230 POLITICAL HISTORY OF CHILL 
on board the English frigate Blonde, the only foreign vessel of war 
in port. Vidaurre came on, confident of success. He encountered 
the militia at the entrance of the Port, about 2 o'clock in the morninc, 
and met with so warm a reception that he was compelled to fall back. 
The militia pushed on, directed by Admiral Blanco. The go- 
vernor, Colonel Vidaurre, a cousin of the revolutionist chief, followed 
him up so closely that it ended in a complete defeat, Vidaurre's 
troops scattering themselves in every direction, himself flying with, a 
lew officers. When the fate of his troops was decided, his step-son, 
who was in the rear, where Portales was in a gig, heavily ironed, 
had him taken out, with his secretary, and shot. Portales not being 
killed by the first fire, was bayonetted, with savage brutality, in 
various parts of his body, which they left in the road, covered with 
thirty-five wounds. The pursuit continued throughout the day; the 
soldiers were left without officers, and gradually returned to their 
old quarters, where they were incorporated with other regiments. 
Some days elapsed before Vidaurre and his accomplices were taken. 
Although a feeling of horror pervaded the community at the fate of 
Portales, yet the most perfect order and confidence continued. 
Neither on his examination, nor that of his officers, did it appear 
that the movement had been encouraged by any party in the country. 
In fact, it could only be inferred that he was ambitious to play the 
part of a second Salaverry. 
Order triumphed most completely. The militia had arrayed itself 
on its side, and increased confidence was felt in the government 
though there were not wanting some who predicted its speedy 
downfall, now that it was deprived of its most efficient member 
\ idaurre was replaced by a much more respectable person, General 
Aldunate, a man characterized as the Don Quixote of honour by 
those less scrupulous than himself. The government gained by 
this exchange, but the loss sustained in the death of Portales was 
irreparable. He stood alone; he worked for his country; and his 
late was most unmerited. Deeply did every true friend of Chili 
deplore it. He had taught that the civil authority could be made 
supreme and he will have one of the most conspicuous places in the 
history of Chili. He was in the prune of life, about forty-two years 
of age, unmarried, and at no period were his services more required 
His energy, however, seemed to have been imbibed by the whole ad- 
ministration, and no abatement took place in the preparations for war 
\ idaurre and his officers were tried by a court-martial held in 
