Battle of San Roque
Encyclopedia
The Battle of San Roque was part of the Argentine Civil War
. It was fought by the Primero River
, near the city of Córdoba
, Argentina
, on 22 April 1829. The Federalist
forces of Córdoba Province
governor Juan Bautista Bustos were defeated by the Unitarian
forces of general José María Paz
. As a result of his victory, Paz assumed the office of provincial Governor.
, in 1820. His confronting Paz, who had fought with him at the revolt, had started a few months after: Paz thought Bustos had betrauyed the rebel group, not carrying his army to the front of the war of independence (from the Spanish Empire
) in Upper Peru
.
After a lackluster career in Salta Province
, Paz had made a name for himself at the war with Brazil
, where he was promoted to the rank of general after the Battle of Ituzaingó
. He then declared himself to be against Buenos Aires
governor Manuel Dorrego
who had been forced to sign a peace treaty with the Empire of Brazil granting the independence of Uruguay
and its separation from the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. Paz supported the a revolution against Dorrego, organized and fought by the forces of Juan Lavalle
.
While Lavalle had not yet been able to vanquish the dissidents in his province, Paz gathered his troops in the interior of the country and marched north, with the excuse to return his men to their provinces. Instead, when he reached Córdoba's provincial capital city, que demanded Bustos's resignation, whose mandate had expired, and to elect a new governor (the provincial constitution had term limits and prohibited a third mandate), while everybody at the time knew that who Paz had in mind for a candidate was himself.
Paz entered Córdoba city with his powerful army, but Bustos run away to a ranch at San Roque, on the foothills near the city. Bustos tried to negotiate an agreement by which the new governor would be neither of them. Paz disagreed, broke relations, and accused Bustos of delaying tactics while awaiting reinforcements. That was entirely true as Bustos had sent a message to Juan Facundo Quiroga
, caudillo
and militia commander in La Rioja Province
, asking for help.
Bustos was not very experienced in battle, and the few he had won were from defensive positions. He therefore just waited for the unitarians
, protecting his position with artillery
. Paz simply divided his forces and commanded his lieutenants to just walk over anybody on their front. The order was followed in each of his groups, after a severe bombardment over the federalist positions by commander Arengreen's artillery. The divisions commanded by Román Deheza, Gregorio Aráoz de Lamadrid
and Juan Esteban Pedernera
displaced the enemy's forces before them with ease.
The federalist troops, on their side were severely affected by the unitarian bombardment, and after the capture of their artillery and heavy loses of their men, they simply ran. The unitarian cavalry slaughtered the running enemy causing miore than 100 dead in a few minutes. In a little more than a half hour of combat, Bustos ordered a retreat of his remaining forces.
Córdoba province remained under Paz's and unitarian control, joined with the federalists that had left Bustos plus the young class of city lawyers and merchants. He then set to make at least a tacit alliance with the unitarian governments of the provinces of Tucumán
and Salta
, and after the next battles he could formalize the Unitarian League
(a.k.a. Liga del Interior)
San Roque was the first of four battles commanded by general Paz. He won all four decisively, distinguishing himself as the best Argentine general of the time.
The Battle of San Roque's field is today under the waters of San Roque Lake
, near today's city of Villa Carlos Paz
.
Argentine Civil War
The Argentine Civil Wars were a series of internecine wars that took place in Argentina from 1814 to 1876. These conflicts were separate from the Argentine War of Independence , though they first arose during this period....
. It was fought by the Primero River
Primero River
The Primero River , also known as Suquía , runs through the city of Córdoba, Argentina....
, near the city of Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
, 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 22 April 1829. The Federalist
Federales (Argentina)
Federales was the name under which the supporters of federalism in Argentina were known, opposing the Unitarios that claimed a centralised government of Buenos Aires Province, with no participation of the other provinces of the custom taxes benefits of the Buenos Aires port...
forces of Córdoba Province
Córdoba Province (Argentina)
Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca...
governor Juan Bautista Bustos were defeated by the Unitarian
Unitarian Party
Unitarianists or Unitarians were the proponents of the concept of a Unitary state in Buenos Aires during the civil wars which shortly followed the Declaration of Independence of Argentina in 1816. They were opposed to the Argentine Federalists, who wanted a federation of independent provinces...
forces of general José María Paz
José María Paz
Brigadier General José María Paz y Haedo was an Argentine military figure, notable in the Argentine War of Independence and the Argentine Civil War.-Childhood:...
