▁Fernando ▁de ▁Ab as cal , ▁Vic ero y ▁of ▁Peru , ▁whose ▁authority ▁included ▁the ▁provinces ▁of ▁Chile , ▁P are ja ▁organized ▁an ▁expedition ▁against ▁Ch ilo é ▁and ▁Val div ia ▁which ▁had ▁declared ▁their ▁independence . ▁In ▁late ▁February ▁ 1 8 1 3 , ▁P are ja ▁gathered ▁ 2 , 4 0 0 ▁men ▁and ▁took ▁the ▁little ▁port ▁of ▁San ▁Vic ente , ▁adjacent ▁to ▁Tal c ahu ano . ▁He ▁then ▁immediately ▁march ed ▁upon ▁Con cep ción , ▁which ▁he ▁took ▁possession ▁of ▁with ▁the ▁aid ▁of ▁the ▁native ▁milit ia . ▁He ▁augment ed ▁his ▁forces ▁to ▁about ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁and ▁at ▁once ▁march ed ▁upon ▁Ch ill án ▁which ▁surrender ed ▁without ▁a ▁fight ▁and ▁sw elled ▁his ▁army ▁with ▁another ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁soldiers . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁meant ime , ▁Brig ad ier ▁José ▁Miguel ▁Car rera , ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Independent ist ▁government , ▁had ▁organized ▁the ▁resistance ▁in ▁Santiago . ▁Both ▁arm ies ▁met ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Y er bas ▁Buen as ▁( A pril ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 8 1 3 ). ▁The ▁Independent ists , ▁who ▁had ▁attempted ▁a ▁night ▁surprise , ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁retre at . ▁P are ja , ▁sick ▁with ▁p neum onia , ▁then ▁decided ▁to ▁retre at ▁himself ▁back ▁to ▁Ch ill án . ▁He ▁was ▁already ▁so ▁sick ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁carried ▁on ▁a ▁st ret