and the dispersed cavalry were all who escaped from the field. San Martín had witnessed the flight of Osorio and sent O'Brien after him with a party of cavalry. However he escaped by the coast leaving his carriage with all his correspondence in the hands of his pursuer and reached Talcauano on the 14th of April with 14 men. There he was joined by 600 more of the fugitives all that remained of the victors of Cancerayada. San Martín made small use of his victory. He had once dispatched Freire in pursuit with a party of cavalry but not until the guerillas began to commit the predations that he sent Thapiola with 250 grenadiers to maintain order in the south. Osorio made use of this respite to strengthen himself in Concepción and Talcauano and by calling in Outlying Detachments succeeded in collecting 1200 men by the middle of May. Pethuela, who fully appreciated the magnitude of the disaster wrote to the viceroy of New Grenada and Venezuela for reinforcements. Samano sent him the Numancia Battalion 1200 strong, weakening himself at the time that he was threatened by Bolivar. But Morillo could send him none from Venezuela and he confined his efforts to making preparations against invasion, leaving Osorio unaided to sustain himself in Chile as he could. On the 21st of May, Osorio sent two detachments across the Nuble, one of which surprised the town of Parrol. Thapiola sent off Captain Cajaravia with 200 horses to retake the town, which task he gallantly accomplished capturing 70 prisoners, while Lieutenant Rodriguez of the grenadiers cut off the other detachment to pieces at Kirijue. This put a stop to the efforts of the royalists for that time and Thapiola, being reinforced, determined to attack Cheyenne, where Colonel Lantanio was in command with a garrison of 500 men. The expedition was confided to Cajaravia, who attempted to carry the place by assault but was beaten off and compelled to retire. Osorio, fearing that he would be attacked in the spring by the whole United Army, resolved to evacuate Dalcahuano and to return to Peru. Accordingly, on the 5th of September he left Colonel Sanchez in command of the Chilean royalists and, after dismantling the fortifications, sailed for Cajar on the 8th, with 35 heavy guns, a great quantity of war material and 700 Spanish troops, all that remained of the strong reinforcement he had brought with him. End of chapter 18. Chapter 19 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre, translated by William Pilling. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Piotr Natter. Chapter 19, after Maipo, 1818. The same day on which the dispatch announcing the victory of Maipo reached Mendoza, Don Luis and Don Juan José Carrera were shot in that city. The suit against them had been carried on in a most irregular manner, both in Mendoza and in Santiago. Don Luis was accused and convicted of having violated a mail-bed. Don Juan José was accused of the murder of a boy, of which there was no proof. Both were indicted for conspiracy against Chile in Argentine territory and in Chile for high treason. It was at once an international, criminal and political case and was tried by two courts of different nationalities and totally independent of one another. The Argentine government was by accident and San Martin indirectly mixed up in it. Questions of jurisdiction arose and the case was still pending when in February 1818 Don Luis was discovered to be engaged in a conspiracy against the government of Cuyo. After the disaster of Cancharayada, fugitives from Chile spread panic through the province and Luthuriaga, the governor, asked permission to send the accused to the Buenos Aires. He was apprehensive of what might happen, and his mother, the feat bring upon him a flood of Chilean immigrants, but the municipality called upon him in the name of the people to finish the case at once. He then appointed three judges to try the case, of whom Juan was Dr. Montagudo, who was one of the fugitives from Chile. On the 8th of April at 3 p.m. both the accused were sentenced to death. At 5 p.m. they were shot. They fell not so much in expiation of crimes committed, as in sacrifice to the necessities of the Argentine-Chilino alliance. San Martin, writing of this affair, says, After the action of Maipo, I used all my influence with the government of Chile in favor of the Carreras, and I procured a pardon for them, but it was then too late. Ohigins had acceded to his request when they were no longer dangerous. Now that the victory of Maipo had secured the independence of Chile, the latent spirit of opposition to the dictatorial government of Ohigins again broke out. The most moderate desired the establishment of a constitutional regime. The most extreme deemed that the time had come for a radical reform. Among these were the old adherents of the Carreras, who from local patriotism were inimical to the Argentine-Chilino alliance and to the influence of San Martin. Dr. Rodríguez was one of them and aspired to be their leader. During the 48 hours of his rule, in the confusion which followed the disaster of Cancerayada, he had raised a squadron of horse which he styled the hussars of death, entirely composed of men disaffected to the government. He now declared that they would bring the rulers of the people to order. Ohigins saw in this corps a focus of sedition and ordered it to be disbanded. Rodríguez protested but was compelled to submit. Rodríguez was at once a guerrilla chief and a demagogue. He was a lawyer who wore the epaulets of a colonel. He was a true patriot, but had neither judgment nor foresight and infused his own disorderly spirit into the agitation. The municipality of the capital called upon the director to convene an open cabildo. It met on the 17th of April. Rodríguez called upon the assembly to declare itself a representative body until the convocation of a congress. And as such superior in authority to the actual rulers of the state, the motion was carried. Ohigins ordered the arrest of Rodríguez and the ferments subsided. Ohigins then decreed the appointment of seven principal citizens as a committee to draw up a plan of a provisional constitution which, quote, should define the powers of each authority and should establish on a solid basis the rights of citizens. End quote. A constitution was accordingly drawn up and promulgated. Rodríguez was sent under arrest the barracks of Alvarado's battalion under charge of a Spanish officer named Navarro, who was told by Alvarado and Montagudo that government desired, quote, the extermination of Rodríguez, end quote, for the sake of public tranquility and the importance of the army. On the 23rd of May the battalion left Santiago for Quillota, where Rodríguez was to be tried by court-martial as a disturber of public order. On the march an officer presented Rodríguez with a cigarette on which was written it would be well for you to fly. On the evening on the 24th the party encamped on the banks of a stream. The men carrying carbines walked with Rodríguez to a gorge nearby. Soon after a shot was fired. Rodríguez is dead, said some officers in the encampment. Next morning his body was found covered with stones and twigs. His escort said he had tried to escape and the affair was hashed up. Of all the trophies of victory of Maipá, San Martín had reserved only one for himself. This was the portfolio containing the secret correspondence of Osorio, which was found in his carriage when it was captured by O'Brien. On the morning of Sunday 12th of April, San Martín attended only by O'Brien and taking the portfolio with him rode out from Santiago some seven miles to a secluded spot called El Salto. Procuring a chair from a house close by, he seated himself under the shade of a tree, opened the portfolio and read the contents carefully. They were letters written by several of the leading citizens of Santiago to Osorio after the affair of Cancerayada, declarations of their loyalty. Then, asking for a small fire of sticks to be lighted in front of him, he burned them one by one, the wind carrying away their ashes. Proofs of treachery, which arose only from panic, were burned in Oblivion. No one but himself ever knew who were the writers letters. The next day he left for Buenos Aires on the same errant which had caused his sudden journey after Checabuca to concert measures for an expedition to Peru. On the 11th of May, again avoiding a triumphal entry, he quietly took up his residence in his own house in the Argentine capital. Again the Argentine government decreed him a commission as Brigadier General, again he declined all promotion, but Congress insisted upon giving him a public vote of thanks, and a crowd of Argentine poets celebrated his victory in Verres. San Martín spent the whole of June in consultation with the members of the Lautarolog, upon the means of fitting out a squadron for the Pacific. In July it was resolved that $500,000 should be raised by a loan for that object and soon afterwards Don Miguel Thaniartu was officially received in Buenos Aires as the representative of Chile. San Martín then returned to Mendoza and made two attempts to cross the Cordillera, but was driven back by snowstorms, and remained there