390 APPENDIX. 
by a distance upwards of five hundred leagues, and surrounded by enemies 
on every side. The Patria, thus delivered from her enemies, could not do less 
than reward her sons. Pueyrredon, who never allowed this kind of merit to 
pass unrewarded, decreed, that each officer of Dupuy should be presented 
with a medal at the cost of the government of Buenos Ayres, with the date 
of the memorable event, and some appropriate insignia engraved on it. Du- 
puy was promoted to be Coronel Mayor of the national forces, and a member 
of the legion of merit, in recompence for his activity. 
This, perhaps, is the first example of an infamous clan of ruffians being 
honoured with, or daring to assume a distinction only due to merit, as the 
demonstration of their prowess in the horrid and detestable crime of assas- 
sination ! 
The Federalists, who had nothing to fear from the enemies in their rear, 
directed their marches towards the province of Buenos Ayres, leaving Bustos 
(whose army was now called the third division of the Federal army), in the 
province of Cordova to observe the operations of the interior provinces. 
The known resentment of Carrera and Ramirez to Pueyrredon made it 
necessary for him to retire from the government in Buenos Ayres, as the 
Federalists would enter into no treaty whilst Pueyrredon was director. He 
was obliged to resign, and was succeeded in the government by Brigadier 
General Don José Rondeau. This change in the administration did not 
satisfy the Federalists ; the congress still existed, and they would listen to no 
terms of accommodation whilst it did. 
Rondeau, who had acquired some credit in the campaigns of High Pera, 
availed himself of his popularity by persuading chosen detachments of civicos 
and country militia to accompany him with the veteran force then in Buenos 
Ayres, to the frontiers, to meet, and stop the progress of the Federalists, whose 
numbers were much reduced by having sent some of their force back to 
Entre-Rios, and leaving parties in several towns in their rear. The troops 
under Rondeau were about three thousand, those of Ramirez were at most 
nine hundred, including about forty northern Indians. 
It was evening when the contending parties discovered each other, and as 
it was late, and the Federalists fatigued with marching, it was determined to 
defer the attack till the next morning; but soon as the night came on, the 
Portefios, notwithstanding the great superiority of their numbers, put them. 
selves in march, in order to retire to San Nicolas. The Federalists pursuing 
them, and harassing their rear, which was much encumbered by carts and 
