Battle of Caseros
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Caseros was fought near the town of Caseros
, more precisely between the present-day train stations of Caseros and Palomar
(the actual battlefield is now occupied by the Colegio Militar de la Nación (National Military College
), a military academy) in Buenos Aires Province
, Argentina
, on 3 February 1852, between the Army of Buenos Aires commanded by Juan Manuel de Rosas
and the Grand Army (Ejército Grande) led by Justo José de Urquiza
. The forces of Urquiza, caudillo
and governor of Entre Ríos
, defeated Rosas, who fled to the United Kingdom
. This defeat marked a sharp division in the history of Argentina
. As provisional Director of the Argentine Confederation
, Urquiza sponsored the creation of the Constitution
in 1853, and became the first constitutional President of Argentina
in 1854.
Rosas had declared war on Brazil
in 1851, which led to the signing of a treaty, on 21 November 1851, among the governments of Entre Ríos, Corrientes
, Uruguay
and the Brazilian Empire. In compliance with the treaty, Urquiza led a joint army and crossed Morón
creek, positioning his forces in Monte Caseros. The Brazilian Empire contributed with 3,500 troops but the bulk of the Brazilian Army remained out of the battlefield.
from the French
in 1838; Martiniano Chilavert, a former opponent of Rosas who defected when his fellows allied themselves with foreigners; Hilario Lagos, veteran from the campaign against the Indians of 1833. Due to desertion, especially that of General Ángel Pacheco
and poor morale, several historians and military analysts reckon that for Rosas the battle was lost even before it started. However, his opponent also suffered from desertions like that of the Regimiento Aquino, a regiment composed by soldiers loyal to Rosas, who murdered their captain Pedro León Aquino and joined the Rosist army.
Urquiza's army was 24,000-men strong, among them 3,500 Brazilians and 1,500 Uruguayans, and 50 guns. Only the Brazilians were professional soldiers. Urquiza did not conduct the battle: each chief was free to fight as they saw fit. Urquiza himself led a charge against the enemy left in front of their cavalrymen from Entre Ríos
. Meanwhile the Brazilian infantry, supported by a Uruguayan brigade and an Argentine cavalry squadron seized the Palomar, a circular building near the right of the Rosist line and used for pigeon breeding, extant to this day. After both flanks collapsed only the center under Chilavert's command continued the fighting, reduced to an artillery duel that lasted until he ran out of ammunition. The whole battle lasted about three hours, after which Rosas was wounded in a hand and fled; he wrote a resignation, and a few hours later he boarded the British frigate Centaur towards exile in Southampton
.
Within a few days, Urquiza's troops entered the city of Buenos Aires without further resistance. However, he revealed himself as a ruthless conqueror: all surviving soldiers from Regimiento Aquino and Chilavert himself were executed without a trial. The President of the Superior Tribunal, Vicente López y Planes
, was appointed interim
governor.
Caseros, Buenos Aires
Caseros is a city in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Tres de Febrero Partido which forms part of the Greater Buenos Aires urban conurbation....
, more precisely between the present-day train stations of Caseros and Palomar
Ciudad Jardín Lomas del Palomar
Ciudad Jardín Lomas del Palomar is a planned community, part of the partido Tres de Febrero in Greater Buenos Aires and located adjacent to the city of El Palomar...
(the actual battlefield is now occupied by the Colegio Militar de la Nación (National Military College
National Military College
The National Military College is the institution in charge of the undergraduate education of officers of the Argentine Army. It is located at El Palomar, Buenos Aires....
), a military academy) in Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, on 3 February 1852, between the Army of Buenos Aires commanded by Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
and the Grand Army (Ejército Grande) led by Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza y García was an Argentine general and politician. He was president of the Argentine Confederation from 1854 to 1860.He was governor of Entre Ríos during the government of Juan Manuel de Rosas, governor of Buenos Aires with powers delegated from the other provinces...
. The forces of Urquiza, caudillo
Caudillo
Caudillo is a Spanish word for "leader" and usually describes a political-military leader at the head of an authoritarian power. The term translates into English as leader or chief, or more pejoratively as warlord, dictator or strongman. Caudillo was the term used to refer to the charismatic...
and governor of Entre Ríos
Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos is a northeastern province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires , Corrientes and Santa Fe , and Uruguay in the east....
