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 THE RE VOL UTIONAR Y PERIOD 1 69 loss, including five or six officers in an assault, led by the gallant Las Heras, had withdrawn his troops before the arrival of Osorio. San Martin had been making active preparations and getting together an army for the purpose of invading Peru, when Osorio landed at Talcahuano with his army pf 3,400 veterans. This was an unexpected move on the part of the viceroy, who doubtless intended by it, not only the stamping out of the revolution in Chile, but the protection of Peru from invasion by thus strik- ing a decisive blow at San Martin before he could get together an army and supplies. Osorio, confident of victory and holding his oppon- ents in some contempt, set out for the capital, march- ing rapidly through the province of Concepcion and advancing toward Talca. The two divisions of the patriot army then effected a junction in the latter end of February, San Martin being at Las Tablas, four leagues from Santiago, with four thousand troops, when Osorio landed. When the patriot forces had been united the army numbered between seven and ten thou- sand men. For two or three weeks nothing of import- ance occurred, save constant, harassing guerrilla war- fare. On the i2th of February, 1818, the first anniversary of the battle of Chacabuco, O'Higgins formally de- clared the absolute independence of Chile, which had not hitherto been clearly manifest. This he did upon his retirement from the unsuccessful campaign in the south, and it was in the nature of a bold defiance of Osorio. In every city, two blank books were opened during a period of fifteen days. In one of these all the citizens signed who favored absolute independence ; in the other those signed who were of the contrary opin- ion. The first books were filled with names; the sec-