J. M. CARREKA. 411 



taining* an influence over the troops, put 

 themselves at their head on the 15th of 

 November 1811, and compelled the Con- 

 gress to depose the Junta of Government, 

 and to nominate in its stead three other 

 individuals, one of whom was Don J. M. 

 Carrera. The new Junta then dissolved the 

 Congress on the 2d of December 1811. 



Availing himself of the dissensions which 

 arose out of these events, the Viceroy of 

 Lima sent a body of troops to invade Chili, 

 under the command of Pareja; who landing 

 in the beginning of 1813, attacked and took 

 Talcahuana, and advanced to the city of 

 Concepcion, the garrison of which declared 

 for him, and joined his army. Pareja, hav- 

 ing now nearly four thousand men, conti- 

 nued his march towards the Maule, a river 

 which separates the Intendencias of San- 

 tiago and Concepcion. J. M. Carrera took 

 the field at the head of six thousand men; 

 and approaching the royalists, he, in the 



