These sections deal with the actions fought in the chaotic regions of Alto Peru and Southeastern South America. Alto Peru was included in this section since most of the liberation forces involved were from the Argentine area of Buenos Aires. It also includes actions between splinter groups within the boundaries of the future Argentina.

October 1810. The Argentine Liberation force under Balcarce and Castelli enters the Upper Peru region after defeating a Royalist force at Cordoba.

7 November 1810. The Battle of Suipacha. The Argentine force defeats the Royalist but fail to follow up and destroy them.

9 January 1811. Battle of Paraguari. Porteno troops (700) under Belgrano invade Paraguay. A combined force of Royalists, Loyalist and anti-Portenoist (5000) defeat the invaders.

9 March 1811. Battle of Tacuari. Paraguay coalition forces (4000) defeat the porteno troops (600) under Belgrano. The Porteno army leaves Paraguay. Local Creole forces eventually eject the Royalist troops and form a republic without Porteno interference.

20 June 1811. The Battle of Huaqui. The regrouped Royalist forces under Goyeneche defeat the Argentine troops under Castelli. The Argentines withdraw from Upper Peru.

1811. The Uruguay Battlefield. Aka Banda Oriental. The Proteno Creole government sent several columns into the area. Local Oriental Creoles (est 4000 men) supported the Caudillo Artigas. Portuguese troops from Brazil advanced into the territory.. Overtly they were in support of the Royalist viceroy but also had annexation aims under consideration A truce was called between the Royalist and Argentine Creoles in order to counter the Brazilians. Artigas supporters fled the area.

24 September 1812. The Battle of Tucuman. The Royalist attempt in invade Argentina via Upper Peru is defeated. The invasion is delayed but not halted.

? January 1813. San Lorenzo. Royalist land a raiding party (300 inf + 2 guns) upriver. Portenos Mtd Grenadiers (120) under San Martin are laying in ambush. After several hours the Royalist are forced to retreat back to their boats.

20 February 1813. Battle of SALTA. Proteno forces under Belgrano defeat Royalist troops from Peru. This halts their invasion of Argentina.

1813. The Proteno Argentines under Belgrano launch a second expedition to Upper Peru. They are defeated at Vallapugio in October and at Ayohuma on 14 November by the Royalist under Pezuela. The Protenos withdraw from the region with a loss of 3000 men.

1813. Uruguay. Orientals under Artigas and Protenos Creoles conduct independent operations against the Royalists centered in Montevideo. June 1814. Royalist forces surrender Uruguay to the Portenos. They govern a rebellious population until February 1815 when they turn over power to the Artigas faction.

1815. A third Argentine invasion of Upper Peru. General Roundeau conducts an expedition into Upper Peru. The Proteno force is composed of poorly disciplined levies who could not even with the support of the local guerrilla bands defeat the Royalist.

29 November 1815. Battle of Sipe Sipe. Royalist forces under Pezuela defeat the Argentines under Roundeau. The defeat weakens the Proteno army and splits the support for a unified Argentina.

1815. The Rio De La Plata government in Buenos Aires faces numerous individual caudillo armies as individual towns declare independence.

1815. Sante Fe and Cordoba in central Argentina declares its independence from Buenos Aires. A Proteno auxiliary army is sent to occupy them.

1816. Brazil with reinforcements of Portuguese veterans invade the Banda Oriental. The Portuguese under Lecor fought several actions and finally captured Montevideo in January 1817. Oriental guerrillas conducted raids throughout 1817. 1816. Worried by the level of guerrilla support given to the Argentines in 1815, the Royalist launch a massive coordinated counter-insurgency operation in Upper Peru. The Royalist succeed in destroying six of the seven major guerrilla faction in the region.

1817. The Protenos under La Madrid conduct a minor probing operation into Upper Peru. No territory was gained or lost in the operation.

1819 The Caudillo Guemes of Salta attacks the forces of Tucuman which has seceded from Buenos Aires rule. He liberated several towns. He is anti-Proteno and anti-Royalist.

22 January 1820. Battle of TACAREMBO. The Orientals under Artigas resist the Portuguese invasion from Brazil. This is the major battle which determined who would control the Banda Oriental. The Portuguese won and the Orientals fled to La Rioja.

1 February 1820. Battle of CEPEDA. Caudillo Ramirez of La Rioja with mainly Gaucho troops defeat the Proteno forces.

Mid-February 1820. Oriental refugees under Artigas are denied shelter in La Rioja. Several skirmishes are fought with the forces of Ramirez. After the losses Artigas goes into exile in Paraguay.

1820. Interior Argentina. The Chilean Legion (600) under Jose M. Carrera attack Porteno and caudillo towns in the interior of Argentina as they are en-route to invade Chile. They are defeated after several minor skirmishes.

1825-28. Oriental partisans conduct raids against the Portuguese army in Banda Oriental. In 1828 raiders under Rivera capture the Brazilian town of Misiones.

1825 Dec- 1828 Aug. Argentina versus Brazil over the Banda Oriental territory.

Latin American Wars of Independence

Background Data
Key Terms and Definitions
Organization and Character of the Armies
Operations in Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Operations in Upper Peru (Bolivia) and Argentina
Operations in Chile and Peru
Key Leaders
Bibliographic Appendix