L839.] WAR OF INDEPENDENCE. 125 



July, 1S21, under the auspices of San Martin, who was de- 

 clared protector of the new republic and invested with dicta- 

 torial power. 



In 1823, San Martin retired, and Riva-Aguero was pro- 

 claimed president. At the same time, General Jose La 

 Mar was placed at the head of the Peruvian division of the 

 great liberating army under General Bolivar. The Spaniards 

 royalists had now rallied, and the patriot garrison of Cal- 

 hoisted Spanish colors, in February, 1824. Aided by 

 serai Bolivar. — then president of Bolivia, and clothed 

 with supreme military power in Peru, under the title of Li- 

 bert adur, — and a strong Colombian force under General Sucre, 

 the republicans firmly maintained their ground. Meanwhile. 

 Riva-Aguero had been driven from the presidency by Boli- 

 var, and a new constitution formed on the model of that of 

 the United States had been adopted, which was not to take 

 effect, however, till the expiration of his dictatorship. 



After sustaining a number of reverses, the patriots were 

 finally victorious over their enemies, who were defeated by 

 Bolivar at Junin, on the 6th of August, 1824, and by Gen- 

 erals Sucre and La Mar, on the 9th of December following, 

 at Ayacucho. This secured the independence of Peru, al- 

 though the Spaniards, under General Rodil, remained in 

 possession of the fortress at Callab till the 22d of January, 

 1826, when they were forced, by famine, to surrender. Dur- 

 ing the whole struggle for liberty, the country was in a most 

 wretched condition. Civil war, at all times dreadful, had 

 little here to mitigate its horrors. Life and property were 

 insecure ; murders and assassinations were of frequent occur- 

 rence ; and the most glaring outrages were committed with 

 impunity. Reckless cruelty was exhibited, alike by the gen- 

 eral in the field, and the statesman in the cabinet ; and the 

 prevailing looseness in private morals was only equalled by 

 the licentiousness openly exhibited in public life. No change 

 for the better took place while Bolivar maintained his author- 

 ity as dictator. 



In January, 1827, the Peruvians revolted, and freed them- 



