The Battle of Cepeda of 1859 took place on October 23 at
Cañada de Cepeda
''Cañada'' (, Spanish for droveway, drovers' road) may refer to:
Places Argentina
* Cañada de Gómez, a city in the province of Santa Fe
* Cañada Rosquín, a small town (comuna) in the province of Santa Fe
* La Cañada, a town in Santiago ...
,
Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
,
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest ...
. The
Argentine Confederation
The Argentine Confederation (Spanish: ''Confederación Argentina'') was the last predecessor state of modern Argentina; its name is still one of the official names of the country according to the Argentine Constitution, Article 35. It was the name ...
army, led by
federalist
The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''.
History Europe federation
In Europe, proponents of de ...
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 ...
defeated the
State of Buenos Aires
The State of Buenos Aires ( es, Estado de Buenos Aires) was a secessionist republic resulting from the overthrow of the Argentine Confederation government in the Province of Buenos Aires on September 11, 1852. The State of Buenos Aires was nev ...
forces, led by
unitarian Bartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre Martínez (26 June 1821 – 19 January 1906) was an Argentine statesman, soldier and author. He was President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868 and the first president of unified Argentina.
Mitre is known as the most versatile s ...
.
Context
On the aftermath of the
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 G ...
, following the
San Nicolás Agreement
The San Nicolás Agreement () was a pact signed on May 31, 1852 and subscribed by all but one of the 14 provinces of the United Provinces of the River Plate (the exception was Buenos Aires). The treaty consisted of 19 articles, and its goal was to ...
that convened the
Constitutional Congress of 1853, the
Province of Buenos Aires seceded from the
Argentine Confederation
The Argentine Confederation (Spanish: ''Confederación Argentina'') was the last predecessor state of modern Argentina; its name is still one of the official names of the country according to the Argentine Constitution, Article 35. It was the name ...
and established an independent State, the
State of Buenos Aires
The State of Buenos Aires ( es, Estado de Buenos Aires) was a secessionist republic resulting from the overthrow of the Argentine Confederation government in the Province of Buenos Aires on September 11, 1852. The State of Buenos Aires was nev ...
. However, the Confederation still depended on the port of
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 ...
for its foreign trade. Moreover, Urquiza's policy of seduction towards the rebel Province had failed, and the secessionist state elected as its governor the radical autonomist and
Unitarian Valentín Alsina
Valentín Alsina (December 16, 1802 – September 6, 1869) was an Argentine lawyer and politician.
Biography
Early life
Alsina was born in Buenos Aires and studied law at the University of Córdoba. He occupied diverse posts in government, an ...
in
1857
Events January–March
* January 1 – The biggest Estonian newspaper, ''Postimees'', is established by Johann Voldemar Jannsen.
* January 7 – The partly French-owned London General Omnibus Company begins operating.
* Janua ...
.
On April 1,
1859, following the assassination of former
San Juan Province Governor
Nazareno Benavídez by a presumed Buenos Aires agent, the
Confederation Congress passed a law by which the President
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 ...
was obliged to "peacefully reincorporate the ''dissident province'' of Buenos Aires", but if that was not possible, he was allowed to use the national army to accomplish that purpose.
The government of Buenos Aires interpreted that law as a formal declaration of war. In May, the state legislature allowed the governor to repel any military aggression with the province's militia. Colonel
Bartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre Martínez (26 June 1821 – 19 January 1906) was an Argentine statesman, soldier and author. He was President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868 and the first president of unified Argentina.
Mitre is known as the most versatile s ...
, in charge of Buenos Aires troops, was ordered to attack
Santa Fe Province
The Province of Santa Fe ( es, Provincia de Santa Fe, ) is a province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco (divided by the 28th parallel south), Corrientes, Entre R� ...
, and the navy was sent to blockade
Paraná, the capital of the Confederation.
With the imminence of conflict,
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
,
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to t ...
, the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
and the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
tried to prevent it by diplomatic means. The neighboring country of Paraguay sent a young
Francisco Solano López
Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 – 1 March 1870) was President of Paraguay from 1862 until his death in 1870. He was the eldest son of Juana Pabla Carrillo and of President Carlos Antonio López, Francisco's predecessor.
