It was the worst military crisis in Chile in decades, and contemporaries even considered the possibility of a civil war among the Spanish.

Governor of Valdivia Diego González Montero advanced south with his forces but soon encountered natives who were indifferent and even misled him.

[14] Salazar himself is said to have profited greatly from Mapuche slave trade and being brother-in-law of governor Antonio de Acuña Cabrera allowed him to exert influence in favour of his military campaigns.

[14] Governor Acuña Cabrera was told by his wife Juana de Salazar this was all about rumours spread by some soldiers envious of her brother.

[16] As in the year before the expedition was not aimed at the Mapuche next to the frontier but towards the so-called Cuncos who lived in Fütawillimapu south of Bueno River.

[15] On the morning of February 14, Mapuches all over southern Chile —from Osorno to Maule River— launched attacks against Spanish estancias, forts and individuals.

[18] The audiencia in Santiago criticized the evacuation as an act of cowardice and prohibited Chillán's refugees to flee north beyond Maule River.

[21] José de Salazar, brother of Juan, was in charge of the garrison of Nacimiento decided to evacuate the fortress in order to avoid a lengthy siege.

[16] The Spanish rafts and boats were followed by about 4,000 hostile Mapuches on both sides of the river and ran aground near Santa Juana.

[16] Juan de Salazar, whose forces made up the bulk of the Army of Arauco, learned about this when arriving near Mariquina,[A] far south from the main events of the uprising.

[23] This was possible as there were two ships in the harbour that had arrived with payments of Real Situado to the garrison that was constructing the Valdivian Fort System there.

[25] In February 1656 Porter sent an army of 700 foot soldiers and some cavalry to Boroa where a Spanish garrison had been besieged for ten months.

[25] At the head of about 1000 warriors Alejo wiped out a Spanish column of 200 men aimed to reinforce the fort of Conuco.

[28] Alejo's military successes were limited by his tendency to make rowdy celebrations after each victory, wasting valuable time.

[29] The Pehuenches, a peripheral indigenous group, crossed the Andes at the headwaters of Maule River taking prisoners and stealing livestock.

[30] Other leading Spanish figures who were the subject of discontent went also into hiding, a brother of Salazar who was a priest and the physician and oidor[18] Juan de la Huerta Gutiérrez.

[30] De la Fuente Villalobos ended up being elected, but days later the Audiencia in Santiago rejected the removal of Acuña y Cabrera as unlawful.

[18] Meanwhile, De la Fuente Villalobos' appeasement policy towards the Mapuche rebels and his intent to negotiate was meeting severe opposition from other military commanders.

[34] Porter was accompanied by Álvaro de Ibarra who was appointed to inquire into events as the trier of facts, with a mission to establish responsibilities for the political turmoil.