450 APPENDIX. 



which he then professed, ' though an ally of Buenos Ayres, and a mercenary 

 of Chile, he had either ignorance or impudence enough to assume the name 

 of Federalist.) 



The Cruz Alta is a village which has been for some time fortified against 

 the incursions of the Northern Indians. There are three small forts at right 

 angles, formed by palisades, earth, &c, besides many impenetrable corrales 

 de tunas* .- one side of the triangle was protected by a line of carts made fast 

 to each other ; the other two were formed by cheveaux-de-frise, houses, 

 yards, &c. These small forts were well manned, and a piece of artillery in 

 each : the intervals between each of the forts were occupied by light infantry 

 behind their works. The cavalry of the enemy were few, and had been beaten 

 by our guerillas into the plaza on our first arrival in the morning. Bustos' 

 whole force was about 580 men ; our division, with that of Ramirez, was 

 more than 1200. 



Three hundred of our men dismounted, to act against the forts as infantry, 

 and were to have been protected by the whole of the cavalry. All being ready 

 for the attack, our infantry, sustained by the cavalry, advanced on the right 

 and left flanks of the town : a heavy fire commenced. Our men continued to 

 advance, and dislodged the enemy from an outpost, and afterwards took the 

 fort to which it belonged : in that moment Ramirez rode up and ordered the 

 cavalry to charge. We then galloped close in front of the enemy's line under 

 a heavy fire, and entered the plaza ; where we found nothing but horses, 

 Bustos' cavalry having abandoned them, and escaped into the forts. We 

 remained in the plaza for some minutes covered with dust and smoke, and 

 exposed to the enemy's fire in every direction. Our infantry were aware that 

 their fire crossed the plaza, and would be as offensive to us as to the enemy ; 

 they therefore ceased firing. After being some time in the plaza without 

 being able to do any thing against the enemy, we retired with a degree of 

 confusion ; and our infantry (seeing so much disorder prevail among us) also 

 retired, abandoning the advantageous ppsts they had gained, which were 

 quickly re-occupied by the enemy. We again formed our infantry and cavalry 

 before the town, and, on inspection, it appeared that all the ammunition was 

 very nearly expended ; we could not replace it till our return to Sause, where 

 we had left our ammunition and baggage : it was, therefore, out of our power 

 to renew the action, which the indiscretion of Ramirez had lost by his devi- 



* Enclosures, the hedges of which were made of the Cactus opuntia. 