all the winter, nothing love, for he found himself much more at home among the simple bluffspoken cuyanos than in a more polished society of Santiago. About the end of July he received a letter from Puey Redon telling him not to draw upon the treasury, as he had been authorized to do, for it was found impossible to raise the projected loan. San Martín at once sent in his resignation, which caused such consternation in official circles that he was again authorized to draw for the full amount specified. At that time there arrived in Mendoza various remittances of coin from Chile to merchants in Buenos Aires. San Martín seized this money on the pretext transit was not safe, which was quite true, and gave the owners drafts on the national treasury in exchange. Puey Redon with great difficulty managed to pay these drafts on presentation but wrote to San Martín quote, if you do that again I am bankrupt, and we are lost end quote. With these resources and other remittances which followed San Martín replenished the empty chest of the army of the Andes with $1,000 and the situation was saved. His spare time in Mendoza he filled up by making elaborate calculations concerning the men, arms and equipment necessary for his projected expedition to Peru, while Puey Redon and the diplomatic corps were as fully occupied in the construction of a scheme which was to render the expedition unnecessary. It was proposed that a conference of European powers should nominate the sovereign who should unite all the Spanish colonies south of the equator under his sway. Of this monarchy San Martín and his army was to be the right arm. Of all this San Martín was fully informed and to the scheme he made no opposition but went on all the same with his calculations till he crossed the Andes in October and on the 29th of that month dismounted at the gate of his palace in Santiago full of hope for his last letter from Puey Redon announced the dispatch of two vessels of war for service on the Pacific. Bolivar, victorious in Venezuela and encouraged by the victory of Maipo was at that time preparing for another passage of the Andes. Spain in 80 years of warfare had sent 16 expeditions to America with more than 40,000 veteran troops had expanded 75 million of dollars and seemed in no way as yet inclined to relinquish the attempt to subdue her rebellious colonies. She had yet 100,000 soldiers and militia in America and was preparing a fresh expedition of 20,000 men for despatch to the river plate. Thus while diplomatists amused themselves and the world with visionary schemes for securing the independence of America those more nearly interested in the question thought only of settling it by fire and sword. And of Chapter 19 Chapter 20 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolomé Mitre translated by William Pilling this Liberwax recording is in the public domain, recording by Pietronator the first naval campaign on the Pacific, 1818. When San Martin in 1814 at Tucumán first made a sketch of his continental campaign he saw that the true road from Chile to Lima was by sea. At that time both oceans from California on the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico on the Atlantic were dominated by the Spanish Navy. Chile had about a few fishing boats among the islands of the South Pacific yet from the extent of her sea line to the number of her ports and by her geographical position shut in on a narrow strip of land between the Andes and the sea, Chile was eminently fitted to be a great naval power. Traveling by land was so difficult that the sea was the natural road of communication between the different districts. In the forests of Arauco, the pine and the oak tree flourished luxuriously. Her valleys produced hemp and flax in abundance. In the bowels of the earth were stored up vast supplies of copper, iron and coal. Chacabuca and Maipá had secured an independence of Chile, but without a fleet further progress was impossible. After Chacabuca, the Spanish flag was still kept flying on the forts of Valparaiso. Deceived by this stratagem, the Spanish brick Aguila entered the harbor and was captured. She was armed with 16 guns and named the Pueyrredon and an Irishman named Morris was put in command. His first exploit was to sail to the island of Juan Fernández where he was imprisoned by Marco and by Osorio. Some months afterwards, the Wyndham frigate of 44 guns anchored at Valparaiso. She belonged to the East India Company and at the suggestion of Alvarez Condarco, then in London had been sent there for sale. Guido raised alone among the merchants of Valparaiso and gave the guarantee of the Argentine government for $50,000 so that the government of Chile in spite of the exhausted state of the treasury just before Maipo purchased the ship for $180,000 and named her de Lautaro. She shipped a crew of 100 sailors of various nationalities and 250 Chileans soldiers, boatmen and fishermen. The marines were placed under the command of Captain Miller and Englishmen and command of the ship was given to Captain O'Brien. Translator's note no relation to O'Brien the aide de camp. End of note. Who had served in the English Navy with Turner as lieutenant. All the officers were either English or North American except Miller. Not one of them could give orders in Spanish. Nevertheless, says Miller in his memoirs, ten hours after sailing, she fought and fought well. The Spanish Pacific Squadron at this time consisted of 17 ships counting 331 guns. After the victory of Maipo O'Higgins ordered his two ships to put to sea in search of the Spanish ships which had been blockading Valparaiso. They sailed on the afternoon of the 26th of April. At daybreak on the 27th de Lautaro sighted the 44 gun frigate Esmeralda making for the port followed at some miles distance by the 18 gun brick Pethuela. O'Brien hoisted the English flag and sailed straight for her till off her quarter and to the windward when he hauled down the English flag hoisted the Chilean and ran into her exchanging a broadside. Followed by 30 or 40 men he then leaped on board driving the Spaniards from the upper deck and hauling down her flag a shot from the lower deck killed him and he fell shouting stick to her boys the ship's ours. But while the fighting went on the ships had separated. Turner thinking the enemy was captured sent off a boat with 18 men to assist and sailed off in the Lautaro against the Pethuela which hauled down her flag without firing a shot. Meantime Coyg, commander of the Esmeralda had rallied his men recaptured the upper deck drove the rest of the assailants overboard and on the return of the Lautaro made off accompanied by the Pethuela and the mortal Kawano both of them being swifter ships than the Lautaro. On their way back to port the Chilean vessels captured a Spanish Brig whose value more than covered the cost of the Lautaro. Government then bought an American privateer mounting 20 guns and named her the Chacabuco. Soon afterwards an American Brig mounting 16 guns was purchased and named the Araucano. In August the ship Cumberland purchased by Condarco in London arrived and was named the San Martin. Chile had thus rapidly acquired a small fleet of her own and looking about for an admiral she chose Don Manuel Blanco and Calada a young officer of artillery born in Buenos Aires of a Chilean mother and Calada had adopted Chile as his country he had held a separate command before the disaster of Rancagua was among the patriot prisoners rescued by the Puirredon from the island of Juan Fernández was present at Cancharayada and had distinguished himself at Maipol. He had previously served in the Spanish Navy as a junior officer and was at this time 28 years of age. On the 21st of May a Spanish expedition of 11 transports two of which were armed vessels under convoy of the 50 gun ship Maria Isabel sailed from Cadiz to the Pacific carrying two battalions of the regiment of Cantabria 1600 strong a regiment of cavalry of 300 sabers 180 artillerymen and pioneers with 8000 spare mascots. One of the transports was in such bad conditions that they were forced to leave her at Tenerife and distribute her men among the other ships. 