Action of Tambo Nuevo
Encyclopedia
The Action of Tambo Nuevo, also known as Hazaña de los Tres Sargentos was a successful cavalry raid carried out between 23 and 25 October 1813, during the second Upper Peru
campaign of the Argentine War of Independence
, by a small detachment of Dragones
of the Army of the North
. The targets were the headquarters of royalist Colonel Saturnino Castro at Yocalla
, and later a forward outpost on Tambo Nuevo.
in the battle of Vilcapugio
, on 1 October 1813, the bulk of the republican Army of the North withdrawn to the east, establishing a camp in the town of Macha
. Belgrano hoped to reinforce his exhausted and demoralized troops with local draft and supplies. The royalist situation was no better, despite their recent victory. General Joaquin de la Pezuela
lost more than 200 men in Vilcapugio, along with a good number of mules and horses, the main way of carrying artillery and other provisions through the rugged soil. A smaller fraction of Belgrano's army retreated to the city Potosí
, under the command of General Díaz Vélez
. By mid-October, Potosí was threaten from the north by a royalist squadron, led by Colonel Saturnino Castro, who seized the town of Yocalla.
, to collect intelligence about the royalist headquarters at Yocalla. La Madrid departed the republican camp with four Dragones and a native guide. After an icy-cold night, which ended in a heavy snowfall, the small detachment was just 400 metres away from the enemy stronghold. Not only their recce mission went unnoticed, but they also surprised a royalist patrol marching on the snow and took five prisoners. Only a troop of local natives, loyal to Pezuela, harassed La Madrid's group during their retreat along the defile
of Tinguipaya, and informed Castro about his path through the mountains. When the captives were presented to Belgrano, he recognized two of them - a corporal and a soldier - as members of the royalist army defeated in Salta
. These men had sworn not to turn their arms on the republicans again. To make an example, Belgrano had them executed by a shooting squad. Their bodies were later beheaded, and their heads, along with a reinforcement of eight Dragones, were sent to La Madrid, still close to the enemy.
La Madrid learned that Castro, aware of the route and movements of the Dragones due to his local informers, had ordered a company to mount an ambush on the outpost of Tambo Nuevo, a mountain pass 25 km north of Yocalla. On the night of the 24th, La Madrid and his men climbed a hill behind the outpost. Three soldiers, acting as scouts, were the first to reach the enemy position. They found a stable of adobe
sheltering at least 50 horses, and another building guarded by a sentry. After overpowering the surprised soldier, they broke into the building where they found another 10 men sleeping. All of them were initially taken prisoners, but later a royalist sergeant managed to escape and gave the alarm. The rest of the company, suspecting that the republican forces outnumbered them, remained inside another building until dawn. There was a sporadic exchange of fire. At first light, La Madrid fell back to Macha with the 10 captives. The three soldiers were promoted to sergeants by Belgrano, with the title of Sargentos de Tambo Nuevo.
Upper Peru
Upper Peru was the region in the Viceroyalty of Peru, and after 1776, the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, comprising the governorships of Potosí, La Paz, Cochabamba, Los Chiquitos, Moxos and Charcas...
campaign of the Argentine War of Independence
Argentine War of Independence
The Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
, by a small detachment of Dragones
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
of the Army of the North
Army of the North
The Army of the North , contemporaneously called Army of Peru, was one of the armies deployed by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in the Spanish American wars of independence. Its objective was freeing the Argentine Northwest and the Upper Peru from the royalist troops of the Spanish...
. The targets were the headquarters of royalist Colonel Saturnino Castro at Yocalla
Tomás Frías Province
Tomás Frías is a province in the northern parts of the Bolivian Potosí Department. Its capital is Potosí which is also the capital of the department. The province is named after the former president Tomás Frías Ametller.-Location:...
, and later a forward outpost on Tambo Nuevo.
Background
After the defeat of General Manuel BelgranoManuel Belgrano
Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano , usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano, was an Argentine economist, lawyer, politician, and military leader. He took part in the Argentine Wars of Independence and created the Flag of Argentina...
in the battle of Vilcapugio
Battle of Vilcapugio
The Battle of Vilcapugio was an action fought on October 1, 1813 during the second Campaign of Upper Peru in the Argentine War of Independence, where the republican forces led by General Manuel Belgrano were defeated by a pro-Spanish royalist army, led by Joaquin de la Pezuela.The campaign was...
, on 1 October 1813, the bulk of the republican Army of the North withdrawn to the east, establishing a camp in the town of Macha
Santiago de Macha
Santiago de Macha is a Bolivian city of the department of Potosí, in the province of Chayanta. The town had reached a population of nearly 10,000 people by 2008. Most of the young adult works abroad, and the village's marketplace opens only on Sunday...
