APPENDIX. 443 
to this guerilla, on the enemy’s right, an officer was stationed with 20 men. 
Opposed to their right flank were 50 soldiers and 10 Indians, formed in a 
single line, with about three yards between every two soldiers, in the manner 
of skirmishers or tiradores. We opposed to their left flank the same number 
of men, in the same weak formation. Their infantry, in the centre, remained 
without any antagonists in our line; yet with all our economy we could not 
cover the front of their cavalry. The number of our effective men who 
entered in action was 140; the enemy’s force exceeded 1000. But if the 
line of battle which we presented to the enemy was contemptible, our reserve 
made amends for it, as it was rather numerous, and commanded much respect 
from the Puntanos. It consisted of 80 women, whom we had bought of the 
Indians ; about 15 or 20 Chilian women, wives of the soldiers; 54 Cordoveses, 
prisoners taken in Chajan; and a number of our own wounded men. ‘This 
reserve was commanded by seven of the Cordovese officers, prisoners of war, 
and held a position about 50 yards in our rear, in a well-formed and formi- 
dable-looking line. 
All being ready on both sides, our soldiers and Indians advanced to the 
charge with their usual intrepidity. The enemy’s cavalry, though about. 
eight or nine to one, despaired of success and fled. They were pursued with 
a degree of zeal, and the field left pretty well strewn with them; and arriving 
on the banks of the Rio Quinto, several of them threw themselves headlong 
down the precipice sooner than meet the rage of the soldiers. In the mean- 
time, the infantry, who remained in the centre of the plain, kept up a fire on 
our reserve of women; who stood it astonishingly well, without ever betraying 
a feminine fear or a desire to retreat. A few soldiers, who had remained to 
observe the infantry, returned their fire, and kept them engaged till the rest 
of our men returned from the chace of the cavalry, when they were formed in 
order to charge the infantry, who were first summoned to surrender ; but 
either from actual bravery, or owing to an expectation of the reunion and 
assistance of their dispersed cavalry, they declined to surrender. 
The order was given to charge; and notwithstanding their heavy fire, our 
men rushed on at full speed of their horses, overran and broke their square : 
the fire ceased ; and in a few minutes this brave band of assassins lay dread- 
fully mangled in a heap, not one officer or soldier escaping. 
Thus died the chief supporters of Dupuy, the murderers of the Spaniards 
in San Luis; they were the bravest men we had seen among our enemies, and 
fought to the very last man. The officer who commanded them bore an 
3L 2 
