Battle of Ituzaingó
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Ituzaingó (Passo do Rosário for Brazilians) was fought in vicinity of Santa Maria river, in a valley of small hills where a stream divided the valley in two.
The Argentine Army, of some 6,200 to 9,500 men (including Orientals), faced in combat a Brazilian Army of same number as result of continuous two years of sundry skirmishes inside the Banda Oriental
(present-day Uruguay
and southern Rio Grande do Sul
) and along the border of this country with Brazil
.
was incorporated as a Brazilian Province in 1822 when Brazil
became independent from Portugal
. The centralized government under Brazilian emperor Pedro I led to many revolts inside Brazil. Seeing a chance to break the rule of a foreign nation over their country, some Orientals raised the flag of rebellion against the Brazilian government in 1825.
At first, the fight did not attract great attention from the Brazilian government, which was dealing with revolts even in Rio de Janeiro
by that time. Nevertheless, as the rebellion spread fast, D. Pedro I had to gather an army any way he could to send to "Cisplatina" (the province's name under Brazilian control).
The Army was, at first, led by D. Pedro I, himself. Due to political problems, he had to return to the capital without getting close to the battlefield. By December 1826, the command was given to General Felisberto Caldeira Brant, Marquis of Barbacena.
By this time, the appeal the Orientals sent to Buenos Aires
brought Argentina
into the conflict. The Buenos Aires
leadership saw a chance to bring back the Banda Oriental
into the Argentine Confederation as a province. General Carlos María de Alvear
was appointed as commander of the Republican Army.
On January, 20, 1827, Alvear moved to the border with Brazil. He attacked some small towns and villages in order to bring Barbacena onto him. He succeeded in his plan.
arrived in the battlefield the following day. Refusing some objections over the exhaustion of the army, Barbacena prepared his forces for action as soon as possible the next day.
Some historians say that Alvear misled Barbacena to believe that he was pursuing only the rear of the Republican Army. That is why he was anxious to take care of this part of Republican Army and then fight Alvear's main force in another battle. Believing so, Barbacena took the offensive and sent his cavalry and infantry toward the 1st Corps of the Republican Army under command of Oriental leader Juan Antonio Lavalleja
.
The Imperial Forces crossed the stream as if to encircle Lavalleja's men. At first, the Oriental cavalry tried to block the passage of the 1st Imperial Army Division. Soon they were pushed back by the enemy, which managed to take control of the artillery pieces under colonel Felix Olazabal. Alvear counterattacked with his cavalry at this moment. While he would take care of the 2nd Division on the center of the Imperial Army, Colonel Julian Laguna would attack the extreme left of the Brazilian forces (which were formed only by volunteers). Colonel Soler would lead his men onto the 1st Division. As Alvear planned, the open fields proved to be more suitable for cavalry units than for infantry.
Only the center of the Imperial Army kept its position. The infantry here formed squares to repel any attempt made by 2nd Corps of the enemy cavalry to subdue them. Only when it was clear that the Republican Army could encircle the 2nd Division, did it withdrew from the battlefield. The Republican Army could not pursue the enemy. The lack of proper means made Alvear order his men to put fire onto the battlefield and leave the scene.
The battle ended with a tactical victory for the Republicans since Barbacena could not move to Buenos Aires as he had planned, but with no strategic gain for either side.
and Argentina
which granted its independence as present-day Uruguay
.
Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges
referenced this battle in his 1942 short story Funes the Memorious
.
The Argentine Army, of some 6,200 to 9,500 men (including Orientals), faced in combat a Brazilian Army of same number as result of continuous two years of sundry skirmishes inside the Banda Oriental
Banda Oriental
The Banda Oriental del Uruguay was the South American territory east of the Uruguay River and north of the Río de la Plata, coinciding approximately with the modern nation of Uruguay, the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul and some parts of Santa Catarina...
(present-day 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 southern Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
) and along the border of this country with 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...
.
Background
The Argentine province Banda OrientalBanda Oriental
The Banda Oriental del Uruguay was the South American territory east of the Uruguay River and north of the Río de la Plata, coinciding approximately with the modern nation of Uruguay, the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul and some parts of Santa Catarina...
was incorporated as a Brazilian Province in 1822 when 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...
became independent from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. The centralized government under Brazilian emperor Pedro I led to many revolts inside Brazil. Seeing a chance to break the rule of a foreign nation over their country, some Orientals raised the flag of rebellion against the Brazilian government in 1825.
