severely punished and all the people were oppressed.



In this depressed state of Chilian affairs a hero came across the

mountains to strike a new blow for liberty. Don Jose de San Martin had

fought valiantly for the independence of Buenos Ayres at the battle of San

Lorenzo. Now the Argentine patriots sent him to the aid of their

fellow-patriots in Chili and Peru. Such was the state of the conflict in

the latter part of 1816, when San Martin, collecting the scattered bands

of Chilian troops and adding them to men of his own command, got together

a formidable array five thousand strong. The "Liberating Army of the

Andes" these were called.





An able organizer was San Martin, and he put his men through a thorough

course of discipline. Those he most depended on were the cavalry, a force

made up of the Gauchos, or cattlemen of the Pampas, whose life was

passed in the saddle, and who were genuine centaurs of the plains.



San Martin had the Andes to cross with his army, and this was a task like

that which Hannibal and Bonaparte had accomplished in the Alps. He set out

himself at the head of his cavalry on the 17th of January, 1817, the

infantry and artillery advancing by a different route. The men of the army

carried their own food, consisting of dried meat and parched corn, and

depots of food were established at intervals along the route, the

difficulty of transporting provision-trains being thus avoided. The

field-pieces were slung between mules or dragged on sledges made of tough

hide, and were hoisted or lowered by derricks, when steep places were

reached. Some two thousand cattle were driven along to add to their food

supply.



Thus equipped, San Martin's army set out on its difficult passage of the

snow-topped Andes. He had previously sent over guerilla bands whose active

movements thoroughly deceived the royalist generals as to his intended

place of crossing. Onward went the cavalry, spurred to extraordinary

exertion by the fact that provisions began to run short. The passes to be

traversed, thirteen thousand feet high and white with perpetual snow,

formed a frightful route for the horsemen of the plains, yet they pushed

on over the rugged mountains, with their yawning precipices, so rapidly as

to cover three hundred miles in thirteen days. The infantry advanced with

equal fortitude and energy, and early in February the combined forces

descended the mountains and struck the royalist army at the foot with such

energy that it was soon fleeing in a total rout. So utterly defeated and

demoralized were the royalists that Santiago, the capital, was abandoned

and was entered by San Martin at the head of his wild gauchos and host of

refugees on the 15th of February. His funds at this time consisted of the

two doubloons remaining in his pocket, while he had no military chest, no

surgeons nor medicines for his wounded, and a very small supply of the

indispensable requisites of an army. About all he had to depend on was the

patriotism of his men and their enthusiasm over their brilliant crossing

of the Andes and their easy victory over their foes.



For the time being Chili was free. The royalists had vanished and the

patriots were in full possession. Thirty or more years before, a bold

Irishman, bearing the name of O'Higgins, had come to Chili, where he

quickly rose in position until he was given the title of Don Ambrosio, and

attained successively the ranks of field-marshal of the royal army, baron,

marquis, and finally viceroy of Peru. His son, Don Bernardo, was a man of

his own type, able in peace and brilliant in war, and he was now made

supreme dictator of Chili, an office which San Martin had refused. The

banished patriots were brought home from their desert island, the

royalists severely punished, and a new army was organized to dislodge the

fragment of the Spanish army which still held out in the south.



On the 15th of February, 1818, the anniversary of the decisive victory of

the "Liberating Army of the Andes," O'Higgins declared the absolute

independence of Chili. A vote of the people was taken in a peculiar

manner. Two blank books were opened for signatures in every city, the

first for independence, the second for those who preferred the rule of

Spain. For fifteen days these remained, and then it was found that the

first books were filled with names, while the second had not a single

name. This vote O'Higgins declared settled the question of Chilian

freedom.



The Spaniards did not think so, for Abascal, the energetic viceroy of

Peru, was taking vigorous steps to win Chili back for the crown. Three

months before he had received a reinforcement of three thousand five

hundred veterans from Spain, and these he sent to southern Chili to join

the forces still in arms. United, they formed an army of about six

thousand, under General Osorio, the able commander who had subdued Chili

in 1814. It was evident that the newly declared independence of Chili was

to be severely tried.



In fact, on the first meeting of the armies it seemed overthrown. On the

19th of March San Martin's army, while in camp near Talca, was

unexpectedly and violently attacked by the royalist troops, the onslaught

being so sudden and furious, and the storm of cannon and musket shot so

rapid and heavy, that the patriot troops were stricken with panic, their

divisions firing at each other as well as at the enemy. Within fifteen

minutes the whole army was in full flight. The leaders bravely sought to

stop the demoralized troops, but in vain, O'Higgins, though severely

wounded, throwing himself before them without effect. Nothing could check

them, and the defeat became in large measure a total rout.



When news of this disaster reached Santiago utter consternation prevailed.

Patriots hastily gathered their valuables for flight; carriages of those

seeking to leave the country thronged the streets; women wrung their hands

in wild despair; the funds of the treasury were got ready to load on

mules; the whole city was in a state of terrible anxiety.



Several days passed before it was known what had become of San Martin.

Then news arrived that he was at San Fernando at the head of the right

wing, three thousand strong. These had escaped the panic on account of two

divisions of Osorio's army mistaking each other for the enemy and firing

into their own ranks. In the confusion that ensued the right wing was led

unbroken from the field. Also a dashing young cavalry officer named

Rodriguez had done good work in checking the flight of the fugitives, and

in a brief time had organized a regiment which he named the "Hussars of

Death."



