INTRODUCTION. 23 
least in that sense. They immediately marched towards the south, 
_and in the very beginning of April the head-quarters of their army 
were at Talca. All the officers which their dissensions had cashiered 
or rusticated, were recalled. Mackenna was quarter-master-general ; 
O’ Higgins commanded all the troops of the south, and the native militia 
—a useful body in such a country, being most expert horsemen, and 
armed with lances fifteen feet long. The deep and rapid Maule 
formed the line of defence, whose very fords: are not always practi- 
cable for horse, much less for infantry. A person named Poinsett, 
acting as American consul, was then with the Carreras, and ap- 
pears to have taken an active part in all affairs, even to interfer- 
ing in the military business of the time; but his ignorance, if not 
his cowardice, seems to have been of singular disservice to those 
unfortunate young men, who, following his advice, more than once 
retired to safe quarters, while inferior officers were gaining advantages 
over the enemy ; and the unhappy issue of the affair of Yervas-buenas, 
which at first appeared favourable to the patriots, is entirely attri- 
buted to him. 
Jose Miguel remained at head-quarters at Talca, five leagues from 
the river, while the great body of the army under Luis was on the 
bank of the Maule. Fortunately for the Chilenos, Pareja seems to 
have been a man of as little capacity for military affairs as their own 
leaders. Numerous skirmishes took place, the patriots generally 
gaining ground, till at length, in the beginning of October, the action 
of the Roble, where O’ Higgins turned the fortune of the day, drove 
the enemy into Chillan, and left the Chilenos masters of the country 
between the Maule and Itata. 
The singular and irregular conduct of the Carreras had now dis- 
gusted most of the Chilenos ; their absence from the capital allowed 
time and opportunity for conspiring against them, and their over- 
throw was carried into effect quietly and decorously. It is believed, 
that the family of La Rayna was the centre of the plot ; but they pru- 
dently took no direct share of the government themselves, appointing 
