At the Point of the Sword

by Herbert Hayens

  CHAPTER XXVII.

  A DISASTROUS RETREAT.

  When General Canterac retreated from Junin, he fled from his ownshadow. Instead of pursuing him closely, we advanced in a leisurelyway to Guamanga, and stayed there a month doing nothing. Then wemarched to Challuanca, where Bolivar, being needed at the capital, leftus under the command of General Sucre, who had shown himself a veryskilful soldier. It seems we were not strong enough to proceed, and asthe rainy season was at hand, no one thought the Royalists would returnto the attack.

  The Patriot army was spread across the country for many miles, our postbeing on a high tableland four leagues from Challuanca. The weatherwas abominable. Frequent storms swept through the district, the rainfell in torrents, the thunder pealed in reverberating claps among themountains, and many animals and some men were killed by the lightning.It was bitterly cold, too, and our only shelter was a cluster ofmiserable Indian huts, where we passed all our time when not on duty.Often I returned to my cheerless quarters cold, shivering, anddrenched, yet with no change of clothing.

  To add to our misfortunes, it was rumoured that the various Royalistarmies, having united, were marching to attack us; so for days togetherwe were kept on the alert, riding for hours over the desolate countryand returning thoroughly exhausted.

  One evening early in November I got back after a twenty miles' ridewith a small patrol, and found the camp in a state of confusion.

  "What is it, Alzura? what's all the fuss about?" I asked, wearilygetting off my mule--for we rode horses only when absolutely necessary.

  "Oh, my dear Juan, you will be delighted," he replied, his facebrimming with fun. "We are just going back to Challuanca. The viceroyis somewhere in our rear with all his army, and we have to run for it."

  "My animal is dead-beat," said I gloomily.

  "You must walk, and lead both animals. Never mind, dear boy; theexcitement will keep you going," he answered, laughing.

  "Hullo! is it you, Crawford? In luck's way again! And I've beenworrying about your being left behind," said Plaza, coming up.

  I did not exactly see where the luck came in; but the sound of thebugle cut short my reply, and I took my place in the column. Thatmarch was the longest twelve miles I remember. Sometimes riding,sometimes walking, aching in every limb, and more than half asleep, Iplodded along the rocky path, dreamily wondering at every step whetherI could take another. As soon as we arrived at Challuanca I just laydown on the bare ground, and was fast asleep in a second.

  It was daylight when the sounds of bugles awakened me, and I rosesleepily. The army had disappeared, with the exception of oursquadron, which I afterwards found formed part of the rearguard.

  "Come on, sleepy-head," sang out Alzura, "or you'll get no breakfast.I've seen to your animals. A wonder they didn't kick you to death inthe night!"

  "The poor beasts were too tired to have a kick left in them. Where'sGeneral Sucre?"

  "Going on to a place called Lambrama. Do you know Miller is aprisoner?"

  "A prisoner? I don't believe it."

  "It's true, nevertheless. His scouting party has returned without him.From what I can hear, we're in a tight fix."

  According to rumour, Alzura was right; but after a long and wearisomemarch we reached Lambrama, where General Sucre halted. During theafternoon, while we rested in the valley, a great shout from the troopson our right brought us to our feet, and we saw a soldier on abeautiful white horse descending a pass into the valley.

  "That's General Miller's horse!" I cried excitedly.

  "And the general's on its back!" said Plaza. "Viva! viva Miller!" Andthe cry was taken and repeated by thousands of lusty throats.

  I had witnessed San Martin's brilliant reception, and had seen Bolivarfeted by his admirers; but this outburst was the most remarkable ofall. One would have thought the general was a personal friend of everyman in the army.

  Each battalion, as he passed it, broke into renewed cheering, the menflung their caps into the air, and the whole scene was one of amazingenthusiasm. The general rode along slowly, and his smiling face showedhow greatly he was touched by his reception.

  "The man's a marvel!" exclaimed Plaza admiringly. "Look at him! Onewould think he had just come from a pleasure-trip instead of beinghunted through the mountains. I warrant the viceroy would count hiscapture cheap at half a million dollars."

