- Battle of Cepeda (1859)
The Battle of Cepeda of 1859 took place on
October 23 of that year inCañada de Cepeda , Santa Fe,Argentina , and in which FederalJusto José de Urquiza defeated UnitarianBartolomé Mitre .Given the years of confrontations that followed the declaration of Independence between the Federal forces of the provinces and the Unitarian
Buenos Aires Province , theCongress of Paraná dictated on April 1 of 1859 a law for whichJusto José de Urquiza –electedpresident of Argentina after the sanction of theArgentine Constitution of 1853 – was to pacifically reincorporate the dissident province of Buenos Aires, but allowed the use of arms if this was not possible.The government of Buenos Aires interpreted that law like a formal declaration of war, and in May the legislature of the province decided to repel with the province's troupes any military aggression.
Valentín Alsina laid the command of the effectives to GeneralBartolomé Mitre .Given the imminence of the conflict,
Brazil ,Paraguay , theUnited States and theUnited Kingdom tried to prevent it interceding friendly on the matter. The neighbour country of Paraguay sent young militaryFrancisco Solano López , who in the state of emergency was named minister with special attributions. Attempts of pacific resolution failed since Alsina demanded Urquiza's resignation, who wouldn't comply.Once decided the armed confrontation, Urquiza advanced with the army of the confederation over Buenos Aires, but saw Mitre's men at the
Cañada de Cepeda , north of Pergamino . After some tactical movements both forces clashed onOctober 23 of 1859. Theporteño Unitarian army was defeated and at the evening Mitre's forces fell back towardsSan Nicolás de los Arroyos , from where they embarked and returned toBuenos Aires city.References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.