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THE RE VOL UTIONAR V PERIOD 1 5 1 obliged to surrender to the patriots, as well as Los Angeles and other royalist towns in the south. Their commanders escaped to Peril. In several skirmishes which followed the first successes, O'Higgins and Mac- kenna were usually successful. The royalist troops remained in Chilian, completely isolated, within the fortifications they had constructed. With provisions stored for three months they awaited reinforcements from Peru; hoping, too, in the mean- time, that they would be reinforced from the south, as the Franciscans were friendly to their cause and those zealous churchmen were good recruiting officers among the Araucanians. Carrera returned with his army to the attack and for three days besieged the city, but he was in want of provisions and ammunition, and of means for protecting his troops from the rain and the excessive heat. The men died from exposure and deserted, and Carrera was compelled to raise the siege and retire toward Concepcion, August loth. At a place called Roble, on the banks of the Itata riv- er, Juan Francisco Sanchez surprised Carrera, whose army at this time was greatly diminished. O'Hig- gins, however, succeeded in rallying the troops and in turning what was nearly a rout into a victory, Octo- ber 17th. The junta had long been seeking an opportunity to free the capital of the influence and tyranny of Don Jos6 Miguel Carrera; for it was not forgotten that he was an usurper, though he had promoted reforms, opened schools in all the convents, recruited and dis- ciplined troops and done much good service for the patriot cause. Advantage was now taken of his absence to make the desired changes. Juan Carrera, who was in charge, was sent to the army ; the junta was reorgan- ized and Carrera' s place filled, the members being now