CHAPTER LXXVII

    How the captains Castro and Pedro Anzures went out to reconnoitre, and how the royal army advanced to give battle, each captain encouraging his men and exhorting them to fight.

NOW approached that fateful Saturday[125] on which the battle was fought. All the heights of Chupas, and their steep slopes, were crowded with the natives of those regions, some following the Almagro faction, some the party of Pachacama. In both camps there were many pallas,[126] natives of Cuzco much beloved by the Spaniards, whose feeling they reciprocated, delighting to dwell in the[271] service of such doughty men and to act as proxies for their lawful wives in Spain. When they saw the last day of the war at hand they foresaw the death that must befall their lovers and wandered, wailing and dishevelled, according to the custom of the country, from place to place. The Indians made such a clamour that it was heard over the valleys and heights of Chupas and their yells were re-echoed beyond in the gorges of the Andes, so that these same Indians were frightened at the sound of their own voices. But they were delighted at seeing the spectacle of Spaniards fighting against each other without having any reasonable quarrel, and gave thanks to the Sun for the glorious revenge about to be taken for the ills that had been inflicted on their elders.

As the enemies were now drawing near together the men of Chile pitched their camp, with the intention of striking the tents during the second night watch and marching, if possible, into Guamanga, and thence by the Guaytara road on to Lima.

At this juncture the forces of Vaca de Castro were encamped in the valley of Chupas,[127] and to reach the summit of the spur there was more than a league of ascent.[128] The scouts sent out by Vaca de Castro had got so far as to see the camp of Don Diego, and, after a spirited discussion with other scouts of their party, returned to report that Don Diego was nearing the summit of the hills. When Vaca de Castro heard this, he ordered captain Pedro de Castro, with a hundred Spanish arquebusiers, to set out at once for the summit, and try to get there before the enemy could occupy it. Captain Castro immediately departed on this service, followed by Captain Pedro Anzures with his troop of lancers as a rear-guard.

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Using all possible speed, Castro reached the heights where he posted his company, Anzures following him closely. Soon they descried the scouts of Don Diego coming out from the camp to see what was going on and whether the enemy had pitched his camp or was making for the height. Seeing the arquebusiers there, it was clear to them that these were already in possession, and after some words had passed between them, such as are customary under such circumstances, they returned to the camp. Meanwhile, Vaca de Castro and his captains set out, in the best order they could, to join the soldiers who were in his camp and on the height. Moving as rapidly as possible, they arrived a little after the hour of vespers. Here there presently assembled Vaca de Castro and the captains

    Pero Alvarez Holguin
    Alonso de Alvarado
    Garcilaso de la Vega
    Pedro Anzures
    Diego de Rojas
    Francisco de Caravajal
    (Sergeant Major)

with other cavaliers and principal persons. They held a consultation to decide on what they should do, and whether it would be more prudent to give battle to the enemy on the following day, or to wait until it was seen what Don Diego de Almagro would do. There were differences of opinion among the gathering. Some, for reasons they gave, said that they ought not to give battle until they understood the enemy's intentions. Others said that they should leave the present position, and occupy one nearer the enemy, and that the choice of it would be in their own hands. Others also advised that the encounter should not be put off until later than the next morning at daybreak; because, at such times, a lost opportunity is not readily regained, and quickness and suddenness of attack count for much, whilst to delay is to court disaster. Alonso de Alvarado was of this opinion, and told Vaca de Castro[273] that, without further ado, the battle should be joined on the coming morn, for the soldiers were ready and eager and the first shock of a conflict is steady and forceful, because the heated blood courses through the body and gives strength to the men. If that flush of vigour wavers or cools down, their minds are apt to become more timorous than bold and they lose their steadiness. To this and other things, Vaca de Castro answered: "Is your brain good?"[129] and he proceeded to reply to what had been said. Finally it was resolved by all to give battle, and again they turned to encourage the men, urging that they fought for the honour of the King, and that they must display all the valour that was in them, with other exhortations.