Six days after the defeat General O'Higgins made his appearance in

Santiago. He was badly wounded, but was at once named dictator of the

republic. The next day San Martin, with a few of his officers, entered the

city. Wearied and dusty with travel as he was, his cheery cry of "La

patria triunfa" gave new heart to the people. For several days fragments

of the routed army came pouring in, and ten days after the battle Colonel

Las Heras arrived with the three thousand of the right wing. The patriot

cause seemed far less hopeless than had been the case a week before.



Yet it was evident that liberty could come only from strenuous exertion,

and the people of wealth freely subscribed of their money, plate, and

jewels for the cause. It was not long before a new army five thousand five

hundred strong, freshly clothed and in fair fighting condition, was

gathered in a camp near the city. The artillery lost in the flight could

not be replaced, but a few field-pieces were secured. San Martin and

O'Higgins, with other able officers, were in command, and hope once more

began to dawn upon despair.



The enemy was known to be approaching, and the army was moved to a point

about nine miles from the capital, occupying a location known as the farm

of Espejo, where the coming enemy was awaited. On the afternoon of April

3, Osorio crossed the Maypo, the patriot cavalry harassing his flank and

rear as he advanced. On the 5th his army took up a position on the brow of

a hill opposite that occupied by the patriot forces.



Passing out from Santiago there is a succession of white hills, known as

the Lorna Blanca, on one crest of which, commanding the roads to the fords

of the Maypo and to Santiago, the patriot army was encamped. The royalists

occupied the crest and slope of an opposite ridge. Below them ran the

Maypo with its forests and hills.



As the sun rose on the morning of the 5th San Martin saw with satisfaction

the royalist force beginning to occupy the high ground in his front. With

hopeful tone, he said, "I take the sun to witness that the day is ours."

As he spoke, the golden rays spread like a banner of light from crest to

crest. At ten o'clock when the movement of the armies began, he said, with

assurance, "A half-hour will decide the fate of Chili."



A few words will serve to describe the positions of the armies. Each was

more than five thousand strong, the patriot army somewhat the smaller. It

had been greatly reduced by its recent defeat, the memory of which also

hung about it like a cloud, while the royalists were filled with

enthusiasm from their late victory. The royalist lines were about a mile

in length, four squadrons of dragoons flanking their right wing and a body

of lancers their left, while a battery occupied a hill on the extreme

left. Confronting them were the patriots, the left commanded by General

Alverado, the centre by Balcarce, the right by Las Heras, while Quintana

headed the reserves.



The battle opened with a brisk fire from the patriot artillery, and in

about an hour the infantry forces joined in full action. As the royalists

moved down the hill they were swept with the fire of the patriot battery,

while shortly afterwards the royal battery on the left was captured by a

dashing cavalry charge and the guns were turned against their own line.



The centre of the battle was a farm-house on the Espejo estate, which was

charged furiously by both sides, being taken and retaken several times

during the day. Yet as the day went on the advantage seemed to be on the

side of Osorio, who held the field with the centre and one wing of his

army. Defeat seemed the approaching fate of the patriots. It came nearer

when the regiment of negroes which had for some time withstood the Burgos

regiment--the flower of Osorio's force--gave way and retreated, leaving four

hundred of its number stretched upon the field.



The critical moment of the battle was now at hand. The Burgos regiment

attempted to follow up its success by forming itself into a square for a

decisive charge. In doing so the Spanish lines were broken and thrown into

temporary disorder. Colonel O'Brien, a gallant cavalry officer of Irish

blood, took quick advantage of this. Joining his troops with Quintana's

reserves, he broke in a fierce charge upon the Burgos regiment while in

the act of reforming and drove it back in complete confusion.



This defeat of the choice corps of Osorio's army changed the whole aspect

of affairs. The patriots, inspired with hope, boldly advanced and pressed

their foes at all points. The Burgos troops sought refuge in the

farm-house, and were followed by the left, which was similarly broken and

dispersed. The centre kept up the action for a time, but with both wings

in retreat it also was soon forced back, and the whole royalist army was

demoralized.



The patriots did not fail to press their advantage to the utmost. On all

sides the royalists were cut down or captured, until nearly half their

force were killed and wounded and most of the remainder taken prisoners. A

stand was made by those at the farm house, but they were soon driven out,

and about five hundred of them killed and wounded in the court and

vineyard adjoining. Of the total army less than three hundred escaped,

General Osorio and some other officers among them. These fled to

Concepcion, and embarked from there to Peru. Of the patriots more than a

thousand had fallen in the hot engagement.



This brilliant and decisive victory, known as the battle of the Maypo,

gave San Martin immense renown, and justly so, for it established the

independence of Chili. Nor was that all, for it broke the power which

Abascal had long sustained in Peru, and opened the way for the freeing of

that land from the rule of Spain.



This feat also was the work of San Martin, who soon after invaded Peru,

and, aided by a Chilian fleet, conquered that land from Spain, proclaiming

its independence to the people of Cuzco on the 28th of July, 1821. Later

on, indeed, its freedom was seriously threatened, and it was not until

1824 that General Bolivar finally won independence for Peru, in the

victory of Ayacucho. Yet, famous as Bolivar became as the Liberator of

South America, some generous portion of fame should rightly be accorded to

San Martin, the Liberator of Chili.