5 degrees north of the equator the convoy was dispersed by adverse winds. On the 25th of July the British Brig Lady Warren reached Buenos Aires and reported having seen them about a month before. In consequence of this information the Argentine government sent off the Brig Lucy flying the Chilean flag and the Brig Intrepido flying the Argentine flag each carrying 18 guns with orders to double Cape Horn and join the Chilean squadron. At the same time word was sent to San Martin to invite the Chilean government to dispatch all their squadron against the expedition. On the 26th of August one of the transports named the Trinidad with 180 soldiers on board cast anchor at Ensenada a port on the river plate some 40 miles to the south of Buenos Aires she had separated from the convoy to the north of the equator when the troops headed by two surgeons and a corporal had mutinied shot their officers and had compelled the master to sail for Buenos Aires. The Argentine government thus came to know the signals and the point of reunion of the expedition which information they at once sent on to Chile. Soon after this the 36 gun frigate Horacio which had been purchased in the United States by Aguirre the Argentine commissioner reached Buenos Aires and announced that she was followed by the curatio of the same armaments. On the 19th of October the San Martin, Captain Wilkinson the Lautaro, Captain Wooster and Ciacabucco, Captain Diaz and the Araucano, Lieutenant Morris sailed from Valparaiso the squadron mounted 142 guns and was manned by 1100 men most of whom were Chileans. The officers were nearly all English or North Americans. As O'Higgins, who had gone to the port to carry on their departure rode up the hill on his return to Santiago, he looked upon the four ships spreading their sails to a fresh south-western while the Chilean flag flattered in the breeze from their mastheads and exclaimed, four ships gave the western continent to Spain these four ships will take it from her. On losing sight of land Blanco and Calada opened the sealed instructions which had been given to him and found that he was ordered to the island of Mocha to await the Spanish convoy. The native Chileans were for the most part quite fresh to the service but Miller, who sailed with the squadron, writes of them the native marines and sailors showed their good qualities both as soldiers and sailors by ready obedience. Soon afterwards they showed bravery also. A strong wind separated the Ciacabucco consorts who cast anchor on the 26th of October at the island of Santa Maria to await her while the Araucano was sent back to reconnoiter the bay of Talcauano about 40 miles to the north. As the ships flew the Spanish flag, a boat came off bringing a letter from the admiral of the Spanish convoy to any transport that might touch there. This letter confirmed information already received from a whaler that the Maria Isabel had been there five days before accompanied by four transports and had gone on to Talcauano while the rest of the convoy with crews sick and out of provisions had been unable to double cape horn. Blanco in Calada sailed at once for Talcauano. On the night of the 27th he arrived there with two ships and learned that the Maria Isabel was alone in the bay. The transports after landing 800 men had gone on to Callao. On the morning of the 28th with a fresh breeze the two Chilean ships entered the bay and saw the Spanish ship at anchor under the batteries. The Maria Isabel fired a blank cartridge and hoisted her flag. The San Martin replied with another blank cartridge and hoisted the English flag. When within basket shot both the Chilean ships hoisted their own flag with loud cheers which immediately produced a broadside from the Spaniard. The San Martin replied with another and cast anchor within pistol shot of the enemy on which the Spaniard cut his cables and ran aground. Part of the crew landed in boats while the rest kept up a fire from the poop. The Chilean ships continued to fire till her flag was hauled down. When two boats pulled off to her with 50 men under Lutanans Compton and Beleth and took prisoners 70 men and five prisoners of the Cantabria regiment. Encalada then landed to companies of marines to dislodge the royalist troops on shore who kept up a fire on the prize from behind walls on the beach but Sanchez coming up with a strong force from Concepcion compelled them to re-embark. In spite of the fire from shore every effort was made to set the prize afloat but without success on account of the wind which blew from the sea. During the following night preparations were made by both parties to continue the struggle next day. Sanchez placed four guns in battery on the beach while Encalada swung the Lautaro round by an anchor from the poop and brought her guns to bear on this battery and on the fort of San Augustine which commanded the entrance of the bay. At daybreak on the 29th both sides opened fire within pistol shot of each other. About 11 o'clock a stiff breeze came up from the south. A cable was passed from San Martin to the prize. The anchor was weighted. The sails spread with great rapidity and she was touted off amid shouts of Viva la Patria from the Chileans mingled with Laut Hurras from the English sailors. The Chilean squadron celebrated their victory by a salute of 21 guns and sailed out of the bay in triumph with their prize which they at once named O'Higgins. The four ships of the Chilean squadron met again at the island of Santa Maria and were there joined by the Argentine Brick in Trepido, Captain Carter and the Galvarino under Captain Gais and Spry who had both served in the English Navy. The squadron now consisted of nine vessels including the O'Higgins with 234 guns. One after another the rest of the transports fell into the hands of the patriots to the number of five with 700 prisoners. Four only with 800 men had reached Caillau. From that day Spain lost forever the Dominion of the Pacific. The road for the expedition to Peru lay open. 38 days after the four ships had sailed from Valparaiso 13 vessels carrying the Chilean flag anchored in line in the bay amid the enthusiastic acclamations of the people. On 28th of November, 1818 there anchored in the bay of Valparaiso a ship bringing as passenger one of the first sailors of Great Britain who was yet to increase his fame by exploits in the new world. His name was Thomas Alexander Cochrane a name made famous by extraordinary deeds of Daringdew. Born in Scotland of noble family and lately a member of the British Parliament he had been conspicuous among the radical opposition and was both hated and feared by the ruling party. Mixed up in stock exchange transactions of a doubtful character he was condemned to a heavy fine and to exposure in the pillory and was expelled from the House of Commons. The people paid his fine by subscription. Government remitted the degrading part of the sentence and he was re-elected by the county he had represented. But he had had enough and more than enough of political life he preferred exile and heroic adventures and accepted the offers which were made him by Condarco and Alvarez-Honte the agents of Chile and of San Martin in London. He decided to devote his services to the cause of independence in South America. Early leaving his native country a farewell banquet was given to him by his admirers at which he boldly proclaimed his radical principles in impassioned words which gave the key to his character, extreme in everything in heroism, in hatred or in love. The Chilean vice admiral in no way vain glorious of his recent triumph acknowledged at once the superiority of Cochrane. He resigned the command of the squadron and Cochrane was appointed vice admiral in his stead. Blanco and Calada was married to one of the most beautiful women in Chile. The wife of Cochrane who came with him was a most worthy type of British beauty and was idolized by her husband. These two young wives became the stars of Chilean society on shore whilst on the ocean the two admirals sustained in honor the star of the young republic which was emblazoned on the flag floating from the mastheads of the fleet which now dominated the pacific. End of chapter 20 Chapter 21 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre translated by William Pilling this Librivox recording is in the public domain recording by Piotr Natter the repassage of the Andes 1818 to 1819 while in the years 1818 and 1819 the independence of Chile became firmly established and in the north of the continent the revolution crossed the Andes and invaded New Grenada the prospects of the united provinces clouded over the civil war blazed on the coasts of La Plata and public opinion in Chile turned against the American policy of San Martín while a fresh expedition of 20,000 men was assembling at Cadiz destined for the river plate in the south of Chile, Cian and Talcauano were the strongholds of the royalists. Concepción was the center of the reaction while Valdivia and Chiloé gave them access to the sea San Martín saw that no expedition to Peru was possible while this enemy remained in his rare in September 1818 Fabiola was strongly reinforced and was instructed to commence operations but his force was still unequal to the task in November Bacarthe was sent south with an army of 3400 men and eight light field pieces in order to avoid useless bloodshed San Martín proposed an arrangement to Sanchez for the evacuation of the territory. Sanchez referred him to the viceroy of Peru in December Freire crossed the Nuble with the vanguard and occupied Cian which was evacuated on his approach in January Bacarthe arrived with the bulk of the army but Sanchez had already retreated from Concepción and Talcauano and in spite of an active pursuit by Escalada and Alvarado crossed the Biobio with small loss and shut himself up this is spoken of as the last campaign in Chile but bands of Indians and Bandits still for three years infested the southern provinces José Miguel Carrera still in Montevideo fominating vows of vengeance against Huérredon, San Martín and Ohingins there met some French adventurers whom he succeeded in interesting in his cause. They went on to Buenos Aires and after many secret consultations