. As a result of his victory, Paz assumed the office of provincial Governor.
Prelude
General Bustos had governed Córdoba since the days of de Arequito RevoltArequito Revolt
The Arequito Revolt , was a military revolt by officers of the Army of the North, through which they recused themselves from the fight in the civil war against the federals. Their intention was to return to the front of the war against the royalists in Upper Peru, an objective they could not...
, in 1820. His confronting Paz, who had fought with him at the revolt, had started a few months after: Paz thought Bustos had betrauyed the rebel group, not carrying his army to the front of the war of independence (from the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
) in Upper Peru
Upper Peru
Upper Peru was the region in the Viceroyalty of Peru, and after 1776, the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, comprising the governorships of Potosí, La Paz, Cochabamba, Los Chiquitos, Moxos and Charcas...
.
After a lackluster career in Salta Province
Salta Province
Salta is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and Catamarca. It also surrounds Jujuy...
, Paz had made a name for himself at the war with Brazil
Argentina-Brazil War
The Cisplatine War or the Argentine–Brazilian War was an armed conflict over an area known as Banda Oriental or "Eastern Shore" in the 1820s between the United Provinces of River Plate and the Empire of Brazil in the aftermath of the United Provinces' emancipation from Spain.-Background:Led by...
, where he was promoted to the rank of general after the Battle of Ituzaingó
Battle of Ituzaingó
The Battle of Ituzaingó was fought in vicinity of Santa Maria river, in a valley of small hills where a stream divided the valley in two....
. He then declared himself to be against 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...
governor Manuel Dorrego
Manuel Dorrego
Manuel Dorrego was an Argentine statesman and soldier. He was governor of Buenos Aires in 1820, and then again from 1827 to 1828....
who had been forced to sign a peace treaty with the Empire of Brazil granting the independence of 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 its separation from the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. Paz supported the a revolution against Dorrego, organized and fought by the forces of Juan Lavalle
Juan Lavalle
Juan Galo de Lavalle was an Argentine military and political figure.-Biography:Lavalle was born in Buenos Aires to María Mercedes González Bordallo and Manuel José de La Vallée y Cortés, general accountant of rents and tobacco for the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.In 1799, the family moved to...
.
While Lavalle had not yet been able to vanquish the dissidents in his province, Paz gathered his troops in the interior of the country and marched north, with the excuse to return his men to their provinces. Instead, when he reached Córdoba's provincial capital city, que demanded Bustos's resignation, whose mandate had expired, and to elect a new governor (the provincial constitution had term limits and prohibited a third mandate), while everybody at the time knew that who Paz had in mind for a candidate was himself.
Paz entered Córdoba city with his powerful army, but Bustos run away to a ranch at San Roque, on the foothills near the city. Bustos tried to negotiate an agreement by which the new governor would be neither of them. Paz disagreed, broke relations, and accused Bustos of delaying tactics while awaiting reinforcements. That was entirely true as Bustos had sent a message to Juan Facundo Quiroga
Juan Facundo Quiroga
Juan Facundo Quiroga was an Argentine caudillo who supported federalism at the time when the country was still in formation.-Early years:...
, 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 militia commander in La Rioja Province
La Rioja Province (Argentina)
La Rioja is a one of the provinces of Argentina and is located in the west of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Catamarca, Córdoba, San Luis and San Juan.-History:...
, asking for help.
Battle development
Before Bustos could receive reinforcements, Paz advanced towards San Roque. Bustos made a last effort, sending his son-in-law Arredondo to negotiate peace. Paz attacked without answering. It is possible, judging by the lack of movements or preparations on the part of Bustos, that Arredondo had not yet arrived with a response, so the federalist commander would have thought they were still within a period of truce. Paz's behavior the next year at the Battle of Oncativo supposes this was the case.Bustos was not very experienced in battle, and the few he had won were from defensive positions. He therefore just waited for the unitarians
Unitarian Party
Unitarianists or Unitarians were the proponents of the concept of a Unitary state in Buenos Aires during the civil wars which shortly followed the Declaration of Independence of Argentina in 1816. They were opposed to the Argentine Federalists, who wanted a federation of independent provinces...