  "Say a million, and it would still be cheap," said Alzura; and most ofus agreed with him.

  General Miller apparently brought important information, as, shortlyafter his arrival, orders were issued for a fresh start. I need notdwell long upon our sufferings during that disastrous retreat. TheRoyalists had outmarched us, and, hoping to stop our advance, closedmany of the defiles and destroyed the bridges by which we should havecrossed the numerous rivers.

  Several times we caught a glimpse of the enemy, and one night thehostile armies bivouacked within two miles of each other, but separatedby a deep and rugged valley. The terrible march was so weakening usthat many officers hoped the enemy would attack at once. But this theviceroy, who was a clever old soldier, would not do. His plan was towear us down by degrees and only fight at an advantage.

  For several days we remained watching each other, but on November 25ththe Royalists disappeared, and Sucre immediately made preparations tocross the valley. A swollen river lay in our path; the bridge wasdestroyed, and there was no material with which to build another.

  The crossing was simply terrible. The weather was intensely cold, andeven at the ford the infantry were breast high in icy water. It wasdeath to remain behind, however, and though many men, numbed andexhausted, were swept down the stream, only two lives were lost.

  On the last night in November we reached a valley whose sides wereclothed with enormous trees, and the order to encamp was gratefullyreceived.

  "Thank goodness!" said Alzura. "We shall have a comfortable night atlast. The trees will shelter us from the cold winds, and we shall beas cozy as in bed."

  "Humph!" said Gamarra testily; "much you know about it. In half anhour you'll wish we had camped on the top of a mountain."

  "Why?" I asked curiously, for the valley seemed to me a very suitablecamping-ground.

  "Wait!" growled the crusty old major; "you'll soon know."

  This sounded very mysterious, but in a short time the secret was out.We had just settled ourselves comfortably when Alzura started up, andsome one said, in a tone of great disgust, "Mosquitoes!"

  They were very fine specimens, and, I suppose, exceedingly angry at ourinvasion of their territory. They came buzzing up in countlessthousands, and though many were slain, the slaughter made no apparentdifference in their numbers.

  I had put on my gloves, and now hastily covered my face with ahandkerchief. The mosquitoes were by no means dismayed. Thirsting forblood, they would not be denied, but drank deeply. To any onemosquito-proof the scene would have been most laughable. We made adesperate fight, but the victory was to the mosquitoes.

  Our hands, necks, and faces were swollen from their venomous bites.Some of the men could hardly see; and though we were dreadfullyfatigued, every one longed to hear the bugle-call to fall in. No onewanted to remain in what Plaza christened "Alzura's paradise."

  The welcome sound came at break of day, and we moved out quickly,abandoning the battlefield to our active and vigorous foes. As soon aswe reached the open country the rain began to fall, and continued intorrents all that day and the following night.

  "I don't exactly see how much better off we are than Barriero,"remarked Alzura, as we lay down to sleep in a muddy puddle.

  "You should have stayed with him, then."

  "It's all very well to say that now. Why did you bring me away?"

  I was too much staggered by the audacity of the question to make asuitable reply.

  Hungry, cold, and wet, we resumed the retreat, and soon began defilinginto another valley. Our squadron was right in the rear, and suddenlythe sounds of fi
ring and the cries of startled men were heard in frontof us.

  "Mount!" cried the colonel; for we were still leading our horses, andmost of our mules were dead. "Forward! Trot!"

  "Some of the enemy have doubled and cut in on our flank!" said Plazaexcitedly.

  "Gallop!" roared the colonel, as entering the valley we caught sight ofwhat was going on.

  Unperceived by us, a Royalist detachment had stolen down the valley andflung itself on the flank of our two rear battalions. Taken bysurprise, and outnumbered, our men were speedily overpowered, andbefore we had arrived on the scene they had dispersed in all directions.

  To the shouts of "Viva el Rey!" and encouraged by their officers, theRoyalists were hotly chasing their beaten enemy. The valley was in astate of terrible confusion. The dead bodies of men lay scatteredabout; a few of the victors were dragging off an abandoned gun; otherswere carrying away stores and baggage. The fight was a completedisaster for our side.

