by a
dashing cavalry charge and the guns were turned against their own line.

The centre of the battle was a farm-house on the Espejo estate, which was
charged furiously by both sides, being taken and retaken several times
during the day. Yet as the day went on the advantage seemed to be on the
side of Osorio, who held the field with the centre and one wing of his
army. Defeat seemed the approaching fate of the patriots. It came nearer
when the regiment of negroes which had for some time withstood the Burgos
regiment--the flower of Osorio's force--gave way and retreated, leaving four
hundred of its number stretched upon the field.

The critical moment of the battle was now at hand. The Burgos regiment
attempted to follow up its success by forming itself into a square for a
decisive charge. In doing so the Spanish lines were broken and thrown into
temporary disorder. Colonel O'Brien, a gallant cavalry officer of Irish
blood, took quick advantage of this. Joining his troops with Quintana's
reserves, he broke in a fierce charge upon the Burgos regiment while in
the act of reforming and drove it back in complete confusion.

This defeat of the choice corps of Osorio's army changed the whole aspect
of affairs. The patriots, inspired with hope, boldly advanced and pressed
their foes at all points. The Burgos troops sought refuge in the
farm-house, and were followed by the left, which was similarly broken and
dispersed. The centre kept up the action for a time, but with both wings
in retreat it also was soon forced back, and the whole royalist army was
demoralized.

The patriots did not fail to press their advantage to the utmost. On all
sides the royalists were cut down or captured, until nearly half their
force were killed and wounded and most of the remainder taken prisoners. A
stand was made by those at the farm house, but they were soon driven out,
and about five hundred of them killed and wounded in the court and
vineyard adjoining. Of the total army less than three hundred escaped,
General Osorio and some other officers among them. These fled to
Concepcion, and embarked from there to Peru. Of the patriots more than a
thousand had fallen in the hot engagement.

This brilliant and decisive victory, known as the battle of the Maypo,
gave San Martin immense renown, and justly so, for it established the
independence of Chili. Nor was that all, for it broke the power which
Abascal had long sustained in Peru, and opened the