In the early XIX century, dark blue uniforms with red facings and white trousers were popular in many European countries, the likes of France, Prussia and Spain spring to mind. The French Revolution at the end of the previous century had helped to promote and popularised these colours, in military costumes, flags and cockades.

In the area know as the Viceroyalty de la Rio Plata (I shall only refer to Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Salta), blue was a great favourite among officers and other ranks alike. Blue cloth has always been more attractive than any other colour in uniforms, as it not only hides stains of most kinds much better than white or red, but it is also an excellent complimentary to flesh colour, it keeps white skin white, rather than red which tends to make pale flesh look as though it has a greenish hue, or violet that gives a yellowish hue. Whether this was one of the reasons for dark blue to become so popular, or the price of blue dye had become cheaper I cannot say, but the wearing of a military uniform during the Napoleonic wars had became a status and patriotic symbol that could make a soldier look and feel like a well dressed gentleman and enhance his outward appearance before society, and sometimes his enemy. Before 1800, in the Viceroyalty, there had been an attempt to adopt a dark brown uniform, but due to a shortage of that colour cloth (the cloth was used mainly by monks) dark blue was prescribed in its place, keeping these militia units in line with the regular troops.

With the first and second British attempts to conquer the River Plate region in 1806 and 1807, a surge of new militia units came into existence, which, of course, vastly outnumbered the small veteran troops that garrisoned this colony of Spain, these new units incorporated Spanish Europeans, Americans (born in America of European Parents), Indians, Negroes and Mulattoes, into their respective social Battalions, their variety of uniform colours begs belief, ranging from the obvious dark blue to; sky-blue, red, yellow and green. A more colourful army, wearing expensive and sometimes luxurious uniforms, had never been seen before 1806 in Latin America. These two British invasions had brought soldering, a profession previously abhorred by the civilian populace in this region, into the public eye as saviours of their establishment and status que, bringing with it an increase in social prestige. During these two years an environment was created where uniforms were better tailored and more attractive than before, this was not only appreciated by the wearer but also by the many female admirers.

These raw volunteers and civilians united to distinguish themselves and defeated both invasion attempts, for most of the militiamen the uniform was dark blue and white, with plumes in their hats in distinguishing colours, various units were presented with cloth badges to be worn on their left forearm such as the Patrician Legion (a badge of white in the centre the monogram "B A" in red the badge surrounded by a wreath of green palms) and Castes Battalion (a green emblem on their uniform with a "C" in the centre), you can see the modern version of the "escudo" or shield given to the Patrician Legion being worn by the present day Patricios regiment in Buenos Aires. The Hussar Corps of Buenos Aires was composed of four Squadrons, known by the names of their commanders; Pueyrredon (1st.), Vivas (2nd.), Núñez (3rd., "Infernal Hussars") and Herrera (4th., "The Queen's Chauseurs", "Herrera's Migueletes" or "Carabineers"), each wore different uniforms and very costly ones too. There were, of course, other cavalry units, but these four are the most famous.

Flags were quite simple, a white field with the coat-of-arms of Spain on one side and another emblem on the other, or a combination of the Royal and Provincial arms on a yellow field, like the Miñones Battalion (Catalonian light infantry). The Patriot Volunteers of the Union, an artillery regiment integrated by Europeans and Americans alike and attached to the Royal Artillery Corps, used a white and red multi-striped banner, most likely based upon the forbidden flag of Catalonia. Cavalry guidons were of red or crimson, with the Royal symbols or those of Buenos Aires on them, details of some of these flag emblems are yet to be found. Unfortunately, it would seem that the majority of these battalion/regimental flags have disappeared during the following two hundred years and it is only by searching for official decrees or personal memoirs that we might find statements relating to the design and size of these long lost banners.

The cockades that these units wore were of red with a white outer edge, sometimes with a capital letter that described the name of the unit, a few examples will suffice, the Cantabria Battalion (also known as the "Cantabros de la Amistad", or the "Battalion of Friendship") sported an "A", the Morenos Battalion (a negro battalion) a "M", the Gallegos Battalion a "G".

The collars could also show other noteworthy insignia, the Cantabros Battalion had the tower of Castille, for the Montañeses (a battalion from Santander in the mountains) it was a lion and tower, the Andalucians had the Pillars of Hercules surmounted by a crown (this was the emblem of Cadiz), the Union unit of artillerymen had a monogram "U".

After 1807 local forces were reorganised, and some units were disbanded, such as the battalions of Galicia, Cantabria, the Miñones, hardly any European troops remained, save the Andalucians, the Montañeses, and veteran units like the Royal Artillery Corps, the Dragoons of Buenos Aires, the Blandengues and the Fijo Regiment of Buenos Aires.