  "We can't do any good," whispered Alzura, as the colonel halted us,"and I doubt if we aren't cut off ourselves."

  "Better charge at once," muttered Plaza; "the more we look at it theless we shall like it."

  "My lads," cried the colonel, riding down the ranks, "there is a stiffbit of work before us. Let us remember we are the Hussars of Junin."

  The troopers responded with a ringing "Viva!" and as we got a firmerseat on our saddles, Alzura remarked,--

  "That's the way to talk, Juan. These fellows will fight to the deathnow."

  There was something fresh happening on the other side, but we had notime to see what it was. The bugle sounded, and with the colonelleading we dashed straight across the valley. An infantry battalionpeppered us from the right, and a squadron was drawn up right acrossour path.

  Men began to fall. Here and there a riderless horse, darting from theranks, tore across the valley. We were, as Alzura said, in a warmcorner.

  Bullets whizzed past our ears, but we noticed them not, riding straightas a die at the hostile cavalry.

  "The major's down!" cried Plaza. "Poor old major!"

  That was his only epitaph. We had no time to sorrow for any one justthen, though we mourned for him sincerely enough afterwards.

  "Charge!" roared the colonel; and the sabres flashed as the horsesbounded forward, thundering with their hoofs on the ground.

  "Caramba!" cried Plaza; "it's your old friend Mariano. Well, friend orfoe, this is his last fight if my blade can reach him."

  Yes, the officer who had accomplished this daring flanking movement wasnone other than Santiago Mariano, who, with the flush of success on hishandsome face, was again leading his men to the charge.

  "Viva el Rey!" he cried, and his voice rang high and clear above thedin. "Down with the bandits!"

  Crash! We were into them, fighting our way through desperately.Horses pranced, and bit, and kicked. Men shouted triumphantly, or wentdown with a cry of agony on their lips. Here a gap was made and filledat once, as some daring fighter urged his way forward.

  Alzura rode with the colonel, carrying the colours, and we pressedafter them, knowing that our sole chance of safety was to get throughthe Royalist squadron. On coming out at the other side we heard avoice crying, "Bravo! bravo, my bold hussars!" and there was GeneralMiller, who seemed to scent a fight as a hound scents its quarry.

  By this time Santiago had re-formed his squadron, and was dashing atour rear, when from the rocks above us sprang a line of fire, and hishorsemen, wheeling round, rapidly withdrew. While we had beenfighting, General Miller had rallied the beaten battalions and postedthem in a commanding position to cover our ride through the pass.

  That night in bivouac we counted Santiago's venture had cost us morethan two hundred men, all the spare horses, and a quantity of stores.

  "I hope you are proud of your Royalist friend," said Alzura to me. "Hehas done us a nice bit of mischief."

  "He's a smart soldier."

  "He is that," agreed Plaza, "and a splendid swordsman. I had a goodbout with him, but could not pass his guard, though he was defendinghimself against three of us."

  "Did any one see the major after he fell?" I interrupted.

  "No," said Alzura; "but I feel sure he is dead, as the bullet passedthrough his forehead. He was a grim old fighter, and I'm sorry he'sgone."

  "So am I. But he died a soldier's death, poor old chap," said Cordova."We must have lost heavily since the retreat began. I wonder whatSucre intends doing now."

  "Why, continuing the retreat."

  "To Lima? If so, he won't have a hundred men left by the time hereaches the capital."

  "Well, what can he do? We can't stay here and starve, and he can'tmake the Royalists fight."

  "As to starving," laughed Alzura, "I would as soon starve here aselsewhere. I'm getting used to it."

  "And I don't know," remarked Cordova, "that forcing a fight will be sovery brilliant for us. We have had one sample to-day."

  "Oh, go to sleep! You might be a raven as far as croaking's concerned.One would think we were in a hole and couldn't get out. Trust to Sucreand Miller; they'll pull us through all right."

