In The Meantime The Royalist Infantry Advanced Against Those Of Don Diego,
Encouraged By The Exhortations And Example Of Carvajal Who Marched At
Their Head.
"Be not afraid, said he, of the artillery:
I, who am as large
as any two of you, do not fear it, and you all see how many bullets pass
by without hurting me." That his soldiers might not conceive that he
confided in the goodness of his armour, he threw away his coat of mail and
helmet, and advanced in this manner to the rebel cannon; and being bravely
seconded by his men, he soon got possession of them all, killing several
of those who guarded them, after which he turned them against the enemy.
By this vigorous, and successful exploit, the event of the battle was in a
great measure decided. The day was now ended, and the evening became so
dark that the opponents could hardly distinguish each other except by the
voice. After a short rest, the cavalry renewed the fight, and victory
began to lean to the side of the royalists, when Vaca de Castro made a
furious assault on the left of the enemy, where two troops belonging to
Don Diego still kept their ground, while all the rest began to fall back.
On charging the enemy, the governor exclaimed, _Vittoria! Vittoria!_ Yet
the battle continued undecided for some time, and several of the horsemen
who followed Vaca de Castro were wounded and unhorsed, two gentlemen and
several others being slain. The rebels were at last thrown into disorder
and fled from the field, being pursued for some distance. Two of their
officers, named Bilboa and de Sosa, were so enraged on seeing the defeat
and flight of their companions, that they rushed like madmen into the
thickest of the enemy, crying out _I am he who killed the marquis_, till
both were slain. Many of the Almagrians saved themselves by favour of the
darkness; and some of them, for greater security, threw away their _white_
scarfs, by which the rebels were distinguished, and put on the _red_
scarfs of the royalists who lay dead on the field. Thus Vaca de Castro
obtained a complete victory, although before the charge was given his army
lost many more men than the enemy, insomuch that Don Diego thought himself
till then secure of conquering. Such of the fugitives as endeavoured to
save themselves by way of the plain were all killed by the Indians; and a
hundred and fifty horse, who made their escape to Guamanga, about two
leagues from the field of battle, were disarmed and made prisoners by the
small number of inhabitants who remained in that city. Don Diego fled to
Cuzco, where Rodrigo de Salazar, his own lieutenant, and Antonio Ruyz de
Guevara, one of the magistrates made him prisoner. Thus ended the
authority of Don Diego Almagro, who one day was lord and master of the
great kingdom of Peru, and the next day was thrown into prison by officers
of his own appointment. This decisive battle of Chupaz was fought on the
16th September 1542.
A great part of the night was over before their officers could reassemble
the victorious army, as the soldiers were busied in pillaging the tents of
the rebels, where they got a rich plunder in silver and gold, and killed
several of the wounded fugitives who were unable to continue their flight
any farther. When all were reassembled, Vaca de Castro made the army
remain all the rest of the night under arms and in order of battle, lest
the enemy might rally and renew the fight. Vaca de Castro employed himself
likewise during most part of the night in going about among the troops,
praising the whole in general, and thanking the individual soldiers for
having so bravely done their duty. In this battle several officers and
soldiers on both sides signalized themselves remarkably. Don Diego
distinguished himself particularly, shewing much courage, and more conduct
than could have been expected from a young man only twenty-two years of
age[11]. He was animated by what he considered a just vengeance for the
death of his father; and was well seconded by many of his followers. Many
of those on the side of Vaca de Castro, were on the contrary incited by
the desire of avenging the death of the marquis, for whose memory they
preserved an inviolable attachment, insomuch that no danger could prevent
them from using their utmost efforts to punish his murderers. On the two
sides, about 300 men were slain[12], among whom were several officers and
men of note. Pedro Alvarez Holguin and Gomez de Tordoya eminently
distinguished themselves on the side of the royalists, having mantles of
white velvet richly embroidered over their armour, owing to which they
were particularly marked out by the musqueteers of the enemy, and both
lost their lives in consequence. Alonso de Alvarado and Carvajal likewise
distinguished themselves signally, particularly the latter, as already
mentioned, in a manner that it seemed almost impossible he should have
escaped. But by despising death, he appeared to have made it flee from him;
as indeed it often happens during great dangers, that those who meet them
bravely are preserved, while those who shrink are lost. A signal instance
of this happened in the present battle, as a young man who was afraid of
the balls concealed himself behind a projecting rock; where his head was
shattered to pieces by a splinter driven off by a cannon ball[13]. Many
others signalized themselves in the battle, to most of whom the governor
gave competent estates in lands and Indians, when he made the re-partition
of the country, adding his warm acknowledgements for having resigned their
individual interests and resentments in the service of the crown.
The night after the battle was extremely frosty, and as the baggage was
considerably in the rear, only two of the wounded officers had their
wounds dressed, so that a good many of the wounded died of cold during the
night.
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