...
as a plenipotentiary minister to intercede in the emergency. However, every attempt at a peaceful resolution of the conflict failed since Buenos Aires demanded Urquiza's resignation as president, which the Confederation refused.
Battle
The army of the Confederation met Buenos Aires forces at
Cañada de Cepeda
''Cañada'' (, Spanish for droveway, drovers' road) may refer to:
Places Argentina
* Cañada de Gómez, a city in the province of Santa Fe
* Cañada Rosquín, a small town (comuna) in the province of Santa Fe
* La Cañada, a town in Santiago ...
, north of
Pergamino
Pergamino () is an Argentine city in the Province of Buenos Aires. It has a population of about 104,985 inhabitants as per the and is the administrative seat of its county, Pergamino Partido. Its UN/LOCODE is ARPGO.
History
Long valued for its m ...
. After some tactical movements, both forces clashed on the afternoon of October 23. By dusk, Mitre knew that his forces were defeated and so the ''
bonaerense
Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of t ...
'' army retired towards
San Nicolás de los Arroyos
San Nicolás de los Arroyos (usually shortened to ''San Nicolás'') is a city in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the western shore of the Paraná River, from Rosario. It has about 133,000 inhabitants (). It is the administrative seat ...
from where they embarked back to Buenos Aires.
Aftermath
Urquiza did not enter Buenos Aires City but camped at the neighboring town of
San José de Flores to carry on with the negotiations. Governor
Valentín Alsina
Valentín Alsina (December 16, 1802 – September 6, 1869) was an Argentine lawyer and politician.
Biography
Early life
Alsina was born in Buenos Aires and studied law at the University of Córdoba. He occupied diverse posts in government, an ...
was forced by his own allies to left office because of his intransigent position to the reintegration of Buenos Aires to the Confederation.
On November 11, on the mediation of
Francisco Solano López
Francisco Solano López Carrillo (24 July 1827 – 1 March 1870) was President of Paraguay from 1862 until his death in 1870. He was the eldest son of Juana Pabla Carrillo and of President Carlos Antonio López, Francisco's predecessor.
...
of
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to t ...
, Buenos Aires and the
Argentine Confederation
The Argentine Confederation (Spanish: ''Confederación Argentina'') was the last predecessor state of modern Argentina; its name is still one of the official names of the country according to the Argentine Constitution, Article 35. It was the name ...
signed the San José de Flores Pact by which
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 ...
was ''de jure'' reincorporated into
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest ...
but the province was allowed certain privileges.
That would eventually led to the
Battle of Pavón
The Battle of Pavón, a key battle of the Argentine Civil Wars, was fought in Pavón, Santa Fé Province, Argentina on 17 September 1861 between the Army of the State of Buenos Aires, commanded by Bartolomé Mitre, and the Army of Republic of t ...
and the growing predominance of Buenos Aires Province.
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
See also
*
Argentine Confederation
The Argentine Confederation (Spanish: ''Confederación Argentina'') was the last predecessor state of modern Argentina; its name is still one of the official names of the country according to the Argentine Constitution, Article 35. It was the name ...
*
San Nicolás Agreement
The San Nicolás Agreement () was a pact signed on May 31, 1852 and subscribed by all but one of the 14 provinces of the United Provinces of the River Plate (the exception was Buenos Aires). The treaty consisted of 19 articles, and its goal was to ...
*
Argentine Constitution of 1853
The Argentine Constitution of 1853 is the current constitution of Argentina. It was approved in 1853 by all of the provincial governments except Buenos Aires Province, which remained separate from the Argentine Confederation until 1859. After ...
*
Pact of San José de Flores
The Pact of San José de Flores (''Pacto Unión San José de Flores'', or ''Pacto de Unión Nacional'') was a treaty signed between the Argentine Confederation and the State of Buenos Aires on November 11, 1859, on the aftermath of the Battle of ...
*
Battle of Pavón
The Battle of Pavón, a key battle of the Argentine Civil Wars, was fought in Pavón, Santa Fé Province, Argentina on 17 September 1861 between the Army of the State of Buenos Aires, commanded by Bartolomé Mitre, and the Army of Republic of t ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cepeda
Battles of the Argentine Civil War
Conflicts in 1859
October 1859 events
1859 in Argentina
History of Buenos Aires Province