  "I'm going to sleep," announced Alzura gravely. "I had a beautifuldream last night, and want to go on where reveille interrupted it. Idreamed we were in Lima, at a banquet given by the city to the Patriotofficers. There was a band to play during the feast; the hall wasbrilliantly lit; the table was laden with all kinds of good things. Wewere just beginning when the band struck up, and I woke to hearCrawford saying, 'Are you going to sleep all day?' It was a splendidfeast, though. Such a quantity of--"

  "Sit on him, Juan! stifle him with his own poncho! Fancy talking ofbanquets now! Cruelty to animals I call it."

  "Why, I thought you'd be delighted," grumbled Alzura.

  In a very short time we were all asleep. We rose at dawn, hungry andshivering, to resume our journey. On this day the enemy marchedparallel with us, but on the other side of a deep gorge, and GeneralSucre tried in vain to draw them into an engagement. Their leader wastoo crafty. Why need he sacrifice his men?

  "It's a pity from our point of view," remarked Plaza, as we toiledalong, "but they are playing the proper game. We're like fruitripening on a tree. When thoroughly fit we shall just drop and begathered without difficulty."

  "Who's croaking now?" asked Cordova,

  "I'm simply stating facts," replied Plaza. "Look at the road."

  "Thanks; I've seen more than enough of it already."

  "We're half starved."

  "That's less than a fact," laughed Alzura. "You can put me down asthree-quarters. If decent food were set before me, I shouldn't knowhow to eat it."

  "We're losing hundreds of men," continued Plaza quietly, "and we've onemiserable field-gun."

  "Take a dose of your own medicine," said I, laughing. "Trust to Sucreand Miller; they'll pull us through."

  The captain's gloomy fit soon passed off, and he was as cheerful asever; but there was no doubt of our being in a very awkward position.As far as fighting went, we could hold our own till doomsday; but wewere bound to eat, and food did not grow on the mountains.

  Bolivar was working with all his fiery energy to hurry upreinforcements from Colombia and Chili, but until they arrived he couldnot send them on. Then, too, the viceroy had gained over severalIndian tribes, and they had already cut one detachment to pieces. Asfar as I could judge, the Royalists had the whip-hand, and unless theymade a mistake we should very shortly be at their mercy.

  On the sixth of December we halted at a little village, and a thrill ofjoy went through the troops when it was rumoured that our leadersintended to attack the enemy at all risks. Wearied men, who had thrownthemselves exhausted on the ground, struggled to their feet; starvingmen forgot their pangs; the very invalids crawled into the ranks, someof them so weak that they could barely trail a musket.

  "Stand by your horses!" said the colonel, as the enemy were only threemiles off, and we might be requir
ed at any moment.

  An hour passed and we still waited; the morning wore away; afternoonmerged into evening, and we were ordered to encamp. Something, we knewnot what, had gone wrong.

  "I don't know if there was a chance to-day," observed Plaza, "but won'tthere be one to-morrow?"

  "Why?"

  "Because the Royalists will block the road along which we must retreat.Then we must either throw ourselves against a terribly strong position,or stay here and starve."

  Events soon proved that he had not spoken at random. Early nextmorning the enemy moved to an almost impregnable post. Twice ournumber of strong men, flushed with victory and well equipped with guns,might well have hesitated to attack. As for us, it was sheer madness.

  Things had come to the worst now. Further retreat was barred; ourprovisions, even if we subsisted on the shortest of short rations,would not last five days, while to move against the foe was simply tocommit suicide.

  "Lucky Barriero, sitting in his little hut!" said Alzura; "no fighting,no starving! The next time we're taken prisoners we'll make the bestof it, Juan."

  "I doubt if the Spaniards will make many prisoners--that is, among theofficers," growled Cordova. "The men will be spared, but we shall beput out of the way of doing mischief."

  I think myself Cordova exaggerated the danger; but his opinion wasshared by the great majority of the Patriots, and it was this fearwhich made them resolve to fight to the bitter end rather thansurrender.

  After breakfast we lounged about on the heights watching the Royalists,who had encamped just without gunshot, wondering what our leaders woulddecide to do.