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Battle of Andalien
The battle of Andalien in early February, 1550 was a night action between 20,000 Mapuche under the command of their toqui Ainavillo and Pedro de Valdivia's 200 Spaniards on horse and afoot with a large number of Yanacona inclucing 300 Mapochoes auxillaries under their leader Michimalonco.
After Pedro de Valdivia reached the Bio-Bio River on January 24 1550, he began explorations in the river valleys and had clashes with increasing numbers of Mapuche warriors. After about ten days he turned toward the sea marching to a plain between the Bio-Bio and Andalien River with a lake protecting his camp one one side. Here he stayed for two days and nights. On the second night the toqui Ainavillo and 20,000 warriors in three divisions, came out of the local wooded hills and advanced on the Spanish camp hoping the night would at least protect them from the Spanish horsemen and possibly make the horses timid. They also hoped to catch the Spanish unware. However, each night Valdivia had had half his soldiers standing watch at all times during the night and all asleep were ready to wake and face any sudden onslaught. The lake forced the Mapuche to approach the camp on one side so they were pressed close together forming a dense column.
The night attack was defeated after a desperate three hour battle. Charging with his 100 cavalry Valdivia was not able to break into the dense Mapuche formation, and his horses were being injured. Valdivia eventually ordered his men to dismout and fight on foot with his other soldiers and the Mapocho auxiliaries. The armoured Spainards with swords and sheilds, their gunfire and weapons of the Mapochoes eventually killed enough of the Mapuche to drive them back tired and in disorder and the Spaniards countercharged and broke them sending their auxillaries to pursue them to the edge of the woodlands. The Spaniards suffered one killed by a stray arquebus shot but many had wounds as did many of their mounts. After a day treating their wounds they continued onward towards their rendezvous at Penco on the Bay of Concepcion with the ships of Juan Bautista Pastene.
Sources
Pedro de Valdivia commanded in this campaign and battle. Geronimo de Vivar wrote as a participant in this campaign and battle. Alonso de Gongora Marmolejo and Pedro Marino de Lobera arrived soon afterward and wrote from others accounts.
Pedro de Valdivia, Cartas de Pedro de Valdivia (Letters of Pedro Valdivia), University of Chile: Diarios, Memorias y Relatos Testimoniales: (on line in Spanish) Carta, Al emperador Carlos V, Concepcion, 15 de octubre de 1550
Geronimo de Vivar, Cronica y relacion copiosa y verdadera de los reinos de Chile (Chronicle and abundant and true relation of the kingdoms of Chile)ARTEHISTORIA REVISTA DIGITAL; Cronicas de America (on line in Spanish) Capitulo XCIV and XCV
de Gongora Marmolejo, Alonso, Historia de Todas las Cosas que han Acaecido en el Reino de Chile y de los que lo han gobernado (1536-1575) (History of All the Things that Have happened in the Kingdom of Chile and of they that have governed it (1536-1575)), University of Chile: Document Collections in complete texts: Cronicles (on line in Spanish) Capitulo X
Marino de Lobera, Pedro, Cronica del Reino de Chile , escrita por el capitan Pedro Marino de Lobera....reducido a nuevo metodo y estilo por el Padre Bartolome de Escobar. Edicion digital a partir de Cronicas del Reino de Chile Madrid, Atlas, 1960, pp. 227-562, . Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes (on line in Spanish) Capitulo XXXI
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Battle of Andalien
