and their views being, of course, upon Carabeli, Chaparra, Chala, and Yauca, and thence towards these heights, it is therefore necessary, that, immediately on receiving this order, the merchants who have gone on to Chaipi, should be desired to withdraw, with all their property and animals, from the parish of Chaipi, towards the town of Coracora, as well as those who may have arrived with you, and not to permit them to advance a single step, upon any pretence whatever, and this under the severest penalty. You will be held responsible for the slightest deviation in the execution of this order, relying upon your well-known zeal for its strict fulfilment ; and if, by any omission, the passage of any traders should be allowed, and they should have the misfortune to be surprised by any party of the enemy, that your neglect will be visited with the rigour of the laws of war. You will advise me without loss of time of having received this order, and you will give it all the effect which I flatter myself you will, from your devotion to the national cause, from which a general good would result to all the inhabitants of this district. "God preserve you many years. "MANUEL DE MANZANEDO. "Coracora, Jan. 29, 1823. "To Don Bernardino Chaves, constitutional alcalde of the parish of Pullo.' "I have transcribed thus much, which has just been sent to me by Colonel Don Manuel Manzanedo; and being informed of it, you will execute what he orders, and acknowledge receipt of it to me. "God preserve you many years. "BERN. CHAVES. "Pullo, Jan. 30, 1823; nine o'clock in the morning of this day. "To the constitutional alcalde of Chaipi, Don Bern. Rodriguez. "P. S. For the more speedy execution of what is herein contained, you must endeavour to procure the assistance of the military power, and of the worthy inhabitants of your parish.” (K.) (Page 43.) Letter from Colonel Manzanedo to Colonel Barrandalla. "Under this date, I have transmitted to his excellency, the Viceroy of the kingdom, the following report: • Most excellent Sir, 'A confidential spy has informed me, under date of the 27th ultimo, as follows: I beg to inform you, that the Englishman, Miller, has landed at this port, and brings two vessels: to-morrow he will disembark the battalion of negroes, amounting to 600, with the intention, as I am informed, of proceeding to Coracora. From Ica they write, that the chief, Brandsen, had entered there, after our troops had retreated. From Acari they state, that they have already 250 hussars, and that they will reach this place in two days. The Peruvian legion, which is the battalion that belongs to this Englishman, is in garrisons from Ocoña to Atico, where there are about 600 in readiness to march also upon Coracora.'-I transcribe this to your excellency, for your more exact information; and although this intelligence appears to me very exaggerated, I have increased the number of spies, to obtain exact information as to the real force of the enemy, and have instructed the subdelegado of the district to observe his flank from the capital to Carabeli, and to withdraw, as speedily as possible, whatever cattle and animals of every description that may be on the heights in that part, as I am now doing towards the north, from Chaipi, Pullo, and all the country thereabouts, where I have sixty men under confidential officers. The day before yesterday my second in command returned from the hills of Carabeli with the three companies under his orders, after having ascertained that there was in Carabeli only a party of one captain and twenty-five men, mounted, who fled the moment they heard of the approach of our troops; but they returned, and re-occupied that place so soon as they heard that our three companies had withdrawn. As the subdelegate of Lucanas has not said any thing to me of the central division which occupied Ica having retreated, I suppose this in telligence must be false, as they must have known it from Palpa or Nasca, and independently of the intelligence which the commandant of the former place would, no doubt, have sent, on seeing himself obliged to make a retrograde movement. A spy has this moment arrived, and he assures me, that the enemy had penetrated inwards from Atiquipa to Quebrada de Chala, to the number of 450; besides several parties which have spread in different directions, and which ought to arrive to-day at the village of Chaipi, in the vicinity of which are the sixty men of my battalion, and respecting which the said spy spoke to the captain, informing him of these occurrences. I expect every moment to receive fresh intelligence, which I will communicate to your excellency, if it is