The so-called Ejército Grande ( en, Grand Army), also called the Ejército Grande Aliado Libertador ( en, Grand Allied Liberating Army), was the coalition army that in 1852, under the command of the governor of
Entre Ríos,
Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza y García (; October 18, 1801 – April 11, 1870) was an Argentine general and politician who served as president of the Argentine Confederation from 1854 to 1860.
Life
Justo José de Urquiza y García was bo ...
, invaded the provinces of
Santa Fe and
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
and defeated
Juan Manuel de Rosas's army, which until that moment was in command of the foreign relations of the
Argentine Confederation.
Consisting of about 24,000 men, the majority from the provinces of Entre Ríos and
Corrientes
Corrientes (; Guaraní: Taragüí, literally: "Currents") is the capital city of the province of Corrientes, Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, about from Buenos Aires and from Posadas, on National Route 12. It ha ...
, also including 4,000 Brazilians, who were the only professional soldiers, and some 1,600 Uruguayans. There were also some divisions commanded by ''
porteño
In Spanish, the term (feminine: ''Porteña'') means "port city person". It is used to refer to residents of port cities such as Buenos Aires, Argentina; El Puerto de Santa María, Spain; Valparaíso, Chile; Mazatlán, Veracruz, Acapulco and Tam ...
'' officers, future notable figures of the Argentine political scene, such as future presidents
Bartolomé Mitre and
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (; born Domingo Faustino Fidel Valentín Sarmiento y Albarracín; 15 February 1811 – 11 September 1888) was an Argentine activist, intellectual, writer, statesman and the second President of Argentina. His writing s ...
. The army had 50 artillery pieces. While marching through Santa Fe, they were joined by 2,000 men from that province.
Urquiza had reclaimed from Rosas the control over the foreign relations of Entre Ríos Province at the
Urquiza Announcement, of 1 May 1851. He had participated briefly in campaigns in
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, forcing the end of the
Uruguayan Civil War
The Uruguayan Civil War, also known in Spanish as the ''Guerra Grande'' ("Great War"), was a series of armed conflicts between the leaders of Uruguayan independence. While officially the war lasted from 1839 until 1851, it was a part of armed c ...
, and had formalized the alliance with Uruguay and Brazil.
In 1851 Rosas declared war on Brazil, which helped the signature of a treaty against him on 21 November 1851 by the governments of Entre Ríos, Corrientes, Uruguay and the
Empire of Brazil
The Empire of Brazil was a 19th-century state that broadly comprised the territories which form modern Brazil and (until 1828) Uruguay. Its government was a representative parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the rule of Emperors Dom ...
.
After removing the siege of
Montevideo, the Ejército Grande started to form, with the forces there for the siege, and incorporating the soldiers from Buenos Aires province that were in the city. To this, many Brazilian forces were added. The new army crossed the
Uruguay river
The Uruguay River ( es, Río Uruguay, ; pt, Rio Uruguai, ) is a major river in South America. It flows from north to south and forms parts of the boundaries of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, separating some of the Argentine provinces of La M ...
camping in the town of
Gualeguaychú. later they moved to the port of Punta Gorda (
Diamante
A diamanté (also spelled diamante) is a glittering ornament, such as an artificial jewel (e.g. a rhinestone) or a sequin.
Diamante may also refer to:
Places
Argentina
* Diamante, Entre Ríos, a ''municipio'' in Diamante Department
* Diamante ...
).
Between 24 December 1851 and 6 January 1852, the Ejército Grande crossed the
Paraná River entering the territory of Santa Fe province. The infantry and artillery crossed in Brazilian Navy ships, while the cavalry crossed through swimming. Forty days later, on 3 February 1852, fought and obtained victory at
Battle of Caseros
The Battle of Caseros ( es, Batalla de Caseros) was fought near the town of El Palomar, 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 ...
near the city of Buenos Aires. Rosas, defeated, resigned from his governorship and was exiled to
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
.
Forming the Ejército Grande
The army formed in Diamante on 20 December 1851, was as follows:
[Obras de D. F. Sarmiento. Authors: Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Luis Montt, Augusto Belin Sarmiento. Published by Gutenberg Press, 1896, pages 189 - 190]
Commanding General: Governor and Captain General of the Province of Entre Ríos, Brigadier
Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza y García (; October 18, 1801 – April 11, 1870) was an Argentine general and politician who served as president of the Argentine Confederation from 1854 to 1860.
Life
Justo José de Urquiza y García was bo ...
Major General: and Captain General of the Province of Corrientes, Colonel Major
Benjamín Virasoro
Total: 28,149 men, of which 2,000 were in the supply trains, cavalry support, and wounded/invalids.