in the house of Donia Javier three of them left for Chile in November with a troop of bullock cards. Huérredon received secret information that another conspiracy was on foot and sent a party after them to arrest them. One of them named Yang attempting to resist was shot. The other two with some of their accomplices who had remained in Buenos Aires were tried by Court Marshall on a charge of conspiracy to assassinate three were acquitted. The other two, Robert and la Grèce were shot on the Plaza del Retiro on the 3rd of April 1819 protesting their innocence to the last. San Martín on his return to Chile found that the successes of the Chilean fleet had greatly relaxed the eagerness of the government for the projected expedition. Now that they had command of the sea they were safe from invasion and the treasury was so exhausted that the pay of his soldiers was very irregular. The people also murmured against the government which relied for support upon Argentine bayonets. Nevertheless he and O'Higgins both issued proclamations to the Peruvian people announcing an expedition for the purpose of giving liberty to Peru so that they would become a nation with a government established by themselves in accordance with their own customs, with their situation and with their inclinations. Further the Chilean envoy Iritharri passing through Buenos Aires on his way to England there signed a treaty of alliance with the Argentine government quote to put an end to Spanish domination in Peru by means of a combined expedition end quote. In June 1818 Bolivar stretched out the right hand of fellowship to the Argentine people by an official letter to the government and by a proclamation to quote the inhabitants of the river plate end quote in which he sets forth his favorite policy of a union of all the peoples of South America. Some months later on O'Higgins wrote to Bolivar proposing to him an alliance based upon the continental ideas of San Martín. San Martín had written from Mendoza to the government of Chile and to Balcarthe informing them of his plans for the expedition to Peru giving three months for collecting the necessary supplies. When he reached Santiago nothing had been done and the revenues were mortgaged for months to come. He then wrote to the Argentine government giving a most miserable account of the financial state of Chile and the consequent inefficiency of the army of the Andes which he suggested should be withdrawn from Chile as the projected expedition was for the time impossible. He also wrote to the government of Chile expressing his fears of the speedy dissolution of the army and proposed that a part of it should be employed in desultery attacks on the coasts of Peru while he himself resigned the command. On receiving no satisfactory reply he concentrated the army of the Andes at the upper part of the valley of Aconcagua crossed over himself with a small detachment to Mendoza and was soon after followed by a division of 1200 men by which operation he brought pressure on the Chilean government by leaving them to their own resources while he recruited his cavalry in their own country and preserved Quio from being drawn into the vortex of anarchy which at that time desolated the United provinces. In this internecine strife he took no part whatever but the presence of a portion of his army in Mendoza strengthened the hands of government and aided greatly in bringing about a truce. The first news which San Martin heard on his arrival in Mendoza was an account of a terrible tragedy which had just occurred in San Luis. This city was the prison of the principal captives of Maipo and Chacabuco. They were well treated by Dupuy, the deputy governor, who had only a picket of militia under his orders and who trusted more to the white Pampa which surrounded them than to prison walls for their security. The officers were not confined in the public prison but lived in houses and mixed freely with the people. They were so many that they thought they would have no difficulty in overpowering the small garrison. A plan of escape had been for months discussed among them when on the 1st of February 1819 Dupuy, on account of the disturbed state of the country around, issued an order that they were not to leave their houses after sundown. The terror of the Burgos regiment was the head of the conspirators. On the evening of the 7th he invited a number of his comrades to breakfast with him the next morning proposing to spend the day killing vermin in his orchard. At six o'clock next morning twenty officers met at his house. He led them into the orchard and gave them a light breakfast of bread and cheese washed down with brandy. Then, drawing a pognard, he told them that in an hour they would all be free or dead, and distributed ten knives among them, telling the rest to arm themselves with sticks. Captain La Madrid was sent with ten men to seize the barracks. Captain Salvador with six to capture the prison and set the prisoners at liberty while he left off to join Ordoniev, Primo de Rivera and Morla who, with their orderlies would make sure of the deputy governor. The 1st party reached the barracks, disarmed in the sentry and overpowered the guard. In an inner yard were a number of gaucho rebels under arrest among them being one who afterwards acquired terrible notoriety as a gaucho chieftain, Juan Facundo Quiroga. Quiroga led his fellow prisoners to the assistance of the soldiers and armed only with the broken shaft of a lance fought so fiercely that all the assailants except one were killed and he was badly wounded. The party sent against the prison on crossing the great square were met by the officer in command of the militia who was galloping about with his saber drawn calling the people to arms. Armed men poured out of the houses upon them, only one escaped the rest being killed. Meantime Carretero, Morgado and Morla had gone to Dupuis house and asked to see him being admitted they set upon him and after a short struggle they threw him down when Ordoniez and Primo de Rivera entered with their orderlies bringing the sentry with them after shutting the outer door. But Emilia captain and a doctor who were with Dupuis had escaped and gave the alarm. A number of the townspeople headed by a young officer named Pringles surrounded the house with shouts of death to the gods. Dupuis rushed to the door and opened it the crowd poured in Ordoniez Morla, Carretero and Morgado were killed. Primo de Rivera finding a loaded carbine in an anti-room shot himself through the head. Of 40 conspirators 22 were killed. The rest were tried by a court marshal of which Dr. Monte Aguda was president 8 were acquitted 7 were shot. But young Ordoniez a nephew of the general was spared partly on account of his youth and partly because he was engaged to a young lady of the city whose relatives interfered on his behalf. He was afterwards set at liberty by San Martin who also gave Kiroga his freedom as a reward for his bravery a favor which Kiroga never forgot. Marco del Pont ex-governor of Chile was also at that time a prisoner in San Luis but took no part in the conspiracy and was not molested. The repassage of the Andes by a portion of the army had the effect San Martin expected upon the government of Chile. On his return from San Luis to Mendoza he found dispatches awaiting him from Guido from Ohigins and from the Lautaro lodge informing him that all were convinced that the safety of the country depended upon the dispatch of the expedition to Peru. At the end of March Major Borgogno arrived as the representative of the lodge fully authorized to arrange all the details with him. San Martin required an army of from four to six thousand men and a supply of five hundred thousand dollars of which he would provide two hundred thousand dollars furnished by the Argentine government. He also accepted the rank of Brigadier General in the Chilean army which was again offered to him. By return of post he received the ratification by the lodge of the arrangement made with Borgogno and an order to proceed at once to Chile to super intent the preparations. It was in these circumstances when he gave himself up entirely to the great work of his life that he separated from his wife for the last time. She returned to Buenos Aires never to see him again in this world. When he again saw his native land she was dead leaving him one only daughter who went with him into exile. On the 19th of June 1819 Puey Redon returned from his life into that obscurity which is the fate of great men when their appointed task is accomplished. End of chapter 21 Chapter 22 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolomé Mitre translated by William Pilling this Librivox recording is in the public domain recording by Pietronater Cochrane, Cayao, Valdivia 1819 to 1820 The new admiral when hoisting his penant on the O'Higgins might, after the manner of the old Dutch admirals have nailed a broom to his mast head. His commission was to sweep the Spanish fleet from the Pacific. This ideal hero was one of the first sailors of the First Navy of the world and became indisputably the first in the naval annals of three nations of South America. Yet he never was