Don Diego and his captains did not sleep during this time; on the contrary, they were thinking over further topics before deciding what they should do. They saw that they could not now, with the enemy so near, get into Guamanga without difficulty, and that it would be better to put that scheme aside and give battle; so, after commending themselves to God, they resolved to fight. Don Diego, seeing that the battle was inevitable, mounted his horse, with his lance in his hand, and, turning to the soldiers, addressed them thus: "Oh captains, to whom I owe so much, and soldiers so valorous! the battle must be fought, for the enemy is at hand. Bear in mind that to-day is the day when fortune promises us the government of the country, with full vengeance on our enemies and the best repartimientos for yourselves, so do not fail to smite those who have shown themselves to be our enemies. You know that neither has it been my desire nor yours to do anything contrary to the service of the King, and that in the end it will rest with your arms to condemn the loser[274] as a tyrant, and the conqueror will be held to be loyal." Saying these words and others, he exhorted his friends to prepare for the battle they had to fight.

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THE COUNTRY around GUAMANGA

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SITE of the BATTLE OF CHUPAS 1542

Hakluyt Society: Series II, vol. 42

    Description of the country around the battle field of Chupas.

    By C. R. M.

    The position of the battle of Chupas is interesting. Prescott and Helps had not a true idea of it. Prescott wrote of "the bloody plains of Chupas," and "the neighbouring lowlands known as the plains of Chupas": Helps as "the valley of Chupas." These are quite wrong terms for the place. Chupas is neither a plain nor a valley, but a farm on a lofty Andean spur.

    The city of Guamanga (now called Ayacucho) is in 13° 8′ S. Lat., 72° 2′ W. Long., and 8660 feet above the sea. There is a small plain outside the town to north-west, called the Pampa del Arco, but the battle field was miles away, on the other side.

    Guamanga is at the western base of the great maritime cordillera, its slopes descending in long spurs, with intervening ravines, to the city and its neighbourhood. The scene of the battle was high up, 9,500 feet above the sea, extending over two of these spurs and the ravine between them.

    The road from Guamanga to Yca across the maritime cordillera, leaves the city along a pretty avenue, and then up the hill of Carmenca and the steeper ascent of Quica-pata.[130] Half way up this ascent a path turns off to the left, skirting along the spurs of the cordillera, and after two miles the ravine of Lambras-huayccu[131] is reached. Here, on the spur, Vaca de Castro formed his first camp. The stream below supplies Guamanga with water. In the upper part of the ravine there is a swamp during part of the year. Its width is about half a mile, more in some parts, wide enough for cavalry charges. On its further side the ascent is steep, and on this spur the artillery of Almagro was posted, near what is now the farm house of Chupas. All this country is now covered with wheat fields. Guamanga would be easily reached by following the Lambras-huayccu stream. Lying 9,500 feet above the sea, Chupas is exposed to storms of snow in the winter and early spring. Beyond Chupas, on another spur, is the farm of my old friend Don Manuel Tello, called Cochabamba. The view towards the cordillera is very grand. The sides of some of the gorges form perpendicular precipices, above which rise the snowy peaks. Beyond Cochabamba is the wheat farm of another of my old friends called cojo Arias;[132] and further on is the village of Chiara, whence the road leads by Sachapampa and Pomacocha, to Vilcas. This was the route taken by Almagro's army from Vilcas, after crossing the lofty ridge of Cangallo. Guamanga is now usually written Huamanga.

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    Cojo Arias told me that bones and a spur had been found on his estate; also that Alonso de Alvarado brought some Indians of Chachapoyas with him and that, for services in the battle, they were granted land with freedom from tribute, and that they founded the village of Chiara. The wheat farm of Chupas belonged to Don Basilio Guillen.

    My visit to the battle field of Chupas was on 26 February 1853.