Engraved for Stevenson's Narrative of South America.
Lord Cochrane having retired from Lima, on board the O'Higgins, in the bay of Callao, received on the twentieth the following invitation from the cabildo of Lima:
"Lima, the capital of Peru, is about to solemnize the most august act which has been performed for three centuries, or since her foundation; this is, the proclamation of her independence, and her absolute exclusion from the Spanish government, as well as that of any other foreign potentate; and this cabildo, wishing the ceremony to be conducted with all possible decorum and solemnity, considers it necessary that your Excellency, who has so gloriously co-operated in the consecution of this highly desired object, will deign to assist at the act, with your illustrious officers, on Saturday the twenty-eighth inst."
On the twenty-eighth the procession, composed of General San Martin, Lieut.-General Marquis of Monte-mira, the staff officers of the army, the university and four colleges, the prelates of the religious orders, the military chiefs, the judges, many of the nobility, and the members of the cabildo, left the palace, mounted on richly caparisoned horses, and were followed by the body guard of the ex-viceroy, the escort of the general in chief, and the battalion No. 8, with the flags of Chile and Buenos Ayres, and proceeded to a stage erected in the plasa mayor. General San Martin ascended the stage, and displayed the national flag of Peru, pronouncing at the same time—"Peru is from this moment free and independent, by the general vote of the people, and by the justice of her cause, which God defend!"
The cavalcade then paraded the principal streets of the city, and returned to the palace where Lord Cochrane was waiting in the balcony, whence medals commemorative of the act were distributed; but even these evinced the ambition of the general, who, from the very outset of the expedition, had endeavoured to monopolize every species of credit: for this purpose, the inscription chosen for the medals was, "Lima secured its independence on the twenty-eighth of July, 1821, under the protection of the liberating army, commanded by San Martin."
On the following Sunday a solemn Te Deum was chanted at the cathedral, and high mass was celebrated by the archbishop; after which the individuals who on the twenty-eighth had formed the procession advanced separately to the high altar, and took the oath, on the sacred gospels, to "defend with their opinions, property and persons, the independence of Peru, against the Spanish government, and any other foreign power."
On the twenty-ninth Colonel Miller, having been obliged to abandon the province of Arica on the twenty-second, landed at Pisco, having increased his division to nine hundred and sixty men.
On the thirtieth Lord Cochrane reported to General San Martin, that on the twenty-fifth he had ordered Captain Crosbie to enter the anchorage at Callao, and to cut out as many of the enemy's vessels as he could conveniently bring to anchor outside the range of the batteries, which he did in the most gallant manner, bringing out the San Fernando and Milagro, the two largest merchantmen, and the Resolucion, armed as a sloop of war; besides several launches and boats, burning at the same time two hulks within musket shot of the enemy's batteries.
After the ceremony on the Sunday at the cathedral was concluded, a deputation from the cabildo waited on General San Martin, with the request, that he would take upon himself the political and military superintendence of Peru, which in the name and on the behalf of the capital they had the honor to offer to him. To this communication, with such a smile as few but San Martin can express, he informed them, that the offer was quite unnecessary, for that as he had taken the command he should keep it so long as he thought proper, and that he should moreover allow no juntas, nor assemblies for the discussion of public matters during his pleasure. This was an answer not very congenial to the feelings of men who had just been called on to swear, in the presence of the Almighty, to their liberty and independence!
On the fourth of August fresh advices of the atrocities committed by the Spaniards on their march into the interior were published at Lima; one piece of intelligence was, that at the town of Tauripampa a hospital had been formed of the church, and that at the time that La Serna left the town the doors of the church were closed, and the whole set fire to, when the miserable soldiers who could not accompany the Spanish army were burnt to death, as well as great numbers of the inhabitants of the town in their houses, Rodil at the same time declaring, that it was more honorable for them to die than to serve in the ranks of the rebels.