London, 1829.

On the morning of the 5th, Canterac had advanced to Carhuamayo, and pushed on with his cavalry to Pasco. Instead of meeting with an isolated division on those great plains, as he probably expected, he learned that the Liberating Army was in full march on the opposite side of the great lake. Canterac fell back that night upon his infantry.

On the 6th, he continued his retreat, whilst the independents pursued their march along the southern extremity of the lake, in order to intercept the Royalists. After a march of 5 leagues, through a mountainous district, at 2 P.M., the Patriots, from the elevated ground, obtained a sudden view of the enemy, who, at the distance of 2 leagues, was marching over the plains of Junin, a little to the southward of Reyes. An enthusiastic and simultaneous "VIVA" was heard throughout the line. It is impossible to convey an adequate idea of the effect which the sudden appearance of the enemy produced. The countenances of the Patriots were animated with a wild ferocious expression, and they gazed with eyes full of fire upon the hostile columns, moving majestically beneath their feet.

The predominant feeling was a fear that the Royalists would escape. The cavalry, in particular, quivered with impatience. They always considered themselves superior to the Royalist cavalry; the opportunity for proving it had now arrived, for the nature of the ground below ensured their taking an active part in the impending fight. It was the work of a moment to remove the saddle from the mules, on which they rode, to their led horses.

At 4 P.M., nine hundred of the Patriot cavalry, having left the infantry, with ` squadrons, a league in the rear, came up to within a short distance of the whole Royalist forces, consisting of eight thousand infantry, twelve hundred cavalry, and a proportion of field artillery. Canterac, finding his further retreat in danger, put himself at the head of his cavalry, formed them in line, with a squadron in column in the immediate rear of each flank, and ordered a charge. The Royalist infantry [and artillery] continued their retreat.

It is but justice to say, that Canterac not only made a masterly charge, but succeeded in attacking under circumstances very unfavourable to the Patriots, whose enthusiasm had impelled them perhaps too near the main body of the enemy, and too far across a defile, formed by a rivulet and swampy ground on one side, and an abrupt line of hills on the other, which prevented their deploying so quickly as circumstances required. The squadron forming the head of the column was the only one that was able to deploy.

Miller, with 250 of the Peruvian cavalry, was ordered, by Bolivar, to outflanck the right of the advancing royalists; but as the latter came on at a gallop, this manoeuvre could not be carried into effect, and he was compelled to wheel to his right, and attack in front. His men. together with the right of the Patriots under General Necochea, were charged at the same instant. The shock was tremendous, and the natural consequence, under the disadvantages just mentioned, was a total rout, with the exception of a few Granaderos a Caballo, from Colombia, under the brave Major Braun, a German, who cut his way through the assailants; and excepting a Peruvian squadron, which being at the first onset a few hundred yards in the rear, fortunately escaped the effects of the first concussion,

With the first movement, all praise of the Spanish cavalry must terminate, because, instead of preserving their original order, or maintaining a reserve, they divided and dispersed. One party pursued the Patriot cavalry, sent to outflank the Royalist right, under Miller, who attempted to gain the road leading to Cacas. The other Royalist party pursued the rest of the Patriots to the defile.

Lieutenant Colonel Isidro Suares, who commanded the unbroken Peruvian squadron, had in the meantime advanced unopposed, in the wide interval left by the pursuing Royalists, and, getting completely into their rear, began to charge those who were pursuing the left of the Patriots, under Miller, who, embarrassed by the swampy nature of the ground, faced about. The Royalists, now in an extended and disorderly state, perceiving themselves threatened in front and rear, began to waver, and fled in their turn. The seasonable succour of Suares enabled the routed Patriot squadrons on the right as well as those on the left to rally.

General Miller, Colonels Caravajal, Silva, and Bruiz, and Major Braun, with as many of their men as it was possible to collect together, supported Suares. The Patriots now used their lances with such effect, that the boasted cavalry of the Spaniards were soon in a state of total and disgraceful flight, and pursued to the very bayonets of their infantry by, comparatively, a handful of their opponents. General Necochea received, early in the action, seven wounds, and was made a prisoner. His life was spared at the intercession of a Royalist soldier, who had formerly served under Necochea in the Army of the Andes. He had the General placed on horseback behind him, but as he was carrying him of the field, a Colombian party, under the gallant Captain Sandoval, rescued Necochea. It is, with regret, to be stated, that the humane preserver of the General was killed before the Patriots were aware of the service he had performed. Upon Necochea's being wounded, the command of the whole of the cavalry devolved upon Miller.

The action lasted about three quarters of an hour. The Spaniards lost 19 Officers and 345 rank and file in killed, and 80 prisoners. The patriots had. 3 Officers and 42 rank and file killed, with 8 Officers and 91 rank and file wounded. Not a shot was fired; the lance and the sabre alone were used. The Colombian lance, 12 or 14 feet long, is formed of a strong tough sapling, headed in the usual manner. The lances fix the reins of their bridles above the knee, so as to be able to guide their horses, and, at the same time, leave both hands at liberty to wield the lance. They frequently struck their opponents with such force, when at a gallop, as to lift them 2 or 3 feet above the saddle. The pole of the Peruvian lance is, like that of the English, heavier, and not so tough as the Colombian; but the Peruvians also used theirs with great dexterity and effect. From the great elevation of the plain of Junin the cold at night was so intense, that nearly all the wounded on both sides perished.

The Officers who most distinguished themselves, and who principally contributed to the successes of the day, were Lieutenant Colonel Isidro Suares and Major Braun. The hussars of the Peruvian legion were ordered by Bolivar to assume the title of "Usares de Junin" [Hussars of Junin] in testimony of his approbation of their gallant conduct.

[see Vol. I issue number 4 for Battle for Junin Order of Battle: Troops Under the Command of Bolivar Peru 1823]