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.
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