Entre Ríos Army Corps
Total of 10,350 men:
* Artillery squadron, under the command of colonel José María Pirán with 230 men
* Roving Artillery Corps, under the command of lieutenant colonel González with 200 men
* Entre Ríos Infantry Battalion, under the command of lieutenant colonel Ramón Lista with 250 men
* Urquiza's Infantry Battalion, under the command of colonel Manuel Basavilbaso with 100 men
* Cavalry Division 1°, under the command of colonel Manuel Urdinarrain with 1,300 men
* Cavalry Division 2°, under the command of colonel Miguel Galarza with 1,500 men
* Cavalry Division 3°, under the command of colonel Manuel Palavecino with 1,100 men
* Cavalry Division 4°, under the command of colonel Domínguez (Pacheco with 600 men and Hernando with 700 men)
* Cavalry Division 5°, under the command of colonel Salazar with 500 men
* Cavalry Division 6°, under the command of colonel Apolinario Almada with 900 men
* Cavalry Division 7°, under the command of lieutenant colonel Paso 600 men
* Cavalry Division 8°, under the command of major López with 650 men
* Cavalry Division 9°, under the command of lieutenant colonel Jacinto González with 500 men
* San José Cavalry, under the command of lieutenant colonel Barón Alfredo Marbais du Graty with 300 men
* Urquiza's Guard, under colonel Fausto Aguilar with 270 men and colonel Manuel Carballo with 270 men
* General's Guard, under the command of lieutenant colonel Reyes with 200 men
Corrientes Army Corps
With a total of 5,260 men:
* Artillery squadron, under the command of lieutenant colonel González with 130 men
* Defensor Infantry Battalion, under the command of major Marcelino Martínez with 350 men
* Patricios Infantry Battalion, under the command of major Acevedo with 360 men
* Escort Cavalry, under the command of colonel José Antonio Virasoro with 750 men
* Cavalry 1° Regiment, under the command of colonel Manuel Antonio Ocampo with 680 men
* Cavalry 2° Regiment, under the command of colonel Bernardino López with 500 men
* Cavalry 3° Regiment, under the command of colonel Simeón Paiva with 540 men
* Cavalry 4° Regiment, under the command of colonel Nicanor Cáceres with 600 men
* Cavalry 5° Regiment, under the command of colonel Bejarano with 650 men
* Cavalry 6° Regiment, under the command of colonel Ricardes with 700 men
Buenos Aires Army Corps
With un total de 4,219 men:
* Artillery squadron, under the command of lieutenant colonel Bernardo Castro with 110 men
* Artillery squadron, under the command of lieutenant colonel
Bartolomé Mitre with 100 men
* Buenos Aires Infantry Battalion, under the command of colonel Tejerina with 430 men
* San Martín Infantry Battalion, under the command of colonel Mariano Echenagucía with 430 men
* Constitución Infantry Battalion, under the command of colonel José Toledo with 430 men
* Federación Infantry Battalion, under the command of colonel Rodríguez with 430 men
* Cavalry 1°, under the command of colonel Tomás Burgoa with 430 men
* Cavalry 2°, under the command of colonel
Manuel Hornos with 600 men
* Cavalry 3°, under the command of colonel Pedro León Aquino with 540 men
* Cavalry 4°, under the command of colonel Jacinto Susviela with 450 men
* Cavalry 5°, under the command of colonel Vicente González with 325 men
Uruguay Army Corps
With a total of 1,970 men, commanded by colonel César Díaz:
* Roving Artillery Corps, under the command of lieutenant colonel Nicolás de Vedia with 200 men
* Resistencia Infantry Battalion, under the command of colonel Lezica with 500 men
* Voltíjeros Infantry Battalion, under the command of lieutenant colonel León de Pallejas with 500 men
* Guardia Oriental Infantry Battalion, under the command of colonel José María Solsona with 490 men
* Orden Infantry Battalion, under the command of major Abella with 280 men
Brazil Army Corps
With a total of 4,020 men, commanded by brigadier Manuel Marques de Sousa:
* 1° Roving Artillery Regiment, under the command of major González Fontes with 200 men
* Batería de fuego a la Congreve, under the command of major González Fontes with 160 men
* Infantry Battalion N° 5, under the command of major López Persegueiro with 510 men
* Infantry Battalion N° 6, under the command of lieutenant colonel Ferreira with 600 men
* Infantry Battalion N° 7, under the command of lieutenant colonel Bruce with 490 men
* Infantry Battalion N° 8, under the command of major Resin with 540 men
* Infantry Battalion N° 11, under the command of lieutenant colonel Mello Albuquerque with 520 men
* Infantry Battalion N° 13, under the command of lieutenant colonel Ferreito Tamarindo with 452 men
* 2° Cavalry Regiment, under the command of lieutenant colonel Manuel Luis Osorio with 550 men
References
See also
*
Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza y García (; October 18, 1801 – April 11, 1870) was an Argentine general and politician who served as president of the Argentine Confederation from 1854 to 1860.
Life
Justo José de Urquiza y García was bo ...
*
Argentine Confederation
*
Battle of Caseros
The Battle of Caseros ( es, Batalla de Caseros) was fought near the town of El Palomar, 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 ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ejercito Grande
Argentine Civil War
Military history of Argentina
Military units and formations of Argentina