José de San Martín Manuel Rodríguez had returned to Chile before the crossing, and began a guerrilla war in Santiago de Chile against the royalists, in support of the upcoming army. He was supported in the south of the city and the countryside. The strategy was to occupy nearby villages, seize the royalists' weapons and flee. The attacks on Melipilla and San Fernando, and a failed one at Curicó, demoralized the royalists. The columns that crossed the Andes began to take military actions. The column in the north led by Cabot defeated the royalists in Salala, seized Coquimbo and then Copiapó. In the south,
Battle of Quechereguas Higgins secretly made the crossing, marched rapidly to the north and placed himself at the site of Quechereguas, in between the Royalist force and the road to Santiago. Gabino Gaínza responded by attacking the next day; O' Higgins' men firmly repulsed the attack, forcing the Royalists to fall back on Talca once more. Battle of Quechereguas The battle of Quechereguas occurred on 8 April 1814, during the War of Chilean Independence. The Royalists had taken the key Patriot town of Talca in March, 1814, and an army, under the command of Gabino Gaínza, now threatened to advance on the Patriot