Colonel Las Heras, in his official report of the battle of La Guardia Vieja, made favorable mention of the priest, for capturing two officers, which, according to military rule, gives a claim to promotion; and consequently, the priest who had made his first experiment in fighting at Guardia Vieja, appeared at the battle of Chacabuco in the uniform of a lieutenant of grenadiers, and won a soldier's laurels. Though he could never rid himself of his priestly title, he soon proved in his new career that he did not wear the sword in vain, and became renowned as a formidable warrior and an implacable enemy; known to the army and the public generally, as "El fraile," or the monk.
I will mention one of the many remarkable deeds performed by him at that time. In the pursuit after the battle of Maipu, a Spanish grenadier of gigantic stature was cutting his way through the surrounding enemies, and with each blow of his mighty sword stretching a lifeless body on the ground; the brave Lavalle attempted to approach him, but felt his eager valor cool whenever the confusion of the struggle brought them together. Aldao, seeing this, made his way up to the giant, and, instead of falling with the many other victims, beat aside the terrible sword and passed his own again and again through the body of the huge Spaniard, amidst the loud acclamations of his party.
But whatever honorable deeds in arms the recreant priest may have accomplished, his conduct would at any other time, or in any other circumstances, have covered him with opprobrium. Freed from the restraint hitherto imposed upon his inclinations by the
