390 APPENDIX. 



by a distance upwards of five hundred leagues, and surrounded by enemies 

 on every side. The Patria, thus delivered from her enemies, could not do less 

 than reward her sons. Pueyrredon, who never allowed this kind of merit to 

 pass unrewarded, decreed, that each officer of Dupuy should be presented 

 with a medal at the cost of the government of Buenos Ayres, with the date 

 of the memorable event, and some appropriate insignia engraved on it. Du- 

 puy was promoted to be Coronel Mayor of the national forces, and a member 

 of the legion of merit, in recompence for his activity. 



This, perhaps, is the first example of an infamous clan of ruffians being 

 honoured with, or daring to assume a distinction only due to merit, as the 

 demonstration of their prowess in the horrid and detestable crime of assas- 

 sination ! 



The Federalists, who had nothing to fear from the enemies in their rear, 

 directed their marches towards the province of Buenos Ayres, leaving Bustos 

 (whose army was now called the third division of the Federal army), in the 

 province of Cordova to observe the operations of the interior provinces. 



The known resentment of Carrera and Ramirez to Pueyrredon made it 

 necessary for him to retire from the government in Buenos Ayres, as the 

 Federalists would enter into no treaty whilst Pueyrredon was director. He 

 was obliged to resign, and was succeeded in the government by Brigadier 

 General Don Jose Rondeau. This change in the administration did not 

 satisfy the Federalists ; the congress still existed, and they would listen to no 

 terms of accommodation whilst it did. 



Rondeau, who had acquired some credit in the campaigns of High Peru, 

 availed himself of his popularity by persuading chosen detachments of civicos 

 and country militia to accompany him with the veteran force then in Buenos 

 Ayres, to the frontiers, to meet, and stop the progress of the Federalists, whose 

 numbers were much reduced by having sent some of their force back to 

 Entre-Rios, and leaving parties in several towns in their rear. The troops 

 under Rondeau were about three thousand, those of Ramirez were at most 

 nine hundred, including about forty northern Indians. 



It was evening when the contending parties discovered each other, and as 

 it was late, and the Federalists fatigued with marching, it was determined to 

 defer the attack till the next morning ; but soon as the night came on, the 

 Portenos, notwithstanding the great superiority of their numbers, put them- 

 selves in march, in order to retire to San Nicolas. The Federalists pursuing 

 them, and harassing their rear, which was much encumbered by carts and 



