But this is to anticipate.  While all this was occurring, the struggle in Peru had continued to show the fickleness of the fortunes of war.  Rondeau had been appointed General-in-Chief of the Army of Peru; he, however, had proved himself a General of slow movements, and suffered several defeats.  He also fell out with Guemes, and a battle ensued between the two sections of the Argentine forces.  In this Rondeau once again suffered defeat at the hands of the Gauchos.  A belated peace was now made up between the leaders, and Guemes was suffered to continue his brilliant campaign unchecked.

In 1816 Puyrredon was elected dictator of Argentina, which now took its place as an independent State.  The new Republic had now time to look beyond its own frontiers.  Its eyes turned first of all to the west, where the Chileans were still struggling against the garrisons of Spain.  Events had not favoured the patriots on the western side of the Andes, and a number of the most prominent men had fled eastwards to Argentina, O’Higgins and many others establishing themselves at the town of Mendoza for the time being.  There, unfortunately, a certain amount of jealousy had broken out between the Chilean leaders, for the existence of much of which there is no doubt that the Carrera family was largely responsible.

The three brothers Carrera were very notable personalities in the war of independence in Chile.  In 1811 Don Juan Jose Carrera, who had attained to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel of Hussars in Europe, returned to his native country to take part in its defence.  He appointed himself Colonel of the National Guards, made his eldest brother, Jose Miguel, a Colonel of the Grenadiers, and his younger brother, Don Luis, Colonel and Commander of the Artillery.  In 1812 Bernardo O’Higgins joined Carrera, who at first made him Lieutenant-Colonel of the Line, and afterwards promoted him to the rank of Brigadier-General.  In 1813 the three Carreras, with a number of other officers, were captured by the Spaniards, and O’Higgins assumed command of the army.  When the three Carreras recovered their liberty a dispute occurred concerning the chief command, and the forces of the opposing parties actually came to blows on the Plain of Maipu, where an action was fought, and where O’Higgins was made prisoner.  After this a reconciliation was brought about.

There is no shadow of doubt that a number of these patriot leaders may be ranked among the host of great men, sometimes on account of their qualities as leaders, sometimes for their statesmanship, but in almost every instance for their genuine patriotism.  Nevertheless, there have been very few historical characters or temperaments which have been more difficult to estimate from contemporary accounts of their actions and motives.  Jealousy entered very freely into the patriot ranks, and the various chroniclers, however honestly they may have written, and however deep their convictions may have been, were inevitably swayed to a very great extent by this.