DEFEAT OF THE ROYALISTS. 425 



division of the royalist troops ; the whole of 

 which, with their commander, were either 

 killed or taken prisoners. On the 3d of De- 

 cember, a whole regiment of the royalist 

 force, with their colonel at their head, went 

 over to the independents. San Martin at 

 the end of 1820 proceeded with his army 

 to Huara, a strong position near the port 

 of Huacho, situated seventy-five miles to 

 the northward of Lima, where he remained 

 inactive for upwards of six months. The 

 inhabitants of the country were, however, in 

 the mean time sufficiently influenced to cut 

 oiF the principal supply of provisions to the 

 capital by land ; and Callao being at the 

 same time closely blockaded by Lord Coch- 

 rane, Lima was reduced to great distress 

 for want of provisions. 



Eeferring all the evil to the executive go- 

 vernment, the royalist army deposed the 

 Viceroy, and elected a new one in the per- 

 son of General La Serna. The new Viceroy, 



