Chapter 51

Buenos Aires is a young city.

In 1580, Juan de Garay defeated the Indians. After establishing the city of Santa Fe in 1573, he founded Buenos Aires near the mouth of the Río de la Plata.

During the first half of the 16th century, the cattle left behind by the failed Spanish colonizers in the Río de la Plata region roamed freely. By the 17th century, the number of these wild cattle had grown to hundreds of thousands. These "moving gold" attracted countless Spaniards from the homeland or Paraguay. Many who discovered the herds became rich overnight, and the production of leather and tallow in Buenos Aires increased significantly. However, these products were of little value to the Spanish government in the homeland, where the king and nobles were only interested in silver and tobacco. The vast Río de la Plata region, whose interests were ignored, still had to be governed by the distant Viceroy of Peru.

Buenos Aires has been established for only about 50 years, with a population of just a few thousand. This important city at the mouth of the Río de la Plata has always been insignificant in the Spanish American colonies. Even before 1617, this young city was administratively under the management of Asunción upstream on the Río de la Plata. However, in early May 1633, this obscure city suddenly became the focus of attention within the Viceroyalty of Peru.

An order from the General Inspector, who had already gone to Mexico, mobilized the entire Viceroyalty of Peru. Muskets, armor, spears, cannons, and gunpowder were continuously transported to Buenos Aires by land or sea. The fleet stationed in Lima, the musketeers in Santiago, and even some of them were dispatched to this place.

The special task force from Lima is currently anchored in the harbor at the mouth of the Río de la Plata. The experienced Spanish naval officer Diego García is the commander of this fleet, and he has the authority to command all land and sea forces in the Río de la Plata region until the arrival of the overall commander, Viscount Fernández.

Captain Torres of the Buenos Aires garrison is currently giving him a report on the recent situation.

"Yes, sir. The 'Galician Flying Fish' should have arrived in Buenos Aires two months ago, but we have not received it. I am not sure if it was hit by a storm or attacked by pirates. Worse still, the 'Brave Enrique' and the 'Toledo Zealot,' carrying the Viceroy's envoy Viscount Fernández and 150 Santiago musketeers, are also overdue by a week. I dare not even imagine what kind of emergency they might have encountered at sea," Captain Torres reported with a gloomy face. The person listening to the report was Diego García from the Peruvian fleet, the captain of the 1,200-ton 'Rock of Cádiz' and the commander of this special task force.

"Viscount Fernández did not set out with the main fleet to Santiago to mobilize the musketeers. He is the highest-ranking officer of this operation. If he cannot reach the front lines, then according to the rules, I will take command here," Diego García said in a deep voice. This man in his forties, short and stocky, had a pair of defiant eyes. He had served in the colonies for many years, fighting the British and the Dutch for half his life. He was from a completely different world than the court-born officials like Viscount Fernández. He always believed that if it weren't for the influence of his uncle, who was a councilor in the Council of the Indies, Viscount Fernández would have no chance of competing for the prestigious position of commander-in-chief. Now, this unfortunate nobleman seemed to have been captured or killed by the Tartars or died at sea, and he could exercise all his powers with peace of mind.

"Captain, please tell me, how many troops can we mobilize in Buenos Aires?" Diego García asked Torres slowly.

"Buenos Aires and its surroundings originally had 600 troops, and 500 of them are now concentrated in the city. It is expected that 750 troops from Asunción and Santa Fe will also arrive in the next two months, with some already stationed outside the city, and the rest are on their way. Additionally, we have recruited over 250 horsemen from the gauchos who herd horses and cattle, and the number of these horsemen is still increasing. They provide their own horses and weapons and only need the promise of some spoils after the battle, which is very cost-effective," Captain Torres, who had been coordinating the army, knew these matters very well and could recite the figures off the top of his head. "The only concern is that the supplies in the arsenal are not sufficient. Due to the absence of the 'Galician Flying Fish,' there is a significant shortage of matchlock muskets, gunpowder, and armor, which cannot support a large army for a long time."

"The 'Galician Flying Fish' will not appear again!" Diego García stood up, hands on the windowsill, looking at the harbor outside. "They might have been attacked by the British, the Dutch, or these damned Tartars or Easterners. In any case, it will not appear in Buenos Aires. Captain, how much do you know about our enemies? I mean, do they have warships? How many?"

Torres thought for a moment and then said, "I apologize, sir, but I have never been to the Tartar ports, and everything I know is hearsay. According to the rumors among merchants and sailors from various countries, the Tartars have a large ship that can rival the largest warships of the kingdom. However, strangely, the midsection of the ship is built with many tall and unreasonable structures, making it impossible to install more cannons. Moreover, this ship has no masts, sails, or oars, so I suspect it is an unfinished ship. Additionally, the Tartars built a new frigate a few months ago, which is not very large and has only average performance. I have not received any more information about the Tartar ships."

"However, there are no ships currently docked in the Tartar naval port. The port has no cover and can be seen clearly from the sea. My sailors have not seen even a small junk docked there," Diego García frowned. "Where have their ships gone? This is a critical and fatal question. A 2,000-ton ship is wandering in unknown waters, ready to attack our supply ships or warships, and we are powerless to do anything about it, let alone find them."

"Perhaps we should search near the Strait of Magellan. They must be wandering in some area there, as only there can they capture passing ships of the kingdom in time," Torres analyzed. "They must also have an overseas supply port. For long-term naval operations, they need ammunition, gunpowder, wood for repairs, food, fresh water, and a place for the crew to rest and recover, all of which require a port or supply point. This port should not be too far from their hunting grounds, so..."

"Therefore, we should thoroughly search the southern Patagonia and the coasts of Tierra del Fuego to find their supply point, though it may not be easy," Diego García sighed. "If the enemy ships were still in the port, it would be better. As long as they dare to set sail, we can sink or capture them with our main warships, and we would no longer have to worry about the sea."

"These cunning Tartars!" Captain Torres also sighed. "The French company, Saint-Christophe, suffered a great loss at their hands last time."

"Captain, continue to gather and assemble the army here," Diego García suddenly ordered. "Starting tomorrow, the Río de la Plata fleet will remain outside the Tartar port to monitor and blockade. I will lead the main force of the special task force south to find the Tartars. Until we find them, our sea routes will always be under threat. Additionally, if Viscount Fernández, by God's grace, returns to Buenos Aires, he will take command of all actions. If... he does not, then you will be responsible for land operations until my return. You can decide whether to cross the sea to attack the Tartar city based on the situation. But remember, do not attempt a direct assault on the Tartar port; the losses would be unbearable."

"I understand, sir," Torres nodded. "It will take some time to gather the troops, and I will handle everything carefully. May God bless your swift and victorious return."

"May God bless!" Both men made the sign of the cross.

On May 3, the special task force of the Viceroyalty of Peru, led by Diego García, left Buenos Aires and sailed south toward the Strait of Magellan. This fleet was considerable, consisting of more than ten ships of various sizes. The flagship was the 1,200-ton 'Rock of Cádiz,' a four-masted galleon with 50 guns. The other main ships included the 850-ton 'Countess Alfonso,' the 700-ton 'Glory,' the 600-ton 'Inquisitor,' the 600-ton 'Conqueror of Araucan,' the 550-ton 'Bison,' and the 500-ton 'Bishop of Lima.' These seven main warships together had over 220 guns of various types, which could make any enemy ship in these waters tremble.

In addition to the seven main warships, there were two supply ships and four small warships temporarily converted from armed sailing ships. The entire special task force consisted of 13 ships of various sizes, led by Diego García, fully loaded with supplies and ammunition, and began their long pursuit along the coast of the Río de la Plata.