At first, the fight did not attract great attention from the Brazilian government, which was dealing with revolts even in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
by that time. Nevertheless, as the rebellion spread fast, D. Pedro I had to gather an army any way he could to send to "Cisplatina" (the province's name under Brazilian control).
The Army was, at first, led by D. Pedro I, himself. Due to political problems, he had to return to the capital without getting close to the battlefield. By December 1826, the command was given to General Felisberto Caldeira Brant, Marquis of Barbacena.
By this time, the appeal the Orientals sent to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
brought 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...
into the conflict. The Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
leadership saw a chance to bring back the Banda Oriental
Banda Oriental
The Banda Oriental del Uruguay was the South American territory east of the Uruguay River and north of the Río de la Plata, coinciding approximately with the modern nation of Uruguay, the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul and some parts of Santa Catarina...
into the Argentine Confederation as a province. General Carlos María de Alvear
Carlos María de Alvear
Carlos María de Alvear was an Argentine soldier and statesman, Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in 1815....
was appointed as commander of the Republican Army.
On January, 20, 1827, Alvear moved to the border with Brazil. He attacked some small towns and villages in order to bring Barbacena onto him. He succeeded in his plan.
The battle
By February 18, the Republican Army reached a stream of Santa Maria river. Alvear had previously chosen this position in order to maximize his advantage in cavalry. The Imperial ArmyImperial Army
An Imperial Army is literally an army of any empire. However, only some empires in history and in fiction have actually referred to their armies as "The Imperial Army."-In Europe:* The Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Empire...
arrived in the battlefield the following day. Refusing some objections over the exhaustion of the army, Barbacena prepared his forces for action as soon as possible the next day.
Some historians say that Alvear misled Barbacena to believe that he was pursuing only the rear of the Republican Army. That is why he was anxious to take care of this part of Republican Army and then fight Alvear's main force in another battle. Believing so, Barbacena took the offensive and sent his cavalry and infantry toward the 1st Corps of the Republican Army under command of Oriental leader Juan Antonio Lavalleja
Juan Antonio Lavalleja
Juan Antonio Lavalleja was an Uruguayan revolutionary and political figure. Today's Lavalleja Department is named after him.-Pre-Independence role:...
.
The Imperial Forces crossed the stream as if to encircle Lavalleja's men. At first, the Oriental cavalry tried to block the passage of the 1st Imperial Army Division. Soon they were pushed back by the enemy, which managed to take control of the artillery pieces under colonel Felix Olazabal. Alvear counterattacked with his cavalry at this moment. While he would take care of the 2nd Division on the center of the Imperial Army, Colonel Julian Laguna would attack the extreme left of the Brazilian forces (which were formed only by volunteers). Colonel Soler would lead his men onto the 1st Division. As Alvear planned, the open fields proved to be more suitable for cavalry units than for infantry.
Only the center of the Imperial Army kept its position. The infantry here formed squares to repel any attempt made by 2nd Corps of the enemy cavalry to subdue them. Only when it was clear that the Republican Army could encircle the 2nd Division, did it withdrew from the battlefield. The Republican Army could not pursue the enemy. The lack of proper means made Alvear order his men to put fire onto the battlefield and leave the scene.
The battle ended with a tactical victory for the Republicans since Barbacena could not move to Buenos Aires as he had planned, but with no strategic gain for either side.
Aftermath
The war went on for one year more with inconclusive frays between small groups of men on each side. Nevertheless, it seems that only the disputed province gained something. In 1828, a treaty was signed between BrazilBrazil
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...
and 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...
which granted its independence as present-day 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...
.
Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
referenced this battle in his 1942 short story Funes the Memorious
Funes the Memorious
"Funes the Memorious" is a fantasy short story by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. First published in La Nación in June 1942, it appeared in the 1944 anthology Ficciones, part two . The first English translation appeared in 1954 in Avon Modern Writing No. 2...
.
Sources
- Carneiro, David. História da Guerra Cisplatina. São Paulo: Companhia Editora Nacional, 1946.
- Duarte, Paulo de Q. Lecor e a Cisplatina 1816-1828. v. 2. Rio de Janeiro: Biblioteca do Exército, 1985