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 174 ^ HISTORY OF CHILE he dispersed it. This regiment was the flower of Oso- rio's army, and its defeat caused such confusion in the ranks, that the patriots were able to press their foe at all points. The Burgos troops fled to the Espejo farm- house; Las Heras soon overthrew the left, which also rushed to the Espejo. For a while the action was kept up in the center, but with both wings beaten back, this part of the royal army soon gave way and retreated with the rest. The victor}' was decisive ; half of Osorio's troops were killed and wounded and the rest taken prisoners ; the patriots lost upward of one thousand men. A stand was made for a time by some of the troops in the farmhouse, rallied by the brave Ordonez, but they were driven out and about five hundred of them killed in the court and adjoining vineyard. General Osorio effected his escape, and joined a party of officers and men who had fled to Concepcion, from which place they embarked for Peru. There were two hundred and eighty who escaped in this m^anner. / This battle gave San Martin lasting renown. It was a brilliant, decisive victory, and established the inde- pendence of Chile ; not only that, it paved the way for the independence of Peru, for it broke the power Abas- cal had so long been able to maintain there. Five days after Maypo had been won, San Martin set out for Buenos A5'res, for the purpose of- concert- ing measures with that government for the invasion of Peru. Triumphal arches awaited him, and he was hailed with unfeigned appreciation. In the beginning of 1819, San Martin had returned to Mendoza, where he employed himself some time in equipping troops and organizing a formidable force with the view to beginning the long contemplated in- vasion of Peru, which was sought as the surest means