Page:Tupper family records - 1835.djvu/199

 front of which they took up a position an hour before sunset, amongst enclosed fields. The patriot columns approached, and, whilst they drew up in line on the plain of Cancharayada, some sharp skirmishing took place. A regiment of Chileno cavalry charged, but, having committed the error of getting into a gallop at too great a distance from the enemy, formed behind a ravine which had not been perceived, it was repulsed, but retired in good order, under cover of the Chileno artillery, which was commanded by Lieut. -Colonel Blanco, and particularly well served. On this occa- sion, Lieutenant Gerard, a brave young Scotchman, who had distin- guished himself the day before at Quechereguas, was killed. He formerly belonged to the British rifle corps.

" General San Martin purposed to attack on the morning of the 20th. The situation of the royal army had become extremely criti- cal. The able manner in which General San Martin manoeuvred on the preceding day, gave the royalists little room to hope for success in risking a battle ; whilst to retire to the difficult ford of the Maule, still five leagues off, in the presence of a superior enemy, threatened to expose their army to destruction." — Vol. I., page 173.

General Miller next proceeds to relate the surprise of the patriots, during the night, by a Spanish column, which completely dispersed them.

No. 6.

Brief Extracts relative to the late Colonel Tupper.

"Few situations can be more distressing than those of foreign officers, who, having entered the service of the new republics, in order to combat the foreign enemy, have in the end found them- selves involved in the domestic disputes of their adopted country, and at times either from principle, old attachments, or other strong causes, have been in a manner obliged to take active service with one or other of the parties.

"These observations have been elicited from us on reading a letter from Chile, which, although dated in December last, throws some light upon the situation in which the late Colonel Tupper was placed ; an officer who, in the war for the independence of Chile, was one of its most distinguished heroes, and had gathered ' golden opinions from all sorts of people,' and yet he fell a victim to civil dissensions." — British Packet, Buenos Ayr es, July 17, 1830.

A letter from Valparaiso, of the 20th April, says : " In a battle near the Maule, on the 17th of this month, eight hundred men fell. M

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