INTRODUCTION. gg 



such good service by conveying intelligence along the coast were his, 

 and he now, with incredible pains, had begun to form a little squadron, 

 having been appointed captain of the port ; persons were empowered 

 to purchase two frigates in North America ; and the agents of the 

 patriots had instructions to treat with officers in England, and to 

 purchase vessels there. 



But the first object, unquestionably, was to regain the southern part 

 of Chile; and accordingly in the month of May, 1817, i.e. two 

 months after the action of Chacabuco, O'Higgins took the command 

 of the army of the south, leaving the government in the hands of 

 three commissioners, but some difficulties and disputes arising amono- 

 them, Don Luis Cruz * was appointed deputy-director. It was not 

 long before great part of the province and the town of Conception 

 were reduced; but in the beginning of 1818 a strong reinforcement 

 arrived at Talcahuana from Lima, commanded by Osorio, who im- 

 mediately marched towards Santiago with 5000 men. He was met 

 by San Martin at the head of the patriot troops, over whom, on the 

 19th of March, at a place called Cancharayada, near Requelme, he 

 gained a complete victory, dispersing the Chilenos and wounding 

 O'Higgins, who returned immediately to the capital, where all was 

 alarm, and many women and children went out and crossed the 

 mountains to Mendoza, as after the battle of Rancagua. j- But the 

 director exerted himself to repair the evil : money, clothes, and pro- 

 visions, were instantly dispatched to the army. Many families o-ave 

 their plate to be coined; the foreign merchants contributed their 

 goods, their money, and their credit, so that by the fifth of April, 

 the Chileno army under generals San Martin and Belcarce, and 

 colonels Las Heras, Freire, and others, again interrupted Osorio on 

 his way to Santiago. At one. day's march from that city, the battle 

 of Maypu was fought, on the plain to the south, called the Espejo. 

 and never was action more decisive. Of Osorio's army 2000 were 



* Afterwards Governor of Callao. 



f On this occasion all the public papers, orders, documents, accounts, &c. were burnt 

 that private families might not be subjected to Osorio's revenge. 



F 



