448 APPENDIX. 



rewarded for their exertions. The military chest of the Porteiios contained 

 30,000 dollars, part of which belonged to Lopez and the Santafecinos. These 

 were equally divided amongst the soldiers, together with carts of baggage, &c: 

 four pieces of artillery, with an ammunition waggon, remained on the field ; 

 and the most valuable prize of all was a large bag of official letters from all 

 the united provinces, which was taken in the baggage of La Madrid. By 

 these letters we were made acquainted with the very minutiae of our enemy's 

 circumstances, and their united efforts against us, from Buenos Ayres to Chili. 

 This success was of short duration ; for Ramirez, proud of the victory which 

 he had gained, and intoxicated with the congratulations of a fair amazon 

 who accompanied him to the war, attacked at nightfall the division of Santa- 

 fecinos under Lopez, against the wish of his officers ; who urged the darkness 

 of the night, and the fatigue of the soldiers since the action of the morning, 

 as sufficient reasons for deferring the action till the morning. Ramirez would 

 admit of no delay : his plan was, that his whole force, formed in columns, 

 should charge by divisions successively, when and where their exertions 

 would be most necessary. After explaining this new plan of attack to his 

 officers, he ordered the first division to charge, which was done : the first 

 division being warmly received by the Santafecinos, he ordered the second 

 to reinforce them. Lopez's line was broken ; and, owing to the darkness of 

 the night, similarity of uniform and language, a dreadful confusion ensued : 

 they could not distinguish whether their blows were directed against friends 

 or enemies ; but, overheated by passion and animosity, they continued to 

 fight with each other. The Santafecinos, aided by the general confusion and 

 darkness of the night, escaped from the field unperceived, and continued to 

 retreat, supposing themselves pursued by the orientals. The fight still con- 

 tinued between Ramirez's first and second divisions. Ramirez, thinking 

 that the Santafecinos still maintained the conflict, ordered the third and fourth 

 divisions to the assistance of the first and second, and afterwards went him- 

 self with the reserve ; when, observing the men closely, he distinguished by 

 their caps that they were all his own men : but, even after the discovery of 

 the fatal mistake, it was with much difficulty that the soldiers could be 

 separated, as the clamour was so great, that Ramirez, or those who assisted 

 him, could scarcely be heard. By this imprudence of Ramirez nearly one 

 half his men fell by the hands of their own comrades. Lopez had not 

 suffered much in the fray, as he retired early ; but being informed next day 

 of the misfortune of Ramirez, he prepared to attack him. Ramirez was 



