José de San Martín Chile. The battle began on 12 February. San Martín organized a pincer movement, with Soler leading the west column and O'Higgins the east one. O'Higgins, eager to avenge the defeat at Rancagua, rushed to the attack, instead of coordinating with Soler. This gave the royalists a brief advantage. San Martín instructed Soler to rush the attack as well. The combined attack was successful and San Martín's column secured the final victory. The battle ended with 600 royalists dead and 500 prisoners, with only 12 deaths and 120 injuries in the Army of the Andes. The army triumphantly entered Santiago de
Bernardo de Brito Bernardo de Brito Friar Bernardo de Brito (20 August 1569 – 27 February 1617) was a Portuguese monk and historian. He is perhaps best known for having authored the first two volumes of "Monarchia Lusytana", his "magnum opus". Friar Bernardo de Brito was born Baltasar de Brito e Andrade, in the fortified village of Almeida in 1569. His father, Pedro Cardoso de Andrade, was a distinguished army captain who fought in Italy and Flanders who was killed in action during the Siege of Antwerp; his mother was Maria de Brito e Andrade, the sister of Rui de Andrade Freire, "alcaide"