Bicentenary of the Battle of Salta

Argentina, February 20, 2013

Today, the country remembers the bicentenary of the Battle of Salta, which took place on February 20, 1813 in Campo Castañares, now north of the city of Salta, during the War of Independence of Argentina.

The Northern Army, under General Manuel Belgrano and Eustoquio Diaz Velez as second in command, defeated the royalist troops of Brigadier Juan Pio Tristan, which had been already beaten in September in the Battle of Tucumán.

The surrender of the Royalists guaranteed the government control over most of the territories of the old Viceroy of the Río de la Plata but allowed the Patriots to recover, temporarily, control of Upper Peru.

Belgrano achieved the victory in the Battle of Tucumán, fought on 24 and 25 September 1812, to reinforce the army under his command.

Following the victory at the Battle of Salta, the Spanish had 480 dead, 114 wounded and 2,786 men who surrendered.

The battle of Salta was an important victory for the revolutionaries. Following this triumph, the royalist armies were stopped in their advance towards the south and the land could never be recovered for them.

Diaz Velez appointed military governor of the province of Salta and placed the first Argentine Flag on the balcony of the City Council while representatives of the realistic trophies placed them in the Chapter House.