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. 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.
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