master of his own destiny. He founded no school in due posterity with his spirit. With great faculties both moral and intellectual he had no political talent. There was no method in what he did. His exploits were performed under many flags and in both the old and in the new world but he made no country his own. He left his native land with curses. He parted from Chile, from Peru, from Brazil and from Greece in anger stigmatizing them as ungrateful. He valued his deeds in gold as though they had been merchandise yet in the abstract he was a lover of liberty. He placed his sword and his genius only at the service of some noble cause. On the 14th of January 1819 he sailed from Valparaiso with four ships the San Martín, O'Higgins, Lautaro and Chacabuco leaving rare admiral Blanco and Calada to follow him. On the 10th of February the Bay of Callao is one of the largest on the South Pacific. Near its center stands the city of Callao on the shore at the foot of the coast range of the Cordillera three miles from the pass through it which gives access to the beautiful valley of Rimac in which stands the city of Lima. The Port of Callao is a roadstead shut in by two islands. One of them named San Lorenzo is seven miles in length and shelters the roadsteads from all winds except those which blow from the west. Off its southern point lies a smaller island called the Fronton. The open water between the two islands is the main entrance to the inner bay but between the Fronton and the land there is a much narrower passage called the Boquerón in which there are only five fathoms of water and many rocks. To the north of the island of San Lorenzo lies a sand bank of the mouth of the river Rimac Negra. The old walls of the city of Callao were destroyed by an earthquake in 1746. In their place three great circular castles were erected crowned with lofty towers. Between them stretched the batteries of the arsenal and of San Joaquin mounted with 165 heavy guns which swept the whole of the roadstead. Under their fire the Spanish squadron lay at Angkor consisting of the Esmeralda and Venganza, 44 gun frigates, the Corvette Sebastiana of 36 guns, the Briggs, Pethuela, Maipó and Portillo, each of 18 guns, the Schooner Montezuma of 7 guns, the Alanzazu of 5 guns and 26 gun boats besides 6 armed merchant vessels. The 28th of February was the day fixed upon by Cochrane for the attack. The same day Pethuela had arranged for a review of the squadron and the sham fight. At daybreak a thick fog covered the bay and the viceroy embarked on the Briggs Maipó, the better to watch the maneuvers. At 11 o'clock, as the fog commenced to lift, the sailors of the Maipó then near to the island of San Lorenzo saw a fine ship flying the Spanish flag, skirting the sandbank of the Boca Negra. The viceroy wished to speak to her but the commander of the Briggs refused to go nearer as he would lose the wind. Pethuela was thus saved from falling a prisoner to Cochrane. This strange ship was the O'Higgins which sailed on into the bay and captured the gun boat, followed only by the Lautaro, the other two ships being unable to enter the harbor for want of wind. Favored by the fog, the two ships anchored within range of the batteries, hoisted the Chilean flag and opened fire, but at nightfall slowly retired, with a few killed and some damage to spars and rigging. The next day the two ships again approached and drove the gun boats under shelter of the batteries. The Spaniards not daring to do more than remain on the defensive when they heard who was in command. Cochrane had hoped to take the enemy by surprise but having failed to do so he now tried to repeat his exploit of the Basque roads for which purpose he took possession of the island of San Lorenzo and set to work to make two fire ships. On the night of the 22nd of March he engaged the attention of the batteries with his four ships, while one of his fire ships drifted down on to the Spanish squadron but the fire ship ran aground and was struck by a shot from batteries, when the wind dying away he was forced to leave her to sink. On the 24th he again attacked and succeeded in capturing the Skunar Montezuma and some merchant vessels and gun boats. The O'Higgins at some distance from her consorts was becalmed in a fog and the Spaniards put off from shore in boats with the intention of boarding her. Fortunately a light wind sprang up before they reached her and they were seen in time and beaten off. Cochrane then retired to the neighboring port of Wacho in search of fresh water and was there joined by Blanco and Calada with the Galvarino and the Pueyrredon leaving the rare admiral with four ships to blockade Cayao Cochrane sailed northwards distributing proclamations from O'Higgins and San Martín and also one from himself, among the people along the coast. At one place he landed and captured San Blas Canón. Then returning to Cayao he found that Blanco and Calada had gone south in search of provisions and seeing nothing more was to be done at present he followed him. Then he had brought with him from England a mechanic who had worked with Congrave at the Arsenal at Woolwich. He now set him at work to make rockets and made trial of them in the Bay of Valparaiso expressing himself as perfectly satisfied with them. Government also furnished him with a nine inch mortar which had been sent from Buenos Aires and at 28 gun frigate purchased in the United States and named the Independencia was added to the squadron. A brigade of 400 Marines was also organized under the command of an English officer of experience named Charles with Major Miller as his second. The Pueyrredon, the Intrepido and the Montezuma were sent southward on a cruise in search of some Spanish ships which were reported to be on the way from Europe and on the 12th of September Cochrane and Blanco and Calada again sailed from Valparaiso with six ships of war and two of the transports which had been captured by Blanco and Calada on his first cruise and which were intended for fire ships. Cochrane had such faith in the terrible power of his new rockets that he was confident of success and wrote to Higgins that at 8 o'clock on the night of the 24th the Spanish squadron at Callao would be in flames. On the 24th of September he anchored of the island of San Lorenzo and on the 30th sent a challenge on shore to the enemy to come out and fight ship to ship. The Spaniards who had in the meantime greatly strengthened their defenses by surrounding their ships with a boom and had prepared furnaces to heat shot returned a laconic refusal. This time the attack was to be made by four pontoon batteries one carrying the mortar, two carrying rocket tubes and the other the ammunition. On the night on the 2nd of October they had the van in the Galvarino with the mortar in Tau the Pueyrredon followed, towing the ammunition then came the other two pontoons towed by the Araucano, Captain Hind and the Independencia, Captain Charles. All the cruise on the pontoons wore live belts. The action was commenced by the mortar which opened fire at less than 800 yards distance from the boom and sunk a gunboat. But after throwing several shells into the batteries the mortar had broke away from its bearings and no more could be done. The distance was too great for the rockets which fell harmlessly into the water and under the heavy fire from the batteries it was impossible to run closer in. A red hot shot struck the pontoon commanded by Hind and caused an explosion by which twelve men were badly burned. The Galvarino was struck several times and Lieutenant Bailey was cut in two by a shot at dawn the pontoons were recalled. In a subsequent attack an attempt was made to destroy the boom by a fire ship but the wind dying away she became a target for the enemy guns she was already sinking when the match was lighted by Lieutenant Morgul and she blew up before reaching the boom. The rockets were found to be so inefficient that Cochrane desisted for the time from any further attempt. Note it has been stated that the filling of the tubes was from motifs of parsimony entrusted to Spanish prisoners who as was found on examination had embraced every opportunity of inserting handfuls of sand, sawdust and even manure at intervals in the tubes thus impending the progress of combustion whilst in the majority of instances they had so thoroughly mixed the neutralizing matter with the ingredients supplied that the charge would not ignite at all the result being complete failure in the object of the expedition autobiography of a seaman by Lord McDonald. End of note. The day after the last attack a large ship was seen making for the port which on sighting the Chilean squadron sheared off again Cochrane followed but taking care for a whaler he returned to his anchorage and afterwards sailed to Arica. On his return he again saw the same ship which sent a boat on shore. This ship was the 50 gun frigate Prueba, one of the vessels which had been reported to be on the way from Europe. Three had left Spain in company bound for Cayao but one being found to be unseeworthy had put back on reaching the line and the other had found dirt off Cape Horn. Cochrane decided upon pursuing the Prueba but as