 Mejía faced Sámano in the Battle of Cuchilla del Tambo which culminated with the defeat of the patriots on June 29.Mejía escaped to La Plata where he ceded his presidential powers to Custodio García Rovira, thus assuming the vice presidency as first intended.The Spanish army, this time at the command of Carlos Toirá, caught up to colonel Mejía in La Plata.