56 INTRODUCTION: 
captured the Potrillo, a small Spanish vessel with provisions, stores, 
and 20,000 dollars in money, which she was conveying to the garri- 
_son of Valdivia, and having sent her to Valparaiso, he proceeded to 
Talcahuano bay, where he arrived on the 22d of January, 1820. 
There he found the Chilian States’ schooner, Montezuma, and the 
brig of war, Intrepid, belonging to Buenos Ayres; and, desiring to 
reconnoitre the port of Valdivia, he left the O’ Higgins at Talcahuano, 
and proceeded in the schooner, under Spanish colours, to make his 
observations on the harbour. 
Valdivia had always been considered as impregnable. The har- 
bour is formed by the river of Callacallas, which, widening opposite 
the town to an estuary of four leagues broad, narrows again at its 
mouth to halfa league. Four considerable forts defend the narrow 
entrance, besides a battery at the Morro Gonzales, or the English- 
man’s watering place, in which there are altogether upwards of 100 
guns, the fires of which cross each other from every point. Under 
the Spanish flag, however, Lord Cochrane ran in so close to the place 
that the health boat boarded him, and from the officer he learned the 
state of the ports and of the garrison, and immediately returned to 
Talcahuana to take measures for the attack he meditated. 
On being made acquainted with His Lordship’s plans, General 
Freire frankly lent him 250 men, under Major Beauchef; and, supe- 
rior to the petty jealousy and bargaining which too often disgrace 
the operations of war, where the navy and army have to act together, 
he placed them absolutely at the admiral’s disposal, and on the 29th, 
they were embarked in the O'Higgins, Intrepid, and Montezuma, 
and sailed on the 30th. Unfortunately the frigate struck on the rocks 
off the island of Quiriquina in getting out, but as it did not appear 
that she was much damaged at the time, the little fleet proceeded, 
and on the 2d of February, 1820, arrived off Valdivia, 10 leagues 
to the southward, when the whole of the troops were put on board 
of the small vessels, and the O’Higgins was ordered to keep out of 
sight till the next day. At sunset, the troops were landed at the 
Englishman’s bay, Lord Cochrane accompanying them, and, as they 
