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322 A HISTORY OF CHILE but, as we have alreadj' noted, skirmishes were still kept up in the interior, and both Peru and Bolivia held out nearly three years, for better terms than Chile was willing to grant. During the last year, 1883, there were several sharp engagements between the Chi- leans and a force which General Caceres had long been able to maintain in the interior. In May, there were several skirmishes, in two of which Caceres was de- feated, (Balconcillo and Pampas de Sicaya), General Canto commanding the Chileans. On May the 22d, the Peruvian leader was again defeated at Garma by General Garcia. The indefatigable Caceres again rallied a force and met the Chileans on July loth, at Huamachuco. Col- onel Alejandro Gorostiaga commanded about one thous- and six hundred Chilean troops, and with them de- feated Caceres at the head of over four thousand. The Peruvians lost nine hundred killed and as many more wounded ; the Chileans lost fifty-six killed, one hundred and four wounded, also four officers. The Peruvian general, Silva, was killed ; eleven pieces of artillery and eight hundred stands of rifles were captured. The battle lasted from 6 a. m. to 2 p. m. When Lynch, the Chilean military governor, re- ceived news of the battle, he invited President Iglesias to come to Lima and take charge of the government there, which had been opposed by Caceres. At the same time he published a decree calling on all officers formerly serving under Caceres to come in and give themselves up, or be treated as spies. The Indians of the interior, incited by men more unscrupulous than patriotic, still maintained an obsti- nate resistance. On August 15th, the Chilean com- mander chastised three thousand of them for pillaging, killing and wounding eight hundred of their number.