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. As Pizarro
noticed that the pikemen in the army of Orgognez carried their pikes high,
he gave orders to his musketeers to fire a little high, by which means in
two vollies they broke above fifty of the enemies pikes[17]. At this time
Orgognez ordered his army to advance to the charge, and observing that
several of his divisions hesitated, being held in check by the fire of the
musqueteers, he moved on himself at the head of his main body, directing
his attack to that part of the enemy where Ferdinand Pizarro was seen at
the head of his squadrons. Orgognez apparently despairing of the battle,
called out while advancing, "Follow me who will! I go in the name of God
to do my duty, and to seek an honourable death!" While Orgognez was
advancing, Gonzalo Pizarro and Alonso Alvarado observed that his flank was
uncovered, and accordingly made an immediate charge, by which above fifty
of the Almagrians were overthrown. Orgognez was wounded by a musket-ball
in the head, which broke through his beaver; notwithstanding which he
killed two men with his lance, and wounded one of Pizarros servants in the
mouth whom he mistook for the general, as he was finely dressed. For some
time the engagement was extremely severe and the combatants were mingled
together; but at length the troops of Pizarro forced the Almagrians to
take to flight after they had a considerable number killed and wounded.
Almagro being sick, took no part in the battle, which he observed from a
height at some distance, and on seeing his troops take to flight,
exclaimed, "I thought we had come out to fight like valiant soldiers, not
to run away like cowards." He immediately withdrew to the citadel of Cuzco,
to which place he was pursued by Gonzalo Pizarro and Alonso Alvarado, and
made prisoner. Orgognez was taken prisoner by two of Pizarros horsemen,
who were leading him away when a third came up who bore him a grudge for
some injurious treatment, and cut off his head.
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