, protecting his position with artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
. Paz simply divided his forces and commanded his lieutenants to just walk over anybody on their front. The order was followed in each of his groups, after a severe bombardment over the federalist positions by commander Arengreen's artillery. The divisions commanded by Román Deheza, Gregorio Aráoz de Lamadrid
Gregorio Aráoz de Lamadrid
Comandante General Gregorio Aráoz de Lamadrid was an Argentine military leader and, briefly, governor of several provinces like Córdoba, Mendoza and his native province of Tucumán.Lamadrid fought beside General Belgrano and General San Martín during the Argentine War of Independence, as a prominent...
and Juan Esteban Pedernera
Juan Esteban Pedernera
Juan Esteban Pedernera was interim President of Argentina during a brief period in 1861.Born in 1796 in San Luis Province, he studied in a Franciscan monastery when young, and left his studies to join the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers being summoned by José de San Martín to fight in the War of...
displaced the enemy's forces before them with ease.
The federalist troops, on their side were severely affected by the unitarian bombardment, and after the capture of their artillery and heavy loses of their men, they simply ran. The unitarian cavalry slaughtered the running enemy causing miore than 100 dead in a few minutes. In a little more than a half hour of combat, Bustos ordered a retreat of his remaining forces.
Consequences
Bustos was forced to leave, running for refuge within Quiroga's troops, therefore abandoning his province. Only a month later, Bustos and Quiroga tried again for revenge: invaded the province of Córdoba, occupied most of the western hills and marched on the provincial capital. They confronted Paz at the Battle of La Tablada but ultimate victory was again on Paz's side.Córdoba province remained under Paz's and unitarian control, joined with the federalists that had left Bustos plus the young class of city lawyers and merchants. He then set to make at least a tacit alliance with the unitarian governments of the provinces of Tucumán
Tucumán Province
Tucumán is the most densely populated, and the smallest by land area, of the provinces of Argentina. Located in the northwest of the country, the capital is San Miguel de Tucumán, often shortened to Tucumán. Neighboring provinces are, clockwise from the north: Salta, Santiago del Estero and...
and Salta
Salta Province
Salta is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and Catamarca. It also surrounds Jujuy...
, and after the next battles he could formalize the Unitarian League
Unitarian League
The Unitarian League was a league of provinces of Argentina led by José María Paz, established in 1830, aiming to unite the country under unitarian principles. It was composed by the provinces of San Luis, La Rioja, Catamarca, Mendoza, San Juan, Tucumán, Córdoba, Salta and Santiago del Estero. It...
(a.k.a. Liga del Interior)
San Roque was the first of four battles commanded by general Paz. He won all four decisively, distinguishing himself as the best Argentine general of the time.
The Battle of San Roque's field is today under the waters of San Roque Lake
San Roque Lake
The San Roque Lake is a reservoir in the province of Córdoba, Argentina. It was created by the damming of several rivers, especially the Suquía and the Cosquín. It is located next to the city of Villa Carlos Paz, about 600 m above mean sea level...
, near today's city of Villa Carlos Paz
Villa Carlos Paz
Villa Carlos Paz is a city in the center-north of the province of Córdoba, Argentina, in the south of the Punilla Valley, lying on the western slope of the Sierras Chicas. It has a population of about 56,000 as per the...
.
See also
- Argentine Civil WarArgentine Civil WarThe Argentine Civil Wars were a series of internecine wars that took place in Argentina from 1814 to 1876. These conflicts were separate from the Argentine War of Independence , though they first arose during this period....
- Pacto FederalPacto FederalThe Federal Pact was a treaty first signed by the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos and Santa Fe on 4 January 1831, for which a Federal military alliance was created to confront the Unitarian Liga Unitaria...
- Unitarian PartyUnitarian PartyUnitarianists or Unitarians were the proponents of the concept of a Unitary state in Buenos Aires during the civil wars which shortly followed the Declaration of Independence of Argentina in 1816. They were opposed to the Argentine Federalists, who wanted a federation of independent provinces...
- Federales (Argentina)Federales (Argentina)Federales was the name under which the supporters of federalism in Argentina were known, opposing the Unitarios that claimed a centralised government of Buenos Aires Province, with no participation of the other provinces of the custom taxes benefits of the Buenos Aires port...