DEFEAT OF THE ROYALISTS. 401 



The government of Buenos-Ayres, how- 

 ever, sent four thousand men, under the 

 command of Sarratea, against the Portu- 

 guese ; and terms having been offered on 

 the part of the latter, an armistice was 

 "agreed upon, in consequence of which, the 

 Portuguese troops withdrew from the terri- 

 tory of Buenos-Ayres. 



Tristan, the royalist commander, pursu- 

 ing Belgrano, attacked him at Tucuman, 

 on the 24th of September 1812, but was 

 compelled to retreat, with the loss of one 

 thousand one hundred men, killed, wounded, 

 and prisoners. 



Elio having broken the treaty concluded 

 between him and the government of Buenos- 

 Ayres, the latter determined on again be- 

 sieging Monte Video ; and by the middle of 

 December 1812, several divisions of troops 

 had arrived in the neighbourhood of Monte 

 Video, from Buenos-Ayres, under the com- 

 mand of Rondeau. Don G. Vigodet, who 



VOL. I. 2d 