he had many sick he first sent Blanco and Calada with them to Valparaiso in the San Martín and Independencia and dispatched captain guys with the Lautaro, the Galvarino and a transport with 350 marines on board to Pisco with orders to land there and procure a supply of fresh provisions. He then with the other three ships sailed for Guayaquil where he captured two transports each of which mounted 20 guns. From his prisoners he learned that the Prueba had been there but after sending her guns on shore to lighten her had gone up the river and was now at anchor in shallow water under the protection of some shore batteries. Soon after this he was rejoined by guys who had successfully accomplished the task allotted to him but with some loss. He had found Pisco garrisoned by a force of 800 men who were driven out by the marines at the point of the bayonet after some hard fighting Colonel Charles was killed and Miller received three wounds. After holding the town for four days he re-embarked the marines and sailed for Guayaquil. Cochrane then sent the Lautaro to Valparaiso in charge of the prizes and leaving the Puerredon and the Galvarino at the island of Puna which commands the Gulf of Guayaquil to keep watch over the Prueba he sailed for the port of Santa which lies to the north of Kayao. Here he was soon joined by other ships of the squadron which he sent back to Valparaiso and sailed away south by himself in the O'Higgins. He was sorely disappointed with the ill success of his attempts on Kayao and would not return to Valparaiso till he could return in triumph. He was turning over in his mind a daring scheme equal to any that he had so far accomplished. Pacing to and fro one day on his quarter deck as the good mill steadily on towards the colder regions of the south he met Miller who in spite of his wounds had taken command of the marines on the O'Higgins and asked him what would they say if with this one ship I took Valdivia as Miller made no answer he added they would call me a lunatic. Lunatic or not this was the exploit he had determined on attempting and he further explained himself operations which the enemy does not expect are almost certain to succeed if well carried out. Victory is always an answer to a charge of rushness. Valdivia from its certifications and from its natural strength was looked upon as the Gibraltar of America. The Bay of Valdivia is an estuary into which the river Valdivia falls by two channels forming an island known as the Isla del Rey. This estuary which runs nearly due east and west is about seven miles long and its width at the mouth is about three miles gradually diminishing until the width is little more than one mile when the bay itself opens out in a magnificent sheet of water. In the center of this bay and in front of the western point of the Isla del Rey stands a small island called the Mancera. On this bay there are several landing places but only one port the Corral and the coasts on both sides are changed with steep or perpendicular rocks and covered with dense brush wood. The bay has thus two coasts one to the south and other to the north which are separated by a wide space of open water by the river Valdivia and by the Isla del Rey. The northern part is inaccessible from the ocean but at the western extremity of the southern part there is a landing place where ships were accustomed to taking water. This time Valdivia was defended by nine forts and batteries distributed on both sides of the bay and armed with 128 guns. Two of these forts stood on the island and commanded both mouths of the river. On the north the entrance to the bay was guarded by an impregnable castle called de Niebla cut out of the solid rock and by a battery called Fort Piojo. On the south were the English fort which commanded the fort of San Carlos on a small peninsula and Fort Amargos whose fire crossed that of de Niebla. The entrance was further defended by the Cherocomayo redoubt and by the castle of the Corral. Both these forts were masked by a dense forest and the ground about them is so broken that their only communication by land was by a narrow path winding among the rocks and through the forest and crossing a gully which was commanded by the guns of both forts. Valdivia was ordinarily garrisoned by 800 troops and by as many militia but at this time the militia were absent. On the 18th of January 1820 the Ohingans sailed into the bay flying the Spanish flag. The Spaniards believed her to be de Prueba Cochrane signaled for a pilot who was sent off to him with a guard of honor whom he made prisoners and learned from them that de Portillo was expected with money to pay the troops. He then proceeded in his gig to inspect the entrance to the river under fire of the forts for by this time his true character was discovered. Two days afterwards he captured de Portillo which had $20,000 on board but seeing that he had not man enough for an attack upon the place he then went off for Talcauano in search of more. On the 22nd the Ohingans reached Talcauano and was fortunate enough to find there de Intrepido and de Montezuma. Colonel Freire who was then in command of the fortress eagerly entered into Cochrane's plans and gave him 250 men under command of Major Boshev. With disreinforcement he sailed again for Valdivia. On leaving the harbor the Ohingans struck on a rock and commenced to make water rapidly but the leak was patched up Cochrane infusing his own spirit into his man and declaring that she would float as far as Valdivia. When out of sight of land he trans shipped the marines from his flagship to the other two vessels and went on with them flying the Spanish flag till he arrived off the bay of Valdivia on the 3rd of February and signalled to the English fort for a pilot. But his ruse was discovered and the fort opened fire on him. Then in spite of a heavy sea running he determined to effect a landing two long boats and a gig in which he went himself. At the sound of the cannonade reinforcements had come up from the other forts so that the garrison now numbered 360 men of whom a detachment of 65 was thrown forward to protect the landing place. At sundown Miller landed with 75 marines and drove in this detachment. He was followed by Boshev with his 250 infantry who pushed on up an arrow path and drawn himself the fire of the garrison. While sublutinent Vidal skirted the wall of the fort and finding a side entrance fired a volley in the rear which so alarmed the defenders that they fled in panic caring with them the reserve who were drawn up on an open space behind. Boshev vigorously pursued the fugitives from fort to fort along the narrow path till at daybreak the English fort San Carlos, Amargos Cerocomayo and Corral were all in the hands of the patriots who had only 9 men killed and 34 wounded. 100 of the enemy escaped in boats as many more were killed the rest were either prisoners or dispersed. At daybreak on the fourth the Montezuma and Intrepido sailed into the bay under the fire of the northern ports. To dislodge the enemy from these positions 200 men were re-embarked but the Intrepido ran on a sand bank of the island of Mantera and sank. Thus ended the career of the only Argentine ship which figured in the celebrated Chilean squadron of the Pacific. Soon afterwards the Ohigins appeared and the Spaniards, abandoning the northern forts and the islands fled to the city. The Ohigins was leaking so badly that she was ran aground in the mud to keep her from sinking. The next day the city was taken without resistance. She lost her last base of operations in the south of Chile and Chile was now in possession of all her territory except the islands of Chiloé. Cochrane thought to finish his cruise by the capture of these islands but Colnel Quintanilla, who was in command was better prepared than was the garrison of Valdivia. A landing was affected on the 17th. A body of infantry was driven back and a battery was captured but Miller, who led the assault on the 4th, was again wounded and the attack was repulsed. But the Dominion of the Pacific was secured and Cochrane returned in triumph. At Santiago he met San Martin who, leaving Mendoza on the 20th of January had again crossed the Andes in pursuit of his great enterprise and now found the road to Peru opened for him by the heroism of the great admiral. End of chapter 22 Chapter 23 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre translated by William Pilling this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Pietronater the disobedience of San Martin 1819 to 1820 Three great duties pressed upon San Martin when he withdrew a part of his army to the east of the Andes first the prosecution of his plans for the liberation of America second his duty as a soldier to support the constituted authorities of his country in a time of civil war and third his duty as an Argentine in view of the expected expedition from Spain against the river plate his opinion in the respect to the first that if the expedition to Peru is not carried out everything will go to the devil In regard to the second he had an invincible repugnance to mix himself up in an international strife in regard to the third he could fight against Spain just