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.
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