La Madrid, still close to the enemy. Tambo Nuevo La Madrid learned that Castro, aware of the route and movements of the Dragoons due to his local informers, had ordered a company to mount an ambush on the outpost of Tambo Nuevo, a mountain pass 25 km north of Yocalla. On the night of the 24th, La Madrid and his men climbed a hill behind the outpost. Three soldiers, acting as scouts, were the first to reach the enemy position. They found a stable of adobe sheltering at least 50 horses, and another building guarded by a sentry. After overpowering the surprised soldier, they broke into the building where they found another ten men sleeping. All of them were initially taken prisoners, but later a royalist sergeant managed to escape and gave the alarm. The rest of the company, suspecting that the republican forces outnumbered them, remained inside another building until dawn. There was a sporadic exchange of fire. At first light, La Madrid fell back to Macha with the ten captives. The three soldiers were promoted to sergeants by Belgrano, with the title of Sargentos de Tambo Nuevo. Aftermath The small action had the unexpected effect of relieving Potosí. Indeed, Castro believed that his squadron was shadowed by a combined force of 200 men and withdrew to Condo, the headquarters of General Pezuela. This movement allowed General Díaz Vélez and his troops to join Belgrano's army in Macha. La Madrid cavalry reached the site of the battle of Vilcapugio, where he buried the corpses of several of his camarades fallen there. He chose this place to fix the severed heads of the prisoners executed by Belgrano in pikes. A banner was put on each pike with the writing por perjuros (for perjurers). See also Battle of Pequereque Battle of Vilcapugio Battle of Ayohuma Tres Sargentos Notes References Mitre, Bartolomé: Historia de Belgrano. Imprenta de Mayo, Buenos Aires, 1859. V. II. Araóz de la Madrid, Gregorio: Obsebvaciones [sic] sobre las Memorias póstumas del brigadier general d. Josè M. Paz, por G. Araoz de Lamadrid y otros gefes contemporaneos. Imprenta de la Revista, Buenos Aires, 1855. García Camba, Andrés: Memorias para la Historia de las armas españolas en el Perú. Sociedad tipográfica de Hortelano y compañia, 1846. V. II. Battles of the Spanish American wars of independence Battles of the Argentine War of Independence Conflicts in 1813 Cavalry raids Battles of