Battle of Las Piedras (1811)
{{Short description|Battle in the Uruguayan struggle for independence}}
{{unreferenced|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Battle of Las Piedras
| partof = the Spanish American wars of independence
| image = Jose Luis Blanes - Batalla de las piedras-Rendicion de posadas-boceto.png
| image_size = 300
| caption = Surrender of Posadas at Las Piedras, by Juan Manuel Blanes
| date = May 18, 1811
| place = Near Las Piedras, Uruguay
| result = Revolutionary victory
| combatant1 =
{{plainlist |
{{flagicon|Spain|1785}} Spain
}}
| combatant2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of Artigas.svg}} Revolutionaries of the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata
| commander1 = {{flagicon|Spain|1785}} José Posadas{{POW}}
| commander2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of Artigas.svg}} José Gervasio Artigas
{{flagicon image|Flag of Artigas.svg}} Manuel Francisco Artigas
| strength1 =
{{Plainlist |
; Official Report: 668
: 600 cavalrymen
: 350 infantrymen
: 64 gunners with 4 pieces
: 2 4 inch cannons
: 2 64 mm mortars
; Acevedo's Estimation: ~1,004
: ~500 infantrymen
: ~450 cavalrymen
: ~54 gunners with 4 pieces
}}
| strength2 =
{{Plainlist|
; Official Report: 1,076
: 600 cavalrymen (250 mounted regiment and 296 gauchos in two squadrons)
: 454 infantrymen (108 militia, 250 from the Patricios' Regiment and 96 Blandengues)
: 20 gunners
: 2 cannons
; Acevedo's Estimation: ~1,770
: ~1,300 cavalrymen
: ~430 infantrymen
: ~40 gunners with 4 pieces
}}
|casualties1 = 638
{{Plainlist|
: 97 killed
: 61 wounded
: 480 prisoners
}}
|casualties2 = Negligible
}}
The Battle of Las Piedras was fought on May 18, 1811 as part of the Rio de la Plata war of independence. It was a resounding victory for the revolutionary forces, led by José Gervasio Artigas.
Background and development of events
In 1810, the May Revolution forced the Spanish to abandon Buenos Aires, but they held on to the Banda Oriental (present-day Uruguay), as Spain moved the headquarters of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata to Montevideo. At the beginning of April 1811, the revolutionary José Gervasio Artigas returned to the Banda Oriental with approximately 180 men provided by the Government of Buenos Aires. On April 11, he issued the Mercedes Proclamation, assuming control of the revolution.
The Governor of Montevideo, Francisco Javier de Elío, appointed frigate-captain {{Interlanguage link multi|José Posadas|es}} as the head of the forces loyal to Spain. Posadas installed his headquarters at San Isidro Labrador de Las Piedras near Montevideo, to provoke a decisive battle against the revolutionaries.
Meanwhile, José Artigas was camped near Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe with an army of a thousand men. The army of Posadas counted 1230 men, of which some 200 would defect to Artigas in the midst of battle.
The battle happened on May 18 at Las Piedras, and resulted in a total victory for the revolutionaries. José Posadas capitulated. It was at this occasion that Artigas pronounced his famous sentence "Clemencia para los vencidos, curad a los heridos, respetad a los prisioneros" (Mercy to the vanquished, cure the injured, respect the prisoners), an unusual decision in those times, referring to the Spanish wounded and prisoners. One of the casualties on the revolutionary side was Manuel Artigas, nephew of José Artigas.
Both armies fought in the name of King Ferdinand VII of Spain.
Importance of the battle
Some historians consider the victory in the Battle of Las Piedras as crucial for the survival of the revolution in Uruguay and Argentina, after the defeats of General Manuel Belgrano in Paraguay and Paraná.
After the battle, the Royalists remained in control of only Colonia del Sacramento and Montevideo, which was finally taken by Carlos María de Alvear on June 20, 1814.
The day of the battle, May 18, is now an official holiday in Uruguay. The date is also commemorated in the military and civilian honour, the 18 May 1811 Medal.
{{Spanish colonial campaigns}}
See also
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110420192935/http://www.bicentenario.gub.uy/ Official website of the Bicentennial]
{{Wikisource|Parte de la Batalla de Las Piedras de José Artigas a José Rondeau}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord missing|Uruguay}}