Chapter 67

In the midst of the scattered gauchos decisively retreating, nearly a hundred Peruvian cavalrymen were left to the advancing Cossacks. Their actions had a disastrous effect, and the Spanish infantry, who were already struggling under the continuous bombardment of the second artillery company, immediately followed suit. When had these pampered colonial troops ever experienced such intense combat? To hold out until a quarter of their men were casualties was already a testament to their pay.

The balance of the battle had undoubtedly tipped entirely in favor of the time-travelers. The Peruvian cavalry, lacking the will to fight, saw more than thirty men fall from their horses in the first exchange of gunfire. After a brief skirmish with the cavalry company, they turned and fled. Seeing this, Liao Meng, in a state of elation, immediately ordered the mounted infantry to remount and pursue the enemy, determined to leave as many Spaniards as possible on the battlefield.

With the outcome of the battle already decided, everyone was eager to join the pursuit. Zhu Liang's pikemen, who had suffered over twenty casualties from the Spanish artillery, had their morale greatly boosted when they saw the enemy fleeing. Without any urging from their officers, they shouldered their pikes and charged forward.

The battlefield was littered with Spanish corpses, abandoned cannons and muskets, and riderless horses. Wei Aiwen led the mostly intact mounted infantry in pursuit of the Spanish. The gauchos were the fastest to flee and had already disappeared; the remaining fifty to sixty Peruvian cavalry, pursued by an equal number of Cossacks, dared not look back. The two hundred or so Spanish infantrymen were in a particularly dire situation, discarding their cumbersome pikes and heavy matchlock muskets to flee towards Rocha. As they ran, many even stripped off their breastplates and discarded their light swords, fleeing in their shirts.

Unfortunately, two legs could never outpace four. The mounted infantry circled around to the front of the fleeing Spaniards, dismounted, and fired a volley, after which most of the Spaniards surrendered. A few stubborn ones were shot down on the spot.

Clearing the battlefield took a long time, as the scattered weapons and horses were not easy to collect. By three in the afternoon, the Cossacks pursuing the Peruvian cavalry returned, covered in blood, having killed another twenty Peruvian cavalrymen. The cavalry company, which had 107 men before the battle, was now down to 55, with almost everyone injured, a truly brutal outcome. Xu Yu, who had thought he would surely die in the charge, miraculously emerged unscathed, but seeing that nearly half of his men were casualties, his mood remained grim.

The two companies of flintlock musketeers had 12 killed and 7 wounded; the pikemen had 18 killed and 10 wounded, totaling 99 casualties, the heaviest since the start of the war against the Spaniards. In this battle, they had killed about 240 Spanish cavalry and 80 infantry, captured 209 Spanish infantry, and seized two 4-pound and two 8-pound bronze cannons, over 150 matchlock muskets, over 200 breastplates, and numerous pikes and light swords.

This battle thoroughly shattered the last vestige of the Spaniards' aura, and the morale of the time-travelers' forces soared. The Spanish cavalry, which had initially held an advantage, suffered a devastating blow, with Captain Torres of Peru returning with only 40 out of 200 regular cavalry. The gauchos, though they managed to escape with nearly a hundred, had lost the trust of the Spaniards due to their cowardly behavior.

On the night of July 17th, news of the devastating defeat on the south bank of the Big Fish River reached the Spanish camp on the north bank. Not only did the commander, Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Carlos, learn of it, but many soldiers also saw Captain Torres returning with forty bloodied cavalrymen. The Spanish soldiers, already discontent due to lack of food and clothing, began spreading rumors, and a sense of unease spread over the camp.

"So, you were defeated like this?" Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Carlos looked at the bloodied Captain Torres with a livid face, angrily demanding an explanation.

"The Tartar artillery was extremely fierce, with a long range and rapid fire. The infantry quickly broke under the bombardment of their eight cannons," Captain Torres explained, his face ashen, having just suffered the worst defeat of his life. The once upright, elegant, and principled Torres now seemed ten years older, his shoulders hunched and his legs trembling, clearly devastated by the battle.

"What about the cavalry? You took 385 cavalrymen into battle and only 145 returned. How did you fight this battle? You fool!" Carlos was still furious.

"The Tartar cavalry were highly skilled and fought bravely. Each man was equipped with a pistol, giving them a significant advantage in battle. They fought in coordination with their flintlock musketeers, and my men fought valiantly but suffered heavy casualties. Moreover, ... Sir, those cowardly, despicable gauchos fled at the most critical moment, undermining the fighting spirit of the royal army and leading to the subsequent collapse. Sir, they must be brought before a military tribunal!" Torres was seething with hatred for the gauchos' desertion.

"Captain Juan Cruz Torres, your frivolous words are a grave slander against the brave gauchos. I demand a duel with you!" A tall officer in the tent stood up, his face red with anger. He was the leader of the gaucho volunteer army, a middle-aged herder with considerable influence among the gauchos.

"Captain Torres, this is a serious accusation. Are you certain of what you are saying? Or are these lies you fabricated to avoid responsibility for the defeat?" Another middle-aged officer in the tent raised a doubt. He was a naval lieutenant, the liaison officer sent by Admiral Diego Garcia to the army.

"The 40 royal cavalrymen who returned with me can testify!" Torres looked at the gaucho standing opposite him with disdain. "This is why the gauchos suffered so few casualties. They are cowards who shirked their duty and betrayed their comrades still fighting on the battlefield. There is nothing more despicable than this. God is my witness, I am not lying! I implore the army to investigate this heinous incident!"

"Enough!" Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Carlos interrupted Torres. "I will request Admiral Garcia to investigate this matter. As for you, Captain Torres, I will also investigate whether there were any command errors on your part." Carlos now had about 150 gaucho cavalrymen left, including those who had stayed behind. Whether they had deserted or not, now was not the time to hold them accountable. Instead, Carlos needed to stabilize them, as they were essential for any further fighting or retreat.

"Gentlemen, this war has reached a very delicate moment, and the situation seems very unfavorable for us. After this disheartening battle, we have lost the initiative, and our supply lines are completely cut off." Carlos took a deep breath and continued, "In fact, our supply lines have never been fully secure. In this wretched weather, we have already lost over 200 men to cold and disease. The remaining soldiers are not in good condition, and their morale is extremely low. At this point, we must stop deceiving ourselves. The Tartars are a formidable force, and I am pessimistic about restoring our supply lines. Gentlemen, it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to continue this war."

Everyone was silent. In just ten days, the nearly 1700 proud royal troops who had crossed the river were now in such a dire situation. Underestimating the Tartars' combat capabilities was the biggest problem! They were familiar with the terrain and weather, had a strong fortress, ample supplies, strong fighting spirit, excellent artillery, advanced rifles, and innovative cavalry tactics. Each of these advantages influenced the outcome of every battle and, in turn, the overall course of the war.

"Leo, tomorrow you will carry my personal letter to Rocha and provide a detailed account of our predicament to Admiral Garcia, requesting his permission for our retreat. I must be responsible for the men still holding out on the north bank of the river. I have a duty to bring them safely to La Plata and Paraguay. This war... we can no longer continue it," Carlos said with a somber expression.

"Yes, sir," Leo, the adjutant standing behind Carlos, bowed slightly. The young adjutant Leo was also reflective. Who would have thought, just a few months ago at the start of the war, that it would end in such an awkward situation? The inspector general in Peru had issued the hasty order to start the war, perhaps thinking that the Tartars were no match for the royal army.

Thinking of this, Leo couldn't help but secretly criticize the inspector general, Romero.