Truxillo, 15th July, 1823.[1]
When I wrote my last letter to Mr. S. I little thought my next letter would be written in this place. Such, however, is the case and I proceed to mention the circumstances that have brought me here. It is probable that what has lately taken place in Lima will reach your ears some days before this comes into your hand. The Spanish army entered that city on the 18th ultimo, the Government, the Congress, and a great number of the inhabitants having left it on the preceding day. You will wonder at this, I dare say, after the favourable account of our affairs in my last letter. It has also been a subject of wonder unto us all, and of consternation to not a few. I mentioned in my last, that the Spaniards had collected a considerable force in Jauja. They had left Arequipa, and collected in Jauja with the intention of coming down upon Lima. They had made this movement when the independent army was sadly crippled, and when there was no efficient force to oppose their taking possession of the capital.
When, however, reinforcements had arrived from Colombia, and an expedition had been sent off to Arequipa, we little thought they would persevere in their intention of attacking Lima. On the contrary, we thought they would immediately retrace their steps with all speed towards Arequipa or Cuzco, to secure to themselves the possession of these valuable provinces. The event, however, has turned out otherwise, and we now understand that they were badly informed as to the real state of their opponents. The Spaniards crossed the Andes, and came down towards Lima in a very rapid and unexpected manner, with a force of seven thousand well disciplined men.
Upon their presenting themselves in the neighbourhood of the city, they were reconnoitred by the Independent Generals, and as soon as the number and discipline of the Spanish army were known, it was judged imprudent to risk a battle with them, as the patriot army is but about five thousand strong, and many of them recruits. The independent army considered it most advisable not only to avoid a general battle, but also to avoid defending Lima, and chose to retire to the forts in Callao. The Government and the Congress, together with a great number of the principal inhabitants, retired at the same time to Callao. A few days after, the President and Congress judged it most suitable to remove from the scene of military operations, and to take up a temporary residence in this city. They accordingly sailed for this place, and arrived about a fortnight ago.
We were going on with our schools in a prosperous way on the 16th (June) when the reports of the rapid approach of the enemy, and the general confusion throughout the city, induced us to suspend our operations on that day for a week, till we should see what would take place. It was on that day quite uncertain whether the city would be defended, (for it is surrounded by a good wall,) or whether the army would retire from the city to Callao. On the following day, however, all doubt on these points was removed, as it was agreed in a council of war to abandon the city, and the army accordingly left it on the same day. At three o'clock I left Lima and went down to Callao, being assured that the enemy would enter the city that night, or at all events on the following day; I slept that night (the 17th) on board of an English vessel, lying in the harbour. It was my intention to return to Lima in four or five days, in which time I supposed the Spaniards would be in quiet possession of the place, and that order would be again restored, so that as an Englishman I might pass to Lima with a passport from the English Commodore on the station. I accordingly remained some days on board the vessel, but there was no possibility of passing from Callao to Lima with any safety during that time. On the 20th the vessel I was in cleared out for the port of Casma, about 200 miles to the north of Lima, and I conceived it most advisable to go along with her, as there was no prospect of re-entering Lima for some time. I therefore supplied myself with some dollars from a friend, as I had left Lima without money, and with scarcely any other clothes than those I had on. In two days we arrived safely in the port of Casma, and on the day after our arrival I went up to the village, which is about 8 miles distant. I was accompanied from Callao by an old friend, a priest, and a prebendary of the cathedral of Lima. We made ourselves acquainted with the Vicar, and were most hospitably lodged in his house. Here we staid a week. During this time the accounts from Lima continued as unfavourable as before, and numbers of people who had fled from it were arriving at Casma, and others coming on towards it. I resolved, therefore, to come on to this city, where I arrived safely after four days travel through roads of burning sand, which were very fatiguing to our horses and to ourselves. The roads all along the coast of Peru are of this description. Here and there, at distances of from twenty to forty miles, there is a river, and in the valley through which it runs, vegetation of every kind shoots out luxuriantly, and nothing is wanting but hands of industry to raise cotton, sugar, coffee, and all the tropical fruits. My friend, the prebendary, remained in Casma, but I was accompanied to this place by two other emigrants from Lima, and on our arrival here we found not less than a thousand people of all conditions under similar circumstances with ourselves. Numbers have since arrived, and reports say that nearly ten thousand have left Lima, some having gone to one place and some to another. Notwithstanding these unfavourable circumstances, we expect all to return to the capital before long; it may, however, be three or four months.
From what has been stated, you may perhaps think that the cause of independence here is losing ground fast, or that it is in a hopeless condition. This, however, is not the case. The Spaniards will, I believe, be under the necessity of leaving Lima in the course of a very few months; and in the mean time they have lost the valuable province of Arequipa, as there are accounts of the safe arrival of the expedition which sailed some time ago for that quarter, and of some advantages they have already gained, and also of the speedy prospect of taking possession of all that place, the Spanish force there being but small. The independent army will probably march on towards Cuzco, where the Viceroy is stationed with a force of about 15,000 men, and the ancient capital of the Incas may very soon become the scene of the contest for liberty—the contest of truth and freedom, with ignorance and oppression; and may the righteous cause prevail.
I have long had a great desire of visiting some of the interior parts of this country, and present circumstances offer a favourable opportunity. I intend, in a day or two, to leave this city for Caxamarca, and from thence I purpose to go to Jaen de Bracamoros. If the accounts I there obtain are favourable, I shall go down the great river Marañon or Amazon, as far as the mouth of the Huallaga or the Ucayali. I may then perhaps ascend some of the rivers which fall into the Marañon from the north, and go on in this way towards Quito. If I should be able to get on so far, I shall then descend from Quito to Guayaquil, and from thence by sea to Callao. I have got leave of absence for four months, and have obtained a letter of recommendation from the President to the governors of those places through which I intend to pass. I trust this journey is undertaken with the same views which induced me to leave my native country. I trust the Lord will protect me from every evil, will surround me with his almighty arm, and will guide and comfort me by his Spirit.
P. S.—21st July, 1823.-—On the day after writing the above, some accounts reached this place that the Spanish army was beginning to retreat from Lima. In consequence of this, I deferred my journey until certain accounts upon this subject should arrive. These accounts have now been fully confirmed. The Spaniards began their retreat on the 8th current, and the last division of their army was to leave Lima on the evening of the 16th, or on the day following.
As Lima is now open, from the retiring of the Spaniards, I have given up for the present my journey to the river Amazon, and to-morrow I set out for Lima overland. The day before yesterday the Congress was dissolved here, and a Senate has been appointed in its stead.
[1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 83-89.