APPENDIX. 4U 



Garcia heard the proposition with contempt and indignation ; adverted to his 

 officers on the baseness of their governor Lopez, in thinking of sacrificing 

 his greatest friend to his most inveterate enemies the Portenos ; and finally 

 made Lopez understand that his own safety was in question if he did not im- 

 mediately desist. The plot was made known to Carrera, who had for some 

 days previous suspected something of that nature to be on foot. Carrera 

 dictated a letter, which the Governor was obliged to sign and send to the 

 enemy, renouncing all further negociation of a private or dishonourable 

 nature. 



The Portenos seeing their perfidious efforts against Carrera disconcerted, 

 advanced to try the fortune of another action : their force consisted of 2100 

 men ; ours was about 380, of which only 130 were Chilenos. But twelve 

 days had elapsed since the surprise of San Nicolas, the impression of which 

 was still fresh on the minds of the soldiers, although few of them had been 

 there ; this, together with the great disproportion of our numbers, accounts 

 for the unaccustomed timidity of our soldiers in the action of Pabon. 



The Portenos at first were charged, and obliged to retire ; but renewing 

 the attack with vigour, our line was broken, and began to retreat : we were 

 pursued several leagues. The Chilenos and a few Santafecinos protected the 

 retreat by keeping a constant fire on the enemy.' Our men were not properly 

 reunited before our arrival at San Lorenzo, a distance of ten leagues from the 

 battle ground. Our loss was immaterial, not exceeding twenty men. The 

 most remarkable occurrence of this retreat was, that a Porteiiian officer who 

 accompanied us, and had been major of the famous hussars of La Madrid in 

 High Peru, where he was considered little less than a Mars, was horse- 

 whipped and discarded for having too great a desire to be one of the fore- 

 most in the retreat. 



Having reunited our men at San Lorenzo, we continued to retire ; and pass- 

 ing the Carcarana, we encamped in Las Barrancas. The Portenos occupied, 

 and almost destroyed, the town of Rosario ; where they remained, not consi- 

 dering it prudent to follow our flying remnant too far in a country where 

 they were entirely destitute of friends. 



Lopez, finding that nothing but war would satisfy his officers and sol- 

 diers, made a levy in the country, raising about 800 men j a few northern 

 Indians also came to join him : our division was now augmented to about 

 1000 men. We returned in search of the Portenos ; and when we were about 

 to pass the Carcarana, our advance guard fell in with that of the enemy near 



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