 Brigadier La Torre left Angostura for the missions in order to reconquer the area and its resources.It had about 1,600 infantry, 200 cavalry and 2 guns with him, and traveled to the missions through the castles of old Guayana.On April 11 the Spaniards met Piar, who led a force of 500 riflemen, 800 lancers, 500 Indian archers and 400 horsemen.