406 : APPENDIX. 
¢ 
whose vicinity we collected some good horses. Here a party of ours was cut 
off: it consisted of a serjeant and eighteen men, who were conducting a drove 
of horses ; when, intercepted by a division of the enemy, and not considering 
it warrantable to give up their horses, they fell on their numerous enemies, 
and all except three fell in the contest. Continuing our route in a direction 
parallel with and close to the river, we came to the Hermanos, where we 
learned that a vast number of horses were guarded by regulars and militia in 
the islands of the Parrana. As the channels of the river could only be passed 
by swimming, the defenders of these islands had great advantage in the 
morning, as they kept up a heavy fire on the men who had volunteered for 
that service : however, the channels were crossed, and the enemy driven from 
island to island ; but they still kept their horses secure in their van. About 
eleven o’clock a dreadful storm of thunder, lightning, and rain came on, 
which rendered fire-arms useless and burdensome. ‘The fire ceased; and as 
the contest remained to be decided by the sword, they entirely despaired of 
success ; and embarking on large rafts, they crossed the largest channel to an 
island, leaving their wives, daughters, &c., with 2000 excellent horses, in our 
possession. The women we left in possession of their islands, marching away 
with the horses. We arrived at San Nicolas, where head-quarters were estab- 
lished, to wait the arrival of a vessel from Buenos Ayres, which had on board 
military stores and money remitted by the friends of Carrera in that town. 
In a few days the vessel came to San Nicolas, and delivered 900 suits of 
uniform, shirts, and every necessary for the soldiers; together with uniform, 
boots, pistols, &c. for the officers, 60,000 dollars in cash, and several pieces 
of cloth for cloaks ; which stores were deposited in the house of the command- 
ant of San Nicolas, where the General resided. 
The Santafecinos under Lopez had crossed the Arroyo del Medio, and 
encamped in their own province, ten leagues distant from San Nicolas; and 
a detachment of Chilenos was also on that side of the Arroyo, about four 
leagues distant from our encampment. 
This great separation of our force can only be accounted for by taking 
into consideration the absolute security in which we supposed ourselves from 
any feeble efforts which our timid enemy could be supposed to make. 
A great levy had been made in Buenos Ayres and its adjacent country ; 
and on our retreat, an army of 3000 men, commanded by Dorego, Rodriguez, 
and La Madrid, followed the line of our march, always keeping about thirty 
leagues in our rear. The same captain who had been sent by Dorego to the 