Soon after the May 25, 1810 revolution, infantry battalions became regiments, and had to use a blue coat with red collar and cuffs, all piped in white, trousers were white for summer, only the shako badge, plume and cords varied in design and colour respectively. This general uniform remained in force until 1812, when Colonels were, once again, allowed to create regimental uniforms of their own taste.

In early 1812 a new national cockade appeared, based on one designed at Mendoza in 1810 by a certain Moldes, who was one of the first Patriots that had stood for independence from Spain, his rosette was eagerly adopted by Buenos Airean liberals, and finally represented the United Provinces of the River Plate. Until 1812 various cockades were displayed by the units stationed in Buenos Aires, some wore the old red ones, others a white one with a red border (like the Patricios of Salta did in 1810), while others had adopted the sky-blue and white of Moldes' design. Thanks to Manuel Belgrano, then a Colonel later to become a General, the sky-blue and white rosette became that of Argentina, the red cockade would only be used by Spanish loyalists, although the followers of Joseph I, Napoleon's brother and the present king of Spain also used this colour cockade. Civic militiamen in Buenos Aires at this time wore a dark blue coat piped white, but had adopted the now popular sky-blue colour for their collar, cuffs, lapels and plumes.

Another colour that was quite a favourite among certain units was "blood red", most famous being the Gauchos in the northern province of Salta, under the command of Güemes, red was symbolic of liberty and independence, although it did hide the blood stains from normal Gaucho civilian life. These Salteño troopers who dressed in this manner were known as the "Infernales" (the "Men from Hell"), as opposed to the Royalist unit called "Angélicos" (the "Angels")

In the Infantry Battalions, fusilier companies had white plumes and cords on their shakos, grenadiers red, and chausseurs yellow and later green, the Light Infantry Battalions wore dark green and had British style shakos and equipment, obviously modelled upon the British Rifle Corps. By 1814 British influence had also encroached into the Artillery and Naval style of dress, for the Navy it was probably due to the number of British volunteers, of all ranks, who had enlisted.

On the other hand, French Napoleonic influence was general among the dress of the Infantry and Cavalry units, such as the Horse Grenadiers of General San Martin, who wore an all blue uniform with crimson piping and yellow stripes on their trousers, green plume and shako cords (these cords later became light blue).

The majority of other ranks uniforms were made rather basically some without linings etc., many being made in provincial cities by volunteer women who would, I'm sure, have taken pride in their work, even when the best cloth, if any, was kept for the officers uniforms. Though looking at modern day reproductions in some Argentine museums it would appear that following the tailoring methods and style of this period has not been high on the priority list for whoever was given the job of recreating these tunics, what a pity.

Up to 1816 most troops still carried the Spanish style flags into battle, some of these dating back to 1806 and 1808 as the Spanish Royal ordinances were still in force, which lasted until independence was finally declared in 1816, after this Civic flags appeared in light blue and white although military units only received their new standards during 1817.

The Andean Army of Liberation, commanded by General San Martin, were issued with simple uniforms designed for a long and arduous campaign, many of which were made by the ladies of the city of Mendoza, One of its battalions, the Chasseurs of the Andes, wore a uniform of blue with green piping a British style shako (not the 1815 Belgium style, but the earlier 1808 version), the Horse Grenadiers hardly modified their dress, while the vast majority of units received blue uniforms, including the artillery, who used yellow as their distinguishing colour instead of the more normal red associated with artillery. Officers sported national cockades on their bi-cornes, but with the motto Ser Libre O Morir (roughly translated as "Liberty or Death"), others showed a star with a blue circle in the middle, a reference to the freedom of South America. As to their flags, it can be said that they were inspired by that of the Army, white over sky blue with the national coat of arms embroidered in the middle.

Later in their expedition against Royalist Peru, the Andean troops kept their own flags and cockades, even though they were in the service of Chile, they remained in that country until the final victory over the Royalists forces at Ayacucho in 1824.

Another theatre of operations during the War of Independence was in Upper Peru (modern day Bolivia), since 1810 units from Upper Peru had been wearing similar uniforms to those of their southern brothers, their emblems colours included red-white-red, and yellow for rosettes, ribbons and lance pennants, by 1813 they were using the light blue and white of the United Provinces until 1825 the last year of Royalist domination in the Altiplano.

During the years of warfare in this region of Upper Peru, the forces of the Republicans sometimes had to retreat from certain areas, local guerrilla bands were quickly organised to harass the advancing Royalist troops, when cockades for these guerrilla troops were not available they placed blades of grass, probably "paja brava", into their hats as a substitute. This may have been one of the reasons why green was used in the newly created Bolivian flag together with the red associated with Peru?

We hope that this very brief and incomplete introduction to Argentine military lore may somehow awake the reader's interest, and while these uniforms may not compare with those of the northern hemisphere, they have some claim to originality and flare.