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 ERA OF CONSTITUTION MAKING 235 resources of the nation with which to combat the op- position. Talca was taken, also San Felipe, which was sacked by the government's troops. The revolution in the south was soon suppressed. For four months, during the year 1859, the civil war raged in the north with fury. Five thousand men fell, victims to party strife. Pedro Leon Gallo, a young, rich and popular leader, commanded the liberal forces. He occupied Copiapo, where he raised an army of one thousand men and defeated the government forces under Colonel Silva Chavez in the battle of Los Loros, March 14th, 1859. Then he entered and occupied Coquimbo and La Serena. By these successes he gained consid- erable popularity for the revolutionary cause. Another attempt was soon made by the opposition to organize in the south. One thousand men attacked Chilian, but were repulsed. This crushed the rebellion in the south and enabled the government to dispatch addi- tional troops to the north. In the following month, April 29th, another battle was fought, that of Cerro Grande, at La Serena. Gen- eral Juan Vidaurre commanded the government troops, an army of four thousand men ; Gallo led the liberals, numbering not over two thousand. Gallo was defeated and his troops routed and dispersed. The leader, with seven hundred of his men, crossed the Cordillera to San Juan ; Le Serena and Copiapo were then occupied without resistance. In September there was an outbreak at Valparaiso, but this, after considerable bloodshed, was suppressed ; the intendente, General Vidaurre, the hero of Cerro Grande, was killed in the riot September i8th. Then followed a general banishment of leading liberals, such as Gallo, 'N'icufia Mackenna, Santa Maria and many Others. Some retired to Peru ; others went to Europe