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| Army of the North (United Provinces of the Río de la Plata) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Army of the North |
| Native name | Ejército del Norte |
| Active | 1810–1820s |
| Country | United Provinces of the Río de la Plata |
| Allegiance | May Revolution, Primera Junta |
| Type | Expeditionary force |
| Size | Variable (regiments, battalions, gaucho units) |
| Notable commanders | Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli, José Rondeau, Mariano Moreno, Bernardino Rivadavia |
Army of the North (United Provinces of the Río de la Plata) The Army of the North was the principal expeditionary force raised by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata after the May Revolution to prosecute campaigns in the Upper Peru theater against royalist forces during the Spanish American wars of independence. It operated across the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata frontier, engaging in battles, sieges, and political maneuvering involving local elites, indigenous nations, and neighboring polities such as Chile and Paraguay. Its history intersects with figures like Manuel Belgrano, Juan Martín de Pueyrredón, José de San Martín, and events including the Battle of Tucumán and Battle of Salta.
The Army of the North emerged after the May Revolution of 1810 when the Primera Junta and later the Junta Grande sought to secure the northern provinces and drive royalist authority from Upper Peru (present-day Bolivia). Early expeditions were authorized amid debates between patriot leaders such as Mariano Moreno and Cornelio Saavedra over strategy, reflecting tensions in the Cabildo Abierto and among provincial Jujuy, Salta, and Tucumán elites. Initial formations included units drawn from the Banda Oriental, Córdoba Province, and militia from Buenos Aires, influenced by international events like the Napoleonic Wars and diplomatic shifts involving the Spanish Cortes of Cádiz.
Command rotated among revolutionary leaders: campaigns were led by commanders such as Juan José Castelli, Manuel Belgrano, José Rondeau, and later by political appointees tied to the Directorio. Organizationally the force combined line infantry, cavalry regiments, light infantry, and irregulars including gaucho militias like those under leaders associated with Juan Facundo Quiroga and provincial caudillos. Administrative control involved the Supreme Director and provincial juntas in Salta, Jujuy, and Tucumán, while officers often had prior service in the Spanish Army or experience from the Peninsular War. Logistics and promotions were contested between military chiefs and political bodies including the Congress of Tucumán and Central Junta successors.
Major operations included the 1810–1811 Upper Peru campaigns under Juan José Castelli and the 1812–1813 campaigns under Manuel Belgrano culminating in the Battle of Tucumán and Battle of Salta, followed by defeats at the Battle of Vilcapugio and Battle of Ayohuma. Subsequent commanders like José Rondeau and Bernardo Monteagudo led actions tied to the Liga Federal disputes and incursions into Upper Peru with engagements at Sipe Sipe and prolonged sieges such as at Potosí. Cross-border coordination with the Army of the Andes under José de San Martín and diplomatic links to Chile and Peru affected strategic aims, while royalist forces under commanders like Pedro Antonio Olañeta and Ignacio de la Serna contested control.
Recruits came from urban militias in Buenos Aires, provincial militiamen from Córdoba Province, Salta Province, and rural gauchos from La Rioja Province and Santiago del Estero Province. Enlisted ranks included criollos, mestizos, and indigenous conscripts drawn from communities such as the Quechua and Aymara peoples in Upper Peru. Officers often hailed from the colonial elite—families like the Belgranos and Pueyrredóns—or were veterans of the Peninsular War. Recruitment combined voluntary enlistment, militia levies by provincial juntas, and forced drafts, intersecting with provincial politics involving actors such as Bernardino Rivadavia and Martín Miguel de Güemes.
The Army relied on supply lines along the Ruta del Alto Perú and overland routes through Salta and Jujuy, supported by local arsenals in Buenos Aires and stores in Potosí. Equipment included muskets, artillery pieces captured from royalists, improvised cavalry tack used by gauchos, and uniforms procured from provincial treasuries controlled by the Junta Grande and later by the Directorio. Fortifications and defensive works were erected at strategic points such as Tucumán, Salta, Jujuy, and frontier posts near the Desaguadero River; maintenance was hindered by shortages caused by blockade attempts by royalist naval allies and limited industrial capacity in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.
Interactions with local populations were complex: the Army negotiated alliances with provincial elites in Salta and Tucumán, recruited indigenous auxiliaries from Quechua and Aymara communities, and contended with autonomy movements led by caudillos like Martín Miguel de Güemes. Policies toward indigenous peoples varied by commander—some, like Manuel Belgrano, sought civic integration, while others relied on coercive levies. Conflicts with royalist-aligned factions and rivals such as Pedro Antonio Olañeta destabilized rural regions, affecting indigenous livelihoods and prompting migrations that reshaped demographics in provinces like Jujuy and Potosí.
After repeated setbacks in Upper Peru and the strategic reorientation of independence efforts toward Chile and Peru under José de San Martín, the Army of the North fragmented in the 1820s; elements merged into provincial forces, caudillo armies, and units incorporated into campaigns led by the United Provinces and successor states. Its legacy endures in the memory of victories such as Tucumán and Salta, the careers of figures like Manuel Belgrano and José Rondeau, and its role in shaping national boundaries between Argentina and Bolivia, influencing later treaties and state formation debates involving actors like Bernardino Rivadavia and institutions like the Congress of Tucumán.
Category:Military history of Argentina Category:Argentine War of Independence Category:1810s in South America