as well on the west coast as on the east thus when he had procured through the lodge authority from the central government to proceed with his plans he thought only of how to carry them out but fears of the expedition from Spain for some time yet perturbed all his combinations the court of Spain thought with this new expedition of 20,000 men as to strike a mortal blow at the heart of the revolution in South America but matters had changed considerably since the year 1815 when the last great expedition under Murillo originally intended for Buenos Aires had been diverted to Venezuela the insurrection had made great progress and above all Portugal was no longer the ally of Spain and had ceased Montevideo which was the necessary base of any operations against Buenos Aires further the war against the colonies was very unpopular in Spain not only among the people but in the army in spite of all this the preparations were pushed forward 6 ships of the line, 13 frigates 3 corvettes, 10 brigs 3 schooners, 29 gunboats and 40 transports with from 18,000 to 20,000 troops were under orders to round the voo at Cadiz under command of the Count of Abiscal better known to history as José O'Donnell the Argentine government had secret agents in Cadiz who kept them well informed of all that went on these men reported great discontent among the troops and cantonments on the island of Leon and that there was a conspiracy on foot to proclaim the constitution of the year 12 in which most of the superior officers were implicated General O'Donnell, aided by General Salsfield affected to join the conspiracy in order to discover the plan of it but when it was on the eve of breaking out issued a proclamation to the troops calling upon them to adhere to their allegiance and promising them, among other rewards for their loyalty that they should not be sent to America the leaders of the conspiracy were without difficulty arrested but the projected expedition was thus prevented from sailing in July 1819 yellow fever broke out in the army but in spite of all this government was still resolved to send out the expedition the count of Calderon was put in command and the minister of marine was instructed in September to embark the troops at once in July of the same year 1819, General Rondeau was, by the influence of the Lautarolog appointed supreme director of the United Provinces in place of Puerredon this was merely a change of names the reigns of power remained as before in the hands of the oligarchy which had ruled for so many years one of the first acts of the new government was to send for San Martin to come to Buenos Aires to consult on the measures to be adopted in view of the threatened expedition from Spain San Martin was himself full of apprehension but without consulting his own government he proposed to Ahiggins that the Chilean squadron under Cochrane and in the pay of the Argentine government should sail to meet the expedition on the Atlantic and destroy it in the open sea offering to pay at once $50,000 towards the expenses this scheme would, he thought have great attraction for the enterprising spirit of the admiral but Cochrane, bent upon destroying the Spanish fleet at Callao would not listen to it until the business in hand was accomplished when there would he said be ample time to meet the new fleet on the Atlantic and blow them to pieces with his concrete rockets in answer to a second letter from Rondeau in August San Martin offered to march with 4000 men of whom 3000 would be cavalry to drive the Spaniards into the river as he had done before at San Lorenzo with 16 squadrons and 30 light field pieces we can be sure of victory in October news was received from Buenos Aires that O'Donnell had rebelled against the Spanish government and had marched with the army of Cadiz upon Madrid this news was false but it had the effect of causing Rondeau to countermand the orders for the concentration of the army meantime the truce between the central government and the Gaucho chieftains of the interior had come to an end. Ramirez from Entrerios and Artigas from the Banda Oriental had joined with Lopez of Santa Fe and war had again broken out on the northern frontier of Buenos Aires for the third time government looked to San Martin for help and ordered him to Buenos Aires with the division quartered at Mendoza just at the same time he received advices from Chile that all was ready for the proposed expedition to Peru. San Martin hesitated but wrote to government that he was about to march to Buenos Aires with 2000 cavalry 8 guns but should leave his infantry in Mendoza. One battalion of infantry was quartered in San Juan. The Grenadiers were in San Luis and his total force of regular troops in Cuyo was now raised by recruiting to 2200 men, besides which he had called out the militia of San Luis to the number of 2000 men. The idea of government was to concentrate the whole army in the province of Buenos Aires to the number of 8000 men ready to act either against the Spaniards or against the Gaucho Hordes but as the latter numbered only 1500 it was a most cowardly measure to abandon the northern frontier, menaced by the royalists of Upper Peru and to break the terms of the alliance with Chile and could only have ended in the isolation of Buenos Aires from the rest of the provinces. The civil war was a spontaneous effervescence of the people who could not be cured by the saber. It arose not only from the semi-barbarous instincts of the masses but also from the discontent of the more educated classes with a political system which was not in accordance with the principles of the revolution and this discontent permeated the ranks of the army itself. Rondeau, in pursuance of his plan took the field with the army of Buenos Aires and marched to the northern frontiers of the province the Gaucho Hordes seeking a junction with the army of the north coming from Cordoba. His army alone was superior in number to the enemy. Why then did he send for another army from Cuyol? The real object of this concentration was that Gomez, the Argentine envoy in Paris, had entered into an arrangement with the French government to crown the Duke of Lucca, a prince of the House of Bourbon king of the United provinces. France engaging on her part to divert the projected expedition from the river plate and to secure the acquiescence of Portugal and the evacuation of the Banda Oriental by marrying the future king to a Brazilian princess. Congress setting at naught the republican constitution so lately sworn and without any attempt to consult the will of the people, sanctioned this arrangement in secret session and on the 12th of November authorized their agent to conclude the treaty. As the Spanish expedition would thus be set free to act against Mexico, Venezuela or New Granada or to reinforce the government of Peru this was an act of treachery to the program of the revolution and a desertion of the cause of America. Rondeau was the last weak representative of the centralized system of government which had so far led the revolution. Now the Argentine people took the matter in their own hands and by civil strife crashed out the last remnant of the colonial system. Now was heard for the first time among them the word federation the people groaning under a load of taxation to supply revenues in the disposal of which they had no voice found the domination of Buenos Aires equally oppressive with that of Spain and gave a new interpretation to the word liberty they now construed it to mean provincial independence. At the close of the year 1819 the army of the Andes was the only Argentine representative of the American propaganda. Stationed on foreign soil it had escaped the contagion of party spirit which had infected all the other armies of the republic and was ready to follow its great captain wither so ever he should choose to lead it. Still San Martin hesitated to obey Rondeau was to plunge into civil strife to the destruction of his great plan his regard for discipline impelled him to obey at any cost. He had already given orders to march when news reached him that the province of Tucumán had declared itself independent that the army under Belgrano had mutinied and imprisoned its general and that there was a similar conspiracy on foot in Cordoba among the officers of the army there were ramifications even in Cuyo. He was suffering severely at the time from rheumatism and leaving Alvarado in command of the division in Cuyo he retired to the buffs of Cauquenes in Chile after writing to Rondeau that in view of these complications he had postponed the departure of the army until further orders but before that he had written to O'Higgins asking him to collect mules in the valley of Aconcahuá for the day when he should recross the Andes. Neither Rondeau nor Congress seemed to have had any idea of the true state of affairs they still thought that they could control public opinion by force and the answer to the despatch from San Martín was a fresh order to him to march at once with his army to Buenos Aires to this San Martín replied by sending in his resignation for the third time government refused to accept it and gave him leave of absence until his