The presence of the great Bolivar, whose victorious campaigns in Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador had sealed the independence of those countries on the battlefields of Boyacá, Carabobo, Bomboná, and Pichincha, animated the now drooping spirits of the Peruvian patriots, and filled all hearts with hope and confidence. In the month of July, 1824, the Liberating Army of the North began its march toward Cerro de Pasco. The task of leading a large body of troops over the mountains was tremendous, especially as the supply of provisions had to be kept up at great cost, and the severity of the climate at such an altitude was a serious drawback. Over a similar pathway, five hundred miles farther north, the Conquerors had led their men three centuries earlier, on their way to Cajamarca. But on what a different mission! They sought the subjugation of a noble and gentle race, whom they hoped to rob and enslave “by right of conquest”; these advancing hosts were seeking to bring freedom and happiness to a suffering people. The victory of the former brought only an ignominious destiny to the Conquerors; the triumph of the latter is emblazoned in the high places of immortal glory. Pizarro’s name is a synonym for cruelty and rapacity; the names of San Martin and Bolivar thrill the soul, and stir its noblest sentiments.
THE MUNICIPAL PALACE, LIMA.
The final events in the history of South American independence took place within a year after the beginning of Bolivar’s campaign on the plateau of Junin. The story of Junin is soon told. While the royalists remained inactive at Jauja, more than a hundred leagues to the south, Bolivar reached the plateau, on the 5th of August, 1824, and reviewed his troops, ten thousand strong, cheering them with those inspiring addresses which great military captains of all ages have found so effective. As soon as General Canterac learned of the approach of Bolivar, he advanced with his army, consisting of eight thousand infantry, thirteen hundred cavalry, and a proportion of field artillery, as far as the lake of Junin, near the southern shore of which the famous engagement took place. After a march of fifteen miles through a mountainous district, Bolivar’s army reached an elevated point, from which they obtained a sudden view of the royalist army, five miles away, marching over the plains of Junin. The patriot cavalry, nine hundred strong, having dashed forward, came up within a short distance of the royalists; putting himself at the head of his cavalry, Canterac ordered a charge which might have won the day, as the patriots, in their enthusiasm, had placed themselves in an unfavorable position; but the Spaniards were too sure of their victory and pushed in hot pursuit of the retreating cavalry, thereby giving an opportunity for a Peruvian battalion under Colonel Suarez, which had been detained in the marshes, to advance on the rear of the royalist ranks and thus afford the retreating forces a chance to rally; the result was a total and complete victory over the Spaniards after a battle that lasted less than an hour, during which not a shot was fired, the lance and sabre alone being used. The royalists lost nineteen officers and three hundred and forty-five soldiers of the line, besides eighty taken prisoners. The patriot losses were three officers and forty-two soldiers of the line killed and one hundred wounded.
The victory of Junin gave Bolivar command of Tarma, Jauja, Huancayo, Huanta, and Huamanga. General Canterac retired to Cuzco where he was joined by Valdes, and the viceroy himself then took command of the united armies, with Canterac as his chief of staff. The Liberator placed his troops in charge of General Sucre with instructions to go into quarters in the Apurimac valley, east of Ayacucho, during the rainy season. But the viceroy immediately began operations against the patriot army, hoping to get a position in their rear and cut off communication with Lima. While General Sucre fell back to Andahuaylas, La Serna led his army across the Apurimac and around by Pampachira and Huamanga, and there countermarched along the Cuzco highroad to meet the patriots. His army numbered ten thousand men, with fourteen pieces of artillery, and sixteen hundred cavalry, presenting a very formidable force. When General Sucre found out that the viceroy was leading his army toward Huamanga, he left Andahuaylas and marched westward, crossing the Pampas River a few leagues southeast of Ayacucho, and reaching the village of Quinua, at the western extremity of the plain, on the 6th of December. The viceroy advanced and took his position on the heights of Condorcunca, which rose abruptly along the eastern boundary of the plain; General Sucre’s troops were encamped in front of the Spaniards, about a mile distant and having Quinua in the rear. On the morning of December 9, 1824, the armies were ready for battle. The patriot forces were formed in close columns, General Cordova commanding the right, General La Mar the left, and General Miller the centre, with General Gamarra as first chief of staff. The troops did not number more than five thousand, but every soldier was fighting for a cause dearer than life itself, and every heart thrilled with patriotic fervor as General Sucre, in an inspiring voice, recalled their former achievements and urged them to fight for their honor and the salvation of their country, exclaiming: “On the efforts of to-day depends the fate of South America!” As the royalist army was seen descending Condorcunca, he added, pointing to their glittering columns: “Another day of glory is about to crown your admirable constancy.” When the enemy appeared on the plain, General Sucre ordered the Cordova division and two regiments of cavalry to advance to the charge.
The field of Ayacucho presented an animated scene as the signal to attack was given by the gallant Cordova, who, dismounting and placing himself in front of his division, waved his sword above his head with the enthusiastic order “Forward, with the step of victors!” His confident bearing had an immediate effect on the troops, and they moved to the attack in splendid order, the charge, which was made in four parallel columns with the cavalry in the intervals, proving fatal to the enemy. The historical fight was won after a little more than an hour’s struggle, during which the royalists were driven back with great slaughter. At first, the viceroy’s troops fought with skill and courage, but they were gradually driven back and obliged to abandon the field. The viceroy was wounded and taken prisoner, which had a depressing effect on his followers. General Valdes made an unexpected detour and attacked the left flank of the patriot army with such success that the fortunes of the day hung for a few moments in the balance; La Mar’s forces were obliged to retreat, and a part of Lara’s division which went to his assistance was also driven back; but at this critical juncture General Miller, commanding the Junin Hussars, made a splendid charge, forcing the enemy to retreat and giving the patriots time to recover their position. An impetuous charge was then made on Valdes’s ranks, which sent cavalry and infantry flying in all directions. The victory was won; General Canterac and General Valdes, as well as thirteen other generals, five hundred officers and three thousand rank and file, became prisoners of war. Before sunset General Canterac sued for terms, and a capitulation was agreed upon which does the highest credit to the generous spirit of the victors. The losses to the royalists were fourteen hundred killed and seven hundred wounded, while the patriots had three hundred and seventy killed and six hundred and nine wounded.
Such was the victorious outcome of the battle of Ayacucho, which has been pronounced the most brilliant ever fought in South America, on account of the splendid discipline of the troops, the skill and daring of the officers, the presence of the ablest chiefs and highest representatives of both the opposing forces, and the undaunted bravery of the entire army on both sides. It is said that the viceroy’s mistake lay in making any attack at all, but that he was impelled to it by the eagerness of his troops, tired of their long marches. After the victory, Huamanga received the name of Ayacucho. By the terms of the capitulation the Spanish officers were given their passports, and many of them set out for Spain immediately. The victory put an end to Spanish dominion in South America, the Viceroy La Serna recognizing, by his signature to the capitulation, the absolute independence of Peru. The subsequent history of the Republic is a record of the progress and development of a nation which had to learn the lesson of self-government after having been for centuries accustomed to give unquestioning allegiance to an absolute monarch, under a system that gave all honor to military prestige and social rank, and regarded as unworthy of consideration any human rights that were based on liberty, equality or fraternity.
ARMS OF PERU AT THE TIME OF THE INDEPENDENCE.