, defeated Rosas, who fled to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. This defeat marked a sharp division in the history of Argentina
History of Argentina
The history of Argentina is divided by historians into four main parts: the pre-Columbian time, or early history , the colonial period , the independence wars and the early post-colonial period of the nation and the history of modern Argentina .The beginning of prehistory in the present territory of...
. As provisional Director of the Argentine Confederation
Argentine Confederation
The Argentine Confederation is one of the official names of Argentina, according to the Argentine Constitution, Article 35...
, Urquiza sponsored the creation of the Constitution
Constitution of Argentina
The constitution of Argentina is one of the primary sources of existing law in Argentina. Its first version was written in 1853 by a Constitutional Assembly gathered in Santa Fe, and the doctrinal basis was taken in part from the United States Constitution...
in 1853, and became the first constitutional President of Argentina
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
in 1854.
Rosas had declared war on Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 1851, which led to the signing of a treaty, on 21 November 1851, among the governments of Entre Ríos, Corrientes
Corrientes Province
Corrientes is a province in northeast Argentina, in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by : Paraguay, the province of Misiones, Brazil, Uruguay, and the provinces of Entre Rios, Santa Fe and Chaco.-History:...
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
and the Brazilian Empire. In compliance with the treaty, Urquiza led a joint army and crossed Morón
Morón, Buenos Aires
Morón is a city in the Argentine province of Buenos Aires, capital of the Morón Partido, located in the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area, at...
creek, positioning his forces in Monte Caseros. The Brazilian Empire contributed with 3,500 troops but the bulk of the Brazilian Army remained out of the battlefield.
The battle
Rosas' forces comprised 10,000 infantry troops, 12,000 cavalrymen and 60 guns. Among his captains were Jerónimo Costa, who defended Martín García islandIsla Martín García
Isla Martín García is an Argentine island off the Río de la Plata coast of Uruguay. The enclave island is within the boundaries of Uruguayan waters; in 1973 both countries reached an agreement establishing Martín García as an Argentine territory and also as a nature reserve.The island of has a...
from the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1838; Martiniano Chilavert, a former opponent of Rosas who defected when his fellows allied themselves with foreigners; Hilario Lagos, veteran from the campaign against the Indians of 1833. Due to desertion, especially that of General Ángel Pacheco
Ángel Pacheco
Ángel Pacheco , was an Argentine military officer trained by José de San Martín who later became one of the top commanders in the Confederacy during the dictatorship of Juan Manuel de Rosas...
and poor morale, several historians and military analysts reckon that for Rosas the battle was lost even before it started. However, his opponent also suffered from desertions like that of the Regimiento Aquino, a regiment composed by soldiers loyal to Rosas, who murdered their captain Pedro León Aquino and joined the Rosist army.
Urquiza's army was 24,000-men strong, among them 3,500 Brazilians and 1,500 Uruguayans, and 50 guns. Only the Brazilians were professional soldiers. Urquiza did not conduct the battle: each chief was free to fight as they saw fit. Urquiza himself led a charge against the enemy left in front of their cavalrymen from Entre Ríos
Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos is a northeastern province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires , Corrientes and Santa Fe , and Uruguay in the east....
. Meanwhile the Brazilian infantry, supported by a Uruguayan brigade and an Argentine cavalry squadron seized the Palomar, a circular building near the right of the Rosist line and used for pigeon breeding, extant to this day. After both flanks collapsed only the center under Chilavert's command continued the fighting, reduced to an artillery duel that lasted until he ran out of ammunition. The whole battle lasted about three hours, after which Rosas was wounded in a hand and fled; he wrote a resignation, and a few hours later he boarded the British frigate Centaur towards exile in Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
.
Aftermath
Urquiza's triumph terminated at long last the 20-years term of Rosas as Governor of Buenos Aires and de facto Argentina's ruler.Within a few days, Urquiza's troops entered the city of Buenos Aires without further resistance. However, he revealed himself as a ruthless conqueror: all surviving soldiers from Regimiento Aquino and Chilavert himself were executed without a trial. The President of the Superior Tribunal, Vicente López y Planes
Vicente López y Planes
Alejandro Vicente López y Planes was an Argentine writer and politician who acted as interim President of Argentina from July 7, 1827 to August 18, 1827...
, was appointed interim
Ad interim
The Latin phrase ad interim literally means "in the time between" denotes the meaning of "in the meantime", "for an intervening time" or "temporarily" in the English language...
governor.