[1] During the first days of December, Field Marshal Eusebio Puello, Governor of Azua, received a report in which the inhabitants of Neiba were supposedly regretful for their insurgency and wanted to once again recognise the authority of Spain.

However, when his troops arrived at the town, they discovered that it was completely abandoned, and as if they were to continue there according to the instructions they had, they needed more rations than they were carrying.

The head of the Spanish troops had a group go to Azua to get rations and there a convoy of pack animals with provisions was organized, which left escorted by 80 peninsulars and 30 Dominicans (according to José de la Gándara there were 50 men from the first provisional battalion) who were to reach Fondo Negro.

[2] On December 4, 1864, on the mountain of La Canela (now Galván) located between the towns of El Rodeo and Cambronal at 3:00 in the afternoon, the Spanish convoy was ambushed by the independence forces made up of 600 men under General José María Cabral.

Being isolated and short of supplies, at night he made a quick march in the opposite direction and was able to get his soldiers out of the very compromised situation in which they found themselves.