The
Marquis Replied, That The City Of Cuzco And The Adjoining Territory Had
Been First Discovered, Colonized, And Occupied By
Him, of which he had
been violently dispossessed by Almagro, that in conformity with the orders
of his majesty, therefore,
It behoved Almagro to evacuate that city and
territory, or he would drive him from it by force, as all the compacts and
conventions which had been entered into between them were abrogated by
this new regulation of his majesty.
As Almagro refused to accede to these demands, the marquis marched against
him with his whole force, on which Almagro retired towards Cuzco, and
fortified himself on a high mountain named Guavtara, breaking up all the
roads to render the approach to his camp as difficult as possible.
Ferdinand Pizarro found means to ascend the mountain during the night by a
secret path, and forced the passages with his musqueteers, so that Almagro
was forced to abandon this position, seeking his safety in flight. Being
sick at the time, he went with the advanced guard, leaving Orgognez to
bring up and protect the rear. One night, Orgognez learnt by two of
Pizarros horsemen who were taken prisoners, that the enemy were close up
with his rear, on which he hastened the retreat as much as possible,
although several of his officers were anxious for him to turn back upon
the pursuers, knowing by experience that those who usually inhabited the
plain were liable, on their first coming into the mountainous region, to
sickness and vomiting, very much resembling sea-sickness. Orgognez refused
to listen to this advice, because contrary to the orders of Almagro; yet
it was believed he might have been successful, as the troops belonging to
the marquis were in reality affected by that ordinary malady, and were
besides so much distressed by the snow that Pizarro retired back with his
army into the maritime plain of Peru. Almagro continued his march to Cuzco,
where he employed himself for two months in raising recruits, procuring
ammunition, preparing arms of silver and copper, founding cannon, and
making every preparation to defend himself against Pizarro.
After the return of the marquis into the plain, various consultations were
held as to the best plan of procedure, and it was at last determined that
Ferdinand Pizarro, now lieutenant-general under the marquis, with his
brother Gonzalo Pizarro as major-general, should march with the army
against Cuzco[16]. On this occasion, a manifesto was circulated as the
reason of this measure, that several of the inhabitants of Cuzco had made
complaints to the marquis against the tyranny of Almagro, who had
violently seized their goods and houses, and dispossessed them of their
Indians and every thing that belonged to them. The marquis returned to
Lima, and his brother Ferdinand marched at the head of the army towards
Cuzco. Having arrived on the mountainous ridge near Cuzco in the evening,
all his officers urged Ferdinand Pizarro to descend immediately into the
plain that the army might encamp there for the night; but Ferdinand
positively rejected this advice, and ordered the army to encamp on the
mountain. Early next morning, the whole army of Almagro was seen drawn up
in order of battle on the plain, under the supreme command of Orgognez;
Francisco de Chaves, Juan Tello, and Vasco de Guevara, having the command
of the cavalry under his orders. On the side of the mountain there was a
great body of Indians in charge of a small number of Spaniards, intended
to be employed as circumstances might admit in the expected battle. In the
meantime, all the friends and partizans of the marquis who were in Cuzco
were committed prisoners to the citadel, which was so extremely crowded on
this occasion, and the places appropriated for their confinement so small,
that several of them were stifled.
On the following day, after the solemnization of the mass, Ferdinand
Pizarro marched his army into the plain of Cuzco in order of battle, and
advanced towards the city, intending to gain possession of some high
ground which overlooked the citadel. Ferdinand and his troops flattered
themselves, from their great superiority in numbers, that Almagro would
not risk a battle, and were even anxious to spare the effusion of
Christian blood on the present occasion, in which the natives of the same
country and subjects of the same sovereign were preparing to destroy each
other, instead of uniting in a common cause for the general good of all.
Orgognez was actuated by a different principle, and had occupied the only
passage by which the troops of Pizarro could approach towards Cuzco, in
which he had drawn up his troops and artillery with much judgment, under
cover of a marsh, across which it was necessary for the troops of Pizarro
to pass before they could attack his position. Immediately on
reconnoitring the order of the enemy, Ferdinand Pizarro ordered captain
Mercadillo to advance with his cavalry to a proper place for keeping the
Indians in check in case they should attempt to attack his army while
engaged in battle with Orgognez, and whence likewise he might be able to
give succour where necessary during the approaching engagement. Before the
Spaniards began to engage, the Indians on both sides skirmished with each
other. The cavalry of Pizarro endeavoured to pass the morass, and being
opposed by a squadron of Almagro's horse, the musketeers belonging to
Pizarro advanced in front of their own horse and soon compelled the
adverse cavalry to give ground. On seeing this successful commencement of
the battle, Pedro de Valdivia, a maestre de campo of the marquis, assured
his friends that the victory was their own. While the troops of Pizarro
were passing the marsh, the Almagrians plied their artillery, and by one
discharge five men belonging to Pizarro were brought down. But Pizarro
pressed on under cover of a close fire from his musketeers, and passed
both the marsh and a rivulet beyond, and drew up in good order on the firm
ground, every one of the captains having been previously instructed how to
proceed with their divisions before the engagement commenced.
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