Fénix 10, 203-234

LETTERS TO JAMES PAROISSIEN 227 from Lampa, whilst the rest of the Columbian force re-occupied Arequipa, and the vallies between that and Quilca. 1 ought to have said before that the Expedition of Sucre sailed from Callao in July. I t consisted of Voltigeros (formerly Numancia) Col. Delgado, Pichincha, Col. Leal, Vencedores, Comandte. Guas, N" 2nd 4 with a few ar- tillery men of Chile, 800 Peruvian cavallery under Raulet, and 1500 dragoons of Chile with 400 Usares de Colombia, in all 3300 men. Alvarado Gefe del Estado Mar, Genera1 Pinto commanded the Chile troops, General Lara 116 the Colombians and your humble servant the Van-guard. I t was my expectation and hope upon landing at Chala (latd. 15O, 14") to have proceed'ed without loss of time direct to Cusco 16 days march for an army, through a country comparatively abounding in resources. After a deal of time lost in disembarking troops in Chala and re-embarking them, the Expedition proceeded to Quilca, marching myself with a small division by land from Parinacochas by Caraveli hand Chuquicamba, rejoining the army a t Siguas, 20 ieags from Arequipa. 1 entered this city on the 30 Augt. with 180 Cavallery the enemy (600) left it as we entered. The followíng day Su- cre arrived with the Infantry. There we remained upwards of a month, and then marched for Puno, but hearing of the defeat of Sta. Cruz two days after we set out, we made a retrograde rnovement. The Infantry occupied the va- llies and the Cavallery rema~nedin the City. On the 8th of Octbr. a t 8 a.m. we heard that the Enemy was approa- ching from Cangallo. The Luvallery, about 180 in numbers and the only troops in the City, had just time to saddle and meet him in the eastern pam- pa. Raulet lost there, and afterwards in the City, the most of his best men. Before we left the plaza, the bells struck up a peal to welcome the Royalists. Some flgliting toolr place in the streets. About 100 followed us closely to Uchumayo. 1 saw a favourable opportunity to charge, and cut them to pieces. The Chile dragoons were in front, but 1 could not get them into a trot or gallop. The enemi; who was just preparing to run away, seeing the tjrnidity of the Chilenians, made a charge and met us. The front platoon fled, and then the rear did the same. Some of the officers behaved extreemly well, but nothing could be more shamefully cowardly than that of the men, who could not divest themselvcs of the panic which seized them from the ver> first. It is true their horses were bad, and they had never been taugiit the use of the lance, which was the arm they had. We lost all-together upwards of 80 men the Enemy's could not have exceeded 15. The infsntry, which was some days march ahead, embarked a t Quilca, wherr they lay a t anchor 8 dajís. then proceeded to Pisco and finally to Supe. 1, in the mean time, with t h r remnants of our cavallry, including 80 usars that Sta. Cruz had sent from Ylo, and a company of Infantry, proceeded by land, bringing with me a cavallada of 800 horses and 200 mules and 600 head of cattle, which 1 collected from the celebrated lomas of Arequipa. Al1 these 116. Miguel Delgado, José Leal, Pedro Guasch, Pierre Raulet, Rudecindo Alvarado, Fran- cisco Antonio Pinto and Jacinto Lara. Fénix: Revista de la Biblioteca Nacional del Perú. N.10, 1954