That expedition made up of peninsulars and Dominicans had among its objectives to cross the central mountain range, destroy the revolution along with its campaign started in the Cibao and assist the forces in the city of Santiago.

Currently the battle is commemorated by the Permanent Commission of Patriotic Anniversaries and the Ministry of Defense of the Dominican Republic, the mayor's office and the government of Monte Plata following the narrative of the apocryphal story.

[1][2] Captain General Felipe Rivero y Lemoine, when he received the initial news of the insurrection that had broken out in the towns on the Dominican-Haitian border and its expansion to Santiago, knew of the importance of coming with forces to annihilate the focus of revolution.

Captain General Felipe Rivero, finding himself without troops, waiting for aid from the Antilles and with little and uncertain news regarding the events in Santiago, also unaware that most of the troops that had arrived from Cuba had gone towards Santiago from the city of Puerto Plata, felt the need to act effectively and quickly in his almost desperate state, and would consult with General Pedro Santana, Marquis de las Carreras, the most knowledgeable and prestigious man on the island.

On the morning of the September 15, 1863, Santana left the capital in front of the column and was received by the troops in Pajaritos amidst the greatest enthusiasm, and the march began at approximately two in the afternoon.

The Spanish troops began their march on the morning of the 16th and at ten o' clock they reached the banks of the Yabacao River, where passage would be difficult due to its width, depth, and the strong current produced by the rain.

The column left in the same direction two hours later, entering the town at dusk to the sound of music and with flags unfurled, and forming up in the main square, the secretary of Santana, the reserve colonel José María Pérez, read a proclamation calling all the inhabitants to arms so that together with the Spanish troops they would fight the rebellion.

One of the companions of Santana, Pedro Valverde, who was being held as a political prisoner, was widely considered by public opinion to be the instigator of the revolution and, taking advantage of the discontent that was beginning to arise in the ranks of the reserves, he would encourage many residents from San Cristóbal to desert, which began to happen with unexpected speed.

At ten in the morning, as soon as the Spanish column appeared over the Bermejo River gorge and were seen by the Dominican independentist troops of Colonel Dionisio Troncoso from that formidable position, they were received with a strong volley of rifle fire, proving the imposing forces of the liberating army.