26 INTRODUCTION. 



whether it would not be better to unite to destroy the common enemy, 

 and afterwards adjust their internal disputes, representing also to 

 his own party, that the tyranny of Carrera being new would easily be 

 put down, but by no means must they allow the Spaniards to regain 

 their ancient dominion. The proposal was approved, Jose Miguel 

 Carrera returned to the city, O'Higgins marched to Rancagua, where 

 the enemy had arrived, and Juan Jose at the head of a large body of 

 troops was to follow and join him. But O'Higgins was disappointed, 

 the troops of Carrera never arrived. He was surrounded in Ran- 

 cagua, and for thirty-six hours a fight continued from street to street, 

 and from house to house, the Spaniards giving no quarter. About 

 noon of the second day, Osorio sent a deputation to O'Higgins, offer- 

 ing him personal safety, and even royal favour, if he would surrender. 

 This he indignantly refused, saying, he would not accept even of 

 Heaven from the king, and that though he gave quarter he desired 

 none. In an hour afterwards the town was on fire in several places. * 

 " They covered us," said the general •)•, " with black and red, death 

 " and fire. So I took my banner, and I caused them to sew a black 

 " stripe across it ; and the fire having now reached the very house 

 " from which we were fighting, and our ammunition being all 

 " expended, we broke through one of the squares that had been 

 " formed round our house, sword in hand, and made our way to the 

 " capital." 



On joining Carrera, O'Higgins represented to him, that as Osorio 

 had lost many men, if all the troops were united they had still enough 

 to overcome him, and save the capital. But a panic seems to have 

 seized the whole body of government. Carrera hastily gave orders 

 for the demolition of several of the public works, particularly the 



• In June, 1818, in memory of the Bufferings of Santa Cru/.e de Triano, or Rancagua, 

 it received the title of the very faithful and national city; also permission to bear as 

 arms, a red shield surrounded with laurel, a phcenix rising from llie flames with the 

 tree of liberty in its right claw, and the motto, "Rancagua rises from its ashes, for its 



patriotism rendered it immortal." 



f I once heard Don Bernardo O'Higgins relate, with the greatest simplicity, the history 



of this action ; I am sure lie used the words in English as I have given them. It was 

 on this occasion that the patriots loaded their guns with dollars 