worth consideration, and forward this to you in duplicate, through the military commandant of Andaguaylas, and the subdelegate Luna. I also send this to him, and to the military commandant of Chuquibamba. The same step was taken with the subdelegate Lucanas, and the commandant-general of the central division, Brigadier-general Loriga, and the chiefs of Huancabeliva and Guamanga. I must advise your excellency, that, up to this date, the cartridges and other articles sent by Andaguaylas to the subdivision of Lucanas, have not arrived, and I have only received three boxes of Spanish cartridges, very much damaged, which have been sent me by the subdelegate Luna.' 66 I copy the above for your information, in order that you may regulate your steps accordingly, and shall continue to keep you advised of whatever may occur.' "God preserve you many years. "Coracora, Feb. 1, 1823. "MANUEL DE MANZANEDO, "To Don Tomas Barrandalla, commandant-general of the central division at Ica. "P. S. It is confirmed that Miller's division has been reinforced with 600 negroes of the regiment No. 4, and that the main body remains posted in Atiquipa, and its vicinity, independent of scattered detachments." (L.) (Page 46.) Letter from Colonel Miller to Colonel Brandsen. « Sir, "Acari, 23d February, 1823. "I have 300 head of oxen, and about 200 horses and mules at the distance of half a dozen leagues from this. They will march for Ica the moment you think it worth your while to attack el Sr. Barrandalla, who is trembling with 340 men in the vicinity of Molinos. Unless, indeed, you advance to Ica, all the cattle will undoubtedly be lost, as well as other advantages of a much more important nature. "The enemy has entered Carabeli, but he is timid and afraid to attack me. Manzanedo cannot persuade himself but that I have at least two battalions. "In Lucanas Aballe has not more than thirty men, but this old gentleman is more active than the rest, and he finds out more particulars relative to my operations and force than any of the rest. Much might be done if you would advance in this direction. If you lose time, disagreeable may be the consequences. "There is nothing to be feared from Carratalá; even provided he has left Arequipa for Chuquibamba, he will be detained by the rivers, for I have had two important bridges and many balsas destroyed. If I had only fifty cavalry, the whole battalion of cazadores (600) would have been mine long ago. 66 Captain Valdivia and twelve soldiers of my regiment, accompanied by some people of the country as volunteers, made an incursion to Palpa, and on the 21st put to flight Colonel Olachea, whom they fell in with near Nasca. The latter had fifty armed militia and four soldiers of the line, with an officer. Sixteen of the militia were made prisoners, two of the regulars were killed, and the other two, with an ensign, were also taken. Olachea escaped. His baggage, as well as that of the subdelegate, Rivero, fell into our hands, amongst which is very interesting correspondence. A Spaniard, by the name of Muñoz, and an American, VOL. II. GG called Garcia (the owner of Chocovento), inhabitants of Nasca, have done us much mischief. They employ spies and give Barrandalla correct information. "Once more I repeat, that whatever may be the intention of government, whatever may be your military plans, it is of the very first importance that you drive Barrandalla from Ica, and open a communication with me, and the provinces of Parinacochas and Lucanas, whose inhabitants are all ready to rise. If this be done immediately, much may be expected; if not, I foresee nothing but ruination, and we shall even deserve it for our apathy. What a pity that the topography of the country is not better known by those who direct the movements of the army! "Send this original to the minister of war, if you please. I write in English in case the letter should be intercepted, of which however there is little chance, for all the communications I have sent by land to Lima have been received, and I have got answers by the same way. "I have the honour to be, &c. "W. MILLER. "To Colonel Brandsen, commanding at Cañete." (M.) Act of Installation of the Second Congress of Venezuela. IN the city of St. Thomas of Angostura, on the fifteenth day of the month of February, in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Nineteen, ninth of the Independence of Venezuela, at half-past ten in the morning, were assembled, in virtue of a summons of the supreme chief of the republic, Simon Bolivar, in the Government Palace, for the installation of the sovereign national congress, convoked by the said supreme chief on the |