Battle of Cerrito facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Cerrito |
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| Part of the Second Banda Oriental campaign | |||||||
 Drawing of the battle by a direct witness |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Provinces of the Río de la Plata |
 Spanish Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| José Rondeau |
Gaspar de Vigodet José Muesas † |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 1,000 soldiers 2 artillery |
2,000 infantry 300 cavalry 8 guns |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 90 killed 40 captured 1 gun lost |
100 killed 146 wounded 30 captured |
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The Battle of Cerrito was an important fight during the Argentine War of Independence. It happened on December 31, 1812, near the city of Montevideo. In this battle, forces from Buenos Aires (who wanted independence) fought against the royalist forces who were loyal to Spain and controlled Montevideo.
What Was Happening?
In 1811, a group from Buenos Aires called the Junta Grande and local fighters led by José Artigas started to surround the city of Montevideo. This was because Montevideo didn't want to follow the new government in Buenos Aires, which had formed after the May Revolution. The first time, they had to stop the siege because of problems in another part of the war.
Later, a new government in Buenos Aires, called the Second Triumvirate, decided to try again. So, in October 1812, they restarted the siege. The rebel forces were led by José Rondeau. There were also other groups, but Artigas's fighters hadn't joined yet because of disagreements. Before the battle, the rebel army took over Colonia del Sacramento, which helped them complete the siege around Montevideo.
The Spanish forces inside Montevideo had more soldiers than the rebels. However, some of their soldiers weren't fully committed to fighting for Spain. The rebel army, on the other hand, didn't have many supplies or weapons. Knowing this, the Spanish general, Gaspar de Vigodet, decided to launch a big attack to break out of the city and fight the rebels. But his timing was off. Just the night before the attack, Rondeau's rebel forces received new soldiers and supplies.
The Battle Begins!
On the morning of December 31, 1812, General Vigodet and another leader named Vicente Muesas led about 2,300 Spanish soldiers and 8 cannons out of Montevideo. They attacked the rebel forces.
The rebel leader, Rondeau, only had about 1,000 men and two cannons. He had placed his soldiers on a small hill called Cerrito (which means "low hill" in Spanish). Muesas attacked this hill first. His soldiers managed to push back the rebel soldiers from Regiment Number 6, led by Miguel Estanislao Soler, and took control of the hill. Another group of rebel soldiers, Regiment Number 4, tried to hold the position, but it was difficult.
But then, something surprising happened. Soler quickly gathered his soldiers, many of whom were formerly enslaved people who had gained their freedom by fighting. They launched a surprise counter-attack, charging back up the hill. This sudden attack shocked the Spanish soldiers. Brigadier Muesas was shot and killed, which caused a lot of confusion among his men.
The Spanish forces were pushed off the hill. As they ran downhill, the rebel cavalry (soldiers on horseback) led by Rafael Hortiguera attacked them. This finished the job, and the Spanish forces had to retreat back to Montevideo.
What Happened Next?
The Spanish forces lost about 100 men, had 146 wounded, and 30 were captured. The rebels lost 90 men, had 40 captured, and lost one cannon. Even though the rebels also had losses, the Spanish were very discouraged by their defeat at Cerrito. After this battle, they didn't try to break out of the city walls again. This was true even a year later, when Artigas's forces left the siege, leaving part of the area unprotected. The Spanish still didn't dare to attack Rondeau again.
The victory at Cerrito was a very important moment for the rebels. It showed they could win on land. Montevideo was still strong, though, because it could get food and supplies by sea through the Río de la Plata. This situation continued until May 17, 1814. That's when Admiral William Brown won several important naval battles, which finally forced Vigodet to surrender Montevideo to the rebel army.
After the battle, Rondeau was promoted to general. He later became the commander of the Army of the North and was even chosen twice to be the Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, a very important leader. Soler was promoted to colonel and later became a general. Vázquez and Hortiguera were also promoted for their bravery in the battle.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Cerrito para niños
