1823.] 
nual fatigues, in a most unbealthful 
climate; and, for a time, he was 
obliged to give up the command of the 
army, and retire, for some repose, to 
Cordua, in the Tucuman, 
When able to resume active service, 
the province of Cugo, then the most 
important point to defend, was con- 
fided to him. While the administra- 
tion of this province remained in his 
hands, important and durable changes 
were effected. ‘The greatest order 
was introduced into the management 
of civil affairs: discipline and instruc- 
tion were promoted in the army-; the 
facility and security of the public 
ways and communications were esta- 
blished; a canal was excavated, for 
the conveyance of waters that now 
fertilise immense plains; a new town 
was erected on the banks of this canal ; 
and the city of Mendoza, capital ef 
the province, was adorned and embel- 
lished. These benefits flowed from 
a vood government, and will entitle 
San Martin to the lasting gratitude of 
the inhabitants. In like manner, the 
memory of Turgot will be consecrated 
in the Limousin, though his.services 
and virtues should be forgotten in the 
rest of France. 
- Whilst these various events left the 
fate of the Spanish colonies in Ame- 
rica in a state of uncertainty, that of 
Spain appeared to be decided, The 
French occupation had terminated : 
Ferdinand VII. was on the throne; 
the province of Mexico or New Spain 
had been, in a manner, pacified by the 
Viceroy Apodaca; Morillo was mas- 
ter in the provinces of Venezuela and 
Cundina Marea; Ossorio, and his suc- 
eessor Mareo, were rivetting the 
chains of the Chilians; a Portuguese 
garrison occupied Monte Video; the 
royalists predominated in Upper Peru; 
and Buenos Ayres had become the 
last asylum of independence and li- 
berty in Spanish America. 
Two armies were menacing the 
province of Cuyda at one time ; that of 
Peru was more distant, but that of 
Chili, consisting of 8000 men, excel- 
lent troops, was not a little formida- 
ble, in the situation of affairs at the 
commencementof 1817. General San 
Martin formed the project of attack- 
ing the former; but there was a neces- 
sity for dividing the enemy’s forces, 
He propagated false rumours, whieh 
misled the Governor of Chili, and 
advanced towards the north with 
Monrury Mac. No, 385. 
Memoirs of General San Martin. 
Al 
8000 men, while he was expecied in a 
contrary direction. For the first 
time, a train of artillery was seen 
crossing the snows of the higher Andes, 
After clearing these mountains, with 
infinite toil, the republican army came 
up with the enemy at Chacabuco, on 
the 12th of February. It was inferior 
in number; but gained a victory so 
complete, as to emancipate the rest of 
Chili from the yoke of the metropolis. 
The royalist general, Marquali, was 
killed on the field of battle; the 
wrecks of the vanquished army took 
refuge in the fortress of Talcahuano, 
and all other parts of the province en- 
listed under the banners of indepen- 
dence. Thus one military achieve- 
ment, which in Europe would have 
only passed for an affair of advanced 
posts, proved the means of laying the 
foundation of a new state in Amcrica. 
In the effusions of their gratitude 
and joy, the Chilians voted the chief 
command of the army to the general 
who had asserted their liberties. But 
San Martin refused, notwithstanding 
the most pressing solicitations; and 
declared that no one appeared so fit 
for that elevated station as his compa- 
nion in arms, the intrepid O’Higgins, 
to whose conduct he attributed a 
principai part in the recent victory. 
This choice was confirmed, and the 
liberator of Chili returned to Buenos 
Ayres, to prepare a new expedition 
against Peru. Previous to his depar- 
‘ture, the magistrates of St. Jago pre- 
sented him with a considerable sum: 
this he immediately expended in the 
formation of a public library, the capi- 
tal not being then provided with one. 
Some time before, he had devoted 
one-half of his income to the public 
Service; and the lady of this public- 
Spirited citizen had sacrificed her dia- 
monds and jewels, for the support of 
the same honourable cause. 
While General San Martin was 
making preparations at Buenos Ayres, 
for an expedition to Peru, O’Higgins 
was making arrangements to procure 
from England and the United States 
vessels and a marine capable of oppo- 
sing any naval incursions of the Vice- 
roy of Peru against the rising repub- 
lic. This was a measure of prudent 
precaution ; but the supplies which he 
Was projecting could not arrive in 
time. The Viceroy Pezuela, in al] 
haste, dispatched a new army of 5000 
men, which disembarked at Talea- 
G huana, 
