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THE RE VOL UTIONAR Y PERIOD 1 9 1 distant, before Colonel Miller, who commanded, could land with his force. However the colonel followed, cap- tured the town, and then went on to Moquegua, where he routed a body of Spanish troops at Mirab^. This course of operations was pursued by Lord Cochrane until news reached him of an armistice, which had been declared between San Martin and the viceroy, La Serna, on May 24th; he then sailed for Callao, leaving Colonel Miller in command of the places which had been captured. The armistice, which continued two months, had been sought by the viceroy, and for the reason that the capital was reduced to extremities by a scarcity of pro- visions. No agreement was reached, as San Martin would consent to nothing short of complete indepen- dence, and it soon became apparent that the Spaniards were about to abandon the capital to the patriots and retire to the interior. On the 6th of July, 1821, the royalist authorities did quit the city and retired by way of Xauxa to Cuzco ; on the 12th, San Martin entered, his troops having taken possession the night before. On the 28th of July, 1821, the independence of Peru was proclaimed by San Martin, and "Viva La Patria!" "Viva La Libertad!" and "Viva San Martin!" were shouted by the people assembled in the great square to listen to San Martin, who spoke to them from an ele- vated stage. The same people were now shouting "Viva San Martin" who a day or two before had rushed out in a mad rout and fright, fearing that the general, if not "El Diablo," as they styled Lord Cochrane, was at least an invader who would sack the city. On the 3rd of August, San Martin assumed the reins of government, gave himself the title of "Protector of Peru" and issued a proclamation, declaring the supreme political and military authority vested provisionally in himself, while a new government was formed with Juan