384 APPENDIX. 



transactions and services during the revolution. His defence was ably stated, 

 and in the sequel proved that he and his brothers were not traitors to their 

 country, as had been declared by his enemies ; but that those enemies were, or 

 wished to be, traitors. He stated, and made appear from the most authentic 

 documents, the treaty which existed between Pueyrredon and the Portuguese 

 court relative to the delivery of the United Provinces. These manifestos 

 were distributed by his friends through the whole country. The town and 

 province of Buenos Ayres began to distrust the patriotism of their Director 

 and his Congress : they saw the justice which actuated the Federalists or 

 Montoneros in their threatened invasion of the provinces, and looked forward 

 to them rather as their deliverers than as enemies. 



Pueyrredon was sensible of his danger, and made timely preparations to 

 meet it. General Belgrano, who commanded the army of Peru (then in 

 Tucuman), was ordered to accelerate his marches towards the confines of 

 Santa Fe and Cordova, where the first scene of action was anticipated. 



Ramirez and Carrera, finding the minds of the Portehos to be in a proper 

 mood for their reception, crossed the Parrana, and hostilities commenced in 

 the province of Santa Fe, where many actions were fought, all of which 

 redounded much to the credit and valour of the Federalists. All the posts 

 which the Portehos held were taken with slaughter ; and the remains of their 

 army, under General Balcarse, took refuge in the town of Rosario, where 

 they were besieged about fifteen days ; and, fortunately for them, some vessels 

 had come to receive them previous to the assault of the town. In these ves- 

 sels they embarked with great disorder, losing many soldiers, their artillery, 

 and baggage: they sailed down the Parrana, and disembodied at San Ni- 

 cholas; Viamon, who was general-in-chief of the Portehos, was taken 

 prisoner in this campaign. 



The Federal army now completely victorious over the Portehos, marched 

 towards the river Carcaraha, on the frontiers of Cordova, to encounter the 

 celebrated army of Peru under General Belgrano, who had established his 

 head-quarters in the Cruz Altra, a small town or village on the Cordova side 

 of the Carcaraha. Here guerillas were blazing unceasingly at each other 

 day and night, without any decisive advantage to one party or the other. 

 Belgrano's army was highly disciplined, accustomed to the dangers and pri- 

 vations of war, and had a desire to come to a general engagement, as they 

 were much fatigued with the incessant toils, vigilance, and partial dangers 

 inseparable from a soldier in front of his enemy ; but he was too prudent 

 to hazard all his hopes in a general action against troops already considered 



