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| Army of the North (Argentina) | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Army of the North |
| Native name | Ejército del Norte |
| Country | United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata |
| Active | 1810–1820s |
| Branch | Land forces |
| Size | Varied (divisions, detachments) |
| Battles | Battle of Suipacha; Battle of Salta; Battle of Vilcapugio; Battle of Ayohuma; Battle of Sipe Sipe |
| Notable commanders | Manuel Belgrano; Juan José Castelli; Martín Miguel de Güemes; José Rondeau; Juan Bautista Bustos |
Army of the North (Argentina) was the principal military force deployed by the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata to prosecute operations in the Upper Peru theater during the Argentine War of Independence. It operated across the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, engaging forces of the Spanish Empire, collaborating and clashing with leaders from Upper Peru, Charcas, and various indigenous polities. The Army's campaigns shaped the course of independence struggles across the Andes and influenced later conflicts in Bolivia and Peru.
The Army emerged in the wake of the May Revolution of 1810 when the Primera Junta authorized military expeditions to secure the northern frontiers and assert authority in the former Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. Early formations drew personnel from units tied to the Banda Oriental, Salta, Jujuy, and Córdoba, incorporating veterans of colonial militias, volunteers inspired by the Enlightenment, and officers influenced by the Peninsular War's reshaping of Spanish imperial power. Initial campaigns were led by figures associated with the Primera Junta, including commissioners from Buenos Aires and representatives from Alto Perú who sought to consolidate revolutionary governance.
Command rotated among prominent revolutionary leaders with commissions from bodies such as the Primera Junta, the Junta Grande, and later the Triumvirate. Key commanders included Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli, José Rondeau, and provincial caudillos like Martín Miguel de Güemes and Juan Bautista Bustos. The Army organized into divisions, battalions, cavalry corps, and artillery units modeled on contemporary European practice seen in the Napoleonic Wars and influenced by officers exposed to doctrine from Spain, France, and Britain. Logistical and administrative oversight involved committees linked to Buenos Aires's Cabildo and provincial assemblies in Salta, Jujuy, and Tucumán.
The Army fought major engagements across Upper Peru and the southern Andes. Early victory at the Battle of Suipacha secured morale and territorial gains, while the triumph at the Battle of Salta under Manuel Belgrano showcased disciplined infantry and cavalry maneuvers. Subsequent setbacks at the Battle of Vilcapugio and the Battle of Ayohuma against royalist commanders such as José de la Serna and Goyeneche forced strategic retreats. Later efforts culminated in the large-scale but ultimately unsuccessful Battle of Sipe Sipe (also called the Battle of Viluma), where royalist forces under leaders from Upper Peru reversed earlier gains. Throughout these campaigns, clashes with royalist units raised in Cochabamba, Potosí, and La Paz persisted, and operations intersected with broader theaters including the Peruvian and Chilean War of Independence campaigns.
Operations required negotiation and conflict with indigenous nations such as the Aymara, Quechua, Diaguita, and other Andean communities, as well as mestizo and creole populations in urban centers like Potosí and La Paz. The Army engaged in alliances and conscription efforts that intersected with the leadership of regional caudillos and local alcaldes, prompting cooperation with militias from Salta and Jujuy while sometimes provoking resistance among communities affected by requisitions and billeting. Leaders like Martín Miguel de Güemes leveraged gaucho irregulars and local loyalties, while figures connected to the Alto Perú debated autonomy versus incorporation into the United Provinces.
Supplies funneled through Buenos Aires ports and overland routes across the Gran Chaco and Andes; corridors involved staging points at Tucumán, Salta, and Jujuy. Equipment reflected a mix of captured Spanish arms, locally produced muskets, imported artillery from Great Britain and merchants linked to Montevideo, and improvised cavalry tack used by gaucho units. Recruitment combined volunteers from revolutionary societies, conscripts raised by provincial juntas, and mercenary enlistment influenced by veterans of the Peninsular War. Disease, altitude, and supply attrition across the Altiplano posed constant logistical challenges, exacerbated by seasonal weather affecting mule trains and riverine transport on the Pilcomayo and Bermejo basins.
The Army provided the primary instrument for projecting the United Provinces' authority into contested Upper Peru, attempting to sever royalist control and encourage local juntas aligned with independence. Its operations intersected with diplomatic and political efforts involving the Congress of Tucumán, the Directory, and provincial governments in Córdoba, Salta, and Mendoza. While failing to permanently secure Upper Peru, actions by the Army aided the strategic diversion of royalist resources, supported parallel campaigns led by José de San Martín in the Liberation of Peru, and influenced independence movements across Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.
After repeated reverses and shifting priorities toward the Pacific campaigns, the Army's remnants were reorganized, with many officers and soldiers transitioning into provincial militias, caudillo commands, or joining expeditions under leaders such as José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar in broader South American independence efforts. Its legacy endures in memorialization at battle sites like Salta and Suipacha, in iconography surrounding commanders such as Manuel Belgrano and Martín Miguel de Güemes, and in historiography concerning the formation of Bolivia and the consolidation of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. Monuments, regimental traditions in Argentine Army lineages, and provincial commemorations in Salta Province and Jujuy Province reflect continued public memory.
Category:Argentine War of Independence Category:Military units and formations of Argentina Category:History of Bolivia