The battle was between the corvette Los Andes[Note 1] and the frigate Prueba, the first a Chilean privateer[3] and the second a ship of the Spanish Navy.

There are differences between Chilean and Spanish historiography on the exact date, the starting place, the development and the result of the naval action.

[5][6] From October of that year until March 1820, he harassed the Pacific coast of New Granada to support General Simón Bolívar to gain control of the territory.

For those moments, the Chilean Navy had the preponderance of the sea, which complicated the realistic defense that was prepared in the viceroyalty due to the imminent invasion of the organized military force in Chile.

[8] In the midst of these circumstances, on April 22, 1820, a convoy commanded by Commodore Antonio Vacaro sailed from Callao to Guayaquil, bringing a battalion to reinforce the place.

(Chilean Historiography):[13] on May 12, Los Andes was sailing at the height of Esmeraldas River, when it suddenly saw the Prueba to the northwest.

Nevertheless, the Spanish ship, taking advantage of the speed and the greater scope of the artillery that it owned, dodged the closed fight during two hours to stay out of reach.

Faced with this dangerous situation for the corvette, decided to retire to the coast of New Granada dominated by revolutionaries, aware that the frigate would pursue him.

(Spanish historiography):[14] at noon[9] on May 14, at the height of Cape Manglares, the Prueba spotted the Chilean corvette towards the windward.

Spanish historiography indicates that at dawn on May 16, Vacaro recognized the anchorages of Gorgona with the Prueba, and not finding the Los Andes, went to the Popayán, where he discovered the adversary entering the mouth of the Iscuandé river.

[17] Later, when the Chilean ship left the Iscuandé to return to Chile, it ran aground at the entrance to the river and could not be refloated.