health was restored the conduct of San Martín at this time has been very severely criticized but there is no question that his 2000 men would have been of no real assistance to government which fell a victim to its own errors and incapacity and it is equally unquestionable that without him the expedition to Peru would never have set out without his cooperation the success of Bolívar in Colombia is highly problematic and it is certain that had the royalists been able to send another expedition from Upper Peru they would have met no effective resistance in the northern provinces of what is now the Argentine Republic San Martín took upon himself the quote terrible responsibility end quote of this disobedience an act by which the accomplishment of the mission of emancipation which the Argentine people had undertaken was finally secured condemned by his contemporaries he appeals to the judgment of posterity end of chapter 23 chapter 24 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre translated by William Pilling this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Piotr Natter the Convention of Rancaguá 1820 the Army of Cadiz by Yellow Fever was for sanitary reason dispersed on the 1st of January 1820 Don Rafael del Riego colonel of the regiment of Asturias then in quarters at the village Cabezas de San Juan proclaimed in front of his regiment the constitution of the year 12th opening an era of liberty for his own country and putting an end to an era of war in America the revolution triumphed the king was forced to swear the constitution and by common accord between the people and the government a new policy was inaugurated in regard to the insurgent colonies one that sought to solve peacefully the question which the appeal to arms had only made more complicated it was at this juncture that San Martin by his disobedience saved from destruction in the vortex of civil war the one army which could secure the emancipation of America San Martin crossed the Andes carried in a litter but it was not in a mineral baths that he sought the cure for the rheumatism and neuralgia that cure he sought and found in the active prosecution of the plan which lay at his heart immediately on his arrival in Chile he proceeded to concert measures with O'Higgins for the despatch of the expedition he offered to bring over from Mendoza 2000 men and 10 guns but terrible news soon reached him the mutiny of the army of the north had been followed two days after by a similar mutiny in the first battalion light infantry of his own army then in quarters at San Juan San Martin thought he had secured Cuyo from the anarchy that prevailed by the presence of his disciplined troops but when distinguished officers of his own army and of that of Belgrano headed mutineers and joined hands with Gaucho Chieftains he saw that the elements of order were dissolved the army of the north under command of General Cruz was on the march to join Rondeau when in the province of Santa Fe it made a truce with the Gaucho Levis styled Montoneras and retreated to Cordoba and there established a new system of military rule with drawing itself from both the civil war and from the war of emancipation the battalion quartered at San Juan was in reality a small corps d'armée having both artillery and cavalry attached to it it numbered 900 men and was under the command of Colonel Secchiera a gallant officer but a martinet who was greatly disliked by his men at daybreak on the 9th of January the men headed by their sergeants silently left their barracks occupied the plaza and made a party of the civic guard prisoners killing the officer while the Colonel and some of his officers were left in the barracks under guard of a company some disaffected officers then took command shouting Viva la Federación and down with the tyrant but they had no plan of action and soon quarreled amongst themselves and the Colonel and the officers who were with him were murdered Alvarado marched against them from Mendoza but fearing to trust his own men they went back again San Martín sent offers of pardon which were rejected the spirit of anarchy prevailed everywhere the governor of Cuyo and his deputy both resigned the mutinous battalion soon after dispersed and the province of San Juan declared itself an independent state Alvarado then in obedience to orders from San Martín joined him in Chile with 1000 cavalry and 2 guns as governor of Mendoza on the 1st of february 1820 the army of Buenos Aires was totally defeated at Cepede by the Montonera horsemen Congress was soon after dissolved and the nations split up into fragments of which each one was a small republic and most of them fell under the rule of petty chieftains from this chaos was presently to rise up a new people with well defined divisions and with one national spirit for a time the army of the Andes obeyed no superior authority but it still upheld the Argentine flag on foreign soil and followed the lead of its own general start being the state of affairs San Martín on the 28th of January wrote officially to Ohiggins asking him if he could still dispose of 6000 men for the expedition but stating that 4000 were absolutely necessary Ohiggins replied that he could promise 4000 only fully equipped San Martín agreed that they should march under the Chilean flag but stipulated that the army of the Andes should carry its own as representing the United provinces thus San Martín took upon himself the quote terrible responsibility end quote of disposing of Argentine troops and military stores without any authority so to do from his own government in order to relieve himself in some measure of this responsibility he convened a meeting of the officers of the army of the Andes then in Cantonments at Rancagua under the presidency of Las Eras he himself was not present but a letter from him was read which showed that as the government from which he derived his commission no longer existed the army was de facto without a general and called upon them to a point one to whom he offered his services in any capacity San Martín had requested them to vote without discussion but Colonel Martinez and several officers opposed this on the ground that the commission of general in chief was granted for a specific purpose which was not yet accomplished and was therefore not cancelled by the fall of the government by which it had been conferred in these terms a document was drawn up and signed by all the officers Las Eras in writing to San Martín an account of the result of the meeting expressed his great surprise that he should have given him such a task and said that many of his best friends felt themselves greatly aggrieved at the proposition as the commissions of all of them were derived from the same authority as that of the general in chief thus the army endorsed the disobedience of their general an act which under any other leader would have had a most evil effect upon its discipline while the preparations of the Chilean government went slowly forward a new difficulty arose Cochrane, proud of his recent triumph in Valdivia aspired to the command in chief of the expedition to Peru devoid as he was of all political talent a more unfit leader for such an enterprise it would have been difficult to find Peru was not to be conquered it was to be liberated he thought only of conquest he might have won a battle but he would have never founded a nation his dream seems to have been inspired by the examples of Drake and Anson who made great profit by gallant feats of arms he purposed to enrich himself and his sailors by plundering the coast of Peru San Martín was an American and thought only of his great purpose nothing of its results to himself on the 6th of May 1820 San Martín was appointed by the Senate and by the popular vote Generalissima of the expedition still Cochrane insisted and several times sent in his resignation government was about to appoint guys to the command of the fleet as Spry and many others of the English officers preferred him to Cochrane but was prevented by the intervention of San Martín and the proud sailor at last submitted though with a bad grace and after another fruitless attempt to supplant San Martín by Freire the Chilean government was not to be led astray by national susceptibility and knew that no Chilean officer could compare with San Martín in military capacity San Martín knew the importance of a thorough understanding between himself and the admiral and went to visit him at Valparaiso but in spite of his friendly issues there was never much cordiality between them the presence of San Martín and his army was not only a great burden to the Chilean treasury but it was also a political peril of which government was well aware party spirit was only kept in check by the danger which menaced the country from Peru and personal ambition would impel party leaders to seek the aid of so powerful an auxiliary as long as it was at hand the government of Chile in sending of the expedition thus performed a deed of heroism which was not only conducive to their own security as a nation and was worthy of the gratitude of America but was also one that saved the political situation in their own country End of chapter 24