Crossing the Andes

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de San Martín and O'Higgins crossing the Cordilleras (painting by Julio Vila y Prades , 19th century)

The crossing of the Andes (Spanish: Cruce de los Andes ) was a military operation in the war of independence of the Spanish colonies Argentina and Chile in early 1817 . The ensuing battle of Chacabuco was a heavy defeat for the Spanish army.

Troops and supplies

The city of Mendoza was made a central headquarters in connection with the crossing of the Andes . The locals were willing to support the rebels and learned how to make cannons from the soldiers.

The main food of the troops was a regional specialty called valdiviano . It was made from dry meat, sliced ​​onions, and boiling water. In addition to this dish, other foods were carried with them, a total of 40 tons of food.

The crossing

On the morning of January 19, 1817, de San Martín and his troops left the El Plumerillo camp to begin crossing the Andes. He carried 4,000 soldiers with him, of whom he lost a third.

Before the march, de San Martín divided the army in two. One part marched under the command of de San Martín , O'Higgins and Miguel Estanislao over the Los Patos pass . The rest of the army took a more southerly route and was commanded by Juan Gregorio de Las Heras .

On February 13, 1817, just under a month after the march began, the first part of the army reached the Chilean city of Santiago de Chile . This march has been cited as one of the greatest feats of the war.

literature

  • Robert L. Scheina: Latin America's Wars . Brassey's, 2003.
  • John Lawrence Rector: The History of Chile . Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003.
  • William Spence Robertson: History of Latin-American Nations . D. Appleton and Company, Texas 1922.
  • Harry Weston Van Dyke: Through South America . Thomas Y. Crowell Company, Texas 1912.

Web links