Juan Bautista Baigorria, also known as Granadero Baigorria, was born in San Luis Province

San Luis Province

San Luis is a province of Argentina located near the geographical center of the country . Neighboring provinces are, from the north clockwise, La Rioja, Córdoba, La Pampa, Mendoza and San Juan.-History:...

 and died at the Battle of San Lorenzo

Battle of San Lorenzo

The Battle of San Lorenzo was fought on February 3, 1813 in San Lorenzo, Argentina, then part of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. A Spanish Royalist army under the command of Antonio Zabala was defeated by the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers, under the command of José de San Martín...

 on 3 February 1813, was an Argentine

Argentine people

Argentines are the citizens of Argentina, or their descendants abroad. Argentina is a multiethnic society, which means that it is home to people of many different ethnic backgrounds. According to the , Argentina had a population of 36,260,130 inhabitants, of which 1,527,320, or 4.2%, were born...

 soldier. He died in battle and became famous by having saved his commander when he stopped a royalist

Royalist

A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of government, but not necessarily a particular monarch...

 from bayonnetting

Bayonet

A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...

 then-colonel José de San Martín

José de San Martín

José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...

.

Military career

Baigorria was part of the 1st company of Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers. He was at the Battle of San Lorenzo, on 3 February 1813. When a royalist soldier tried to kill his commanding officer, then-colonel San Martín who had a leg pinned under his fallen horse, Baigorria killed the enemy with his lance

Lance

A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...

. San Martín's horse had been wounded and felled by a royalist shot and had caught the colonel on his leg. This action by Baigorria allowed Private Juan Bautista Cabral

Juan Bautista Cabral

Juan Bautista Cabral was an Argentine soldier of the Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers who died in the Battle of San Lorenzo, while he was aiding then Colonel José de San Martín, whose horse had fallen to enemy fire...

 to help the colonel and save his life. Baigorria died in this action after being wounded by a royalist.

He is remembered and honored with the town of Granadero Baigorria

Granadero Baigorria

Granadero Baigorria is a city in the south of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, located directly north of Rosario, on the western shore of the Paraná River, and forming part of the Greater Rosario metropolitan area...

in Santa Fe Province, named after him.