. Belgrano hoped to reinforce his exhausted and demoralized troops with local draft and supplies. The royalist situation was no better, despite their recent victory. General Joaquin de la Pezuela
Joaquín de la Pezuela
Joaquín de la Pezuela Griñán y Sánchez Muñoz de Velasco, 1st marquis of Viluma was a Spanish military officer and viceroy of Peru during the War of Independence.-Background:...
lost more than 200 men in Vilcapugio, along with a good number of mules and horses, the main way of carrying artillery and other provisions through the rugged soil. A smaller fraction of Belgrano's army retreated to the city Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...
, under the command of General Díaz Vélez
Eustaquio Díaz Vélez
Eustaquio Díaz Vélez was an Argentine soldier who fought in the Argentine War of Independence and in the civil wars of his country.-Beginnings:...
. By mid-October, Potosí was threaten from the north by a royalist squadron, led by Colonel Saturnino Castro, who seized the town of Yocalla.
First raid
While honing his forces at Macha, Belgrano ordered several reconnaissance missions on the enemy. He chose one of his best officers, Lieutenant La MadridGregorio Aráoz de Lamadrid
Comandante General Gregorio Aráoz de Lamadrid was an Argentine military leader and, briefly, governor of several provinces like Córdoba, Mendoza and his native province of Tucumán.Lamadrid fought beside General Belgrano and General San Martín during the Argentine War of Independence, as a prominent...
, to collect intelligence about the royalist headquarters at Yocalla. La Madrid departed the republican camp with four Dragones and a native guide. After an icy-cold night, which ended in a heavy snowfall, the small detachment was just 400 metres away from the enemy stronghold. Not only their recce mission went unnoticed, but they also surprised a royalist patrol marching on the snow and took five prisoners. Only a troop of local natives, loyal to Pezuela, harassed La Madrid's group during their retreat along the defile
Defile (geography)
Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front...
of Tinguipaya, and informed Castro about his path through the mountains. When the captives were presented to Belgrano, he recognized two of them - a corporal and a soldier - as members of the royalist army defeated in Salta
Battle of Salta
The Battle of Salta took place on February 20, 1813 on the plains of Castañares, near the present-day Argentina city of Salta, during the Argentine War of Independence. The Army of the North, under the command of general Manuel Belgrano, defeated for the second time the royalist troops of general...
. These men had sworn not to turn their arms on the republicans again. To make an example, Belgrano had them executed by a shooting squad. Their bodies were later beheaded, and their heads, along with a reinforcement of eight Dragones, were sent to La Madrid, still close to the enemy.
Tambo Nuevo
Adobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
sheltering at least 50 horses, and another building guarded by a sentry. After overpowering the surprised soldier, they broke into the building where they found another 10 men sleeping. All of them were initially taken prisoners, but later a royalist sergeant managed to escape and gave the alarm. The rest of the company, suspecting that the republican forces outnumbered them, remained inside another building until dawn. There was a sporadic exchange of fire. At first light, La Madrid fell back to Macha with the 10 captives. The three soldiers were promoted to sergeants by Belgrano, with the title of Sargentos de Tambo Nuevo.
Aftermath
The small action had the unexpected effect of relieving Potosí. Indeed, Castro believed that his squadron was shadowed by a combined force of 200 men and withdrawn to Condo, the headquarters of General Pezuela. This movement allowed General Díaz Vélez and his troops to join Belgrano's army in Macha. La Madrid cavalry reached the site of the battle of Vilcapugio, where he buried the corpses of several of his camarades fallen there. He chose this place to fix the severed heads of the prisoners executed by Belgrano in pikes. A banner was put on each pike with the writing por perjuros (for perjurers).See also
- Battle of PequerequeBattle of PequerequeThe Battle of Pequereque was a clash which took place on 19 June 1813, during the second Upper Peru campaign of the Argentine War of Independence, between scouting forces of the United Provinces Army of the North and the royalist Army of Perú...
- Battle of VilcapugioBattle of VilcapugioThe Battle of Vilcapugio was an action fought on October 1, 1813 during the second Campaign of Upper Peru in the Argentine War of Independence, where the republican forces led by General Manuel Belgrano were defeated by a pro-Spanish royalist army, led by Joaquin de la Pezuela.The campaign was...
- Battle of AyohumaBattle of AyohumaThe Battle of Ayohuma was an action fought on 14 November 1813, during the second Upper Peru Campaign of the Argentine War of Independence...
- Tres SargentosTres SargentosTres Sargentos is a village in Carmen de Areco Partido, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.-History:The General Manuel Belgrano railway was laid through the area in 1906, the station was established in 1907.-Name:...