Manuel Isidoro Suárez
Encyclopedia
Manuel Isidoro Suárez was an Argentine
colonel who commanded Peru
vian and Colombia
n cavalry troops in their wars of independence. He was noted for his pivotal role in securing a revolutionary victory at the Battle of Junín
. He was the great-grandfather of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges
, who commemorated him in three poems:
to withdraw from the field to his infantry rearguard. Reunited, they hurried back and waited once more for the royalist cavalry under Canterac
.
Colonel Suárez commanded the Peruvian Hussars, part of Miller's cavalry. Suárez and his men concealed themselves in a twist in the road, where they lay in wait for the enemy. They did not leave with the rest of Miller's cavalry, observing that Canterac's entire cavalry was riding in pursuit. Suárez allowed them to pass and then ordered the attack. The royalists found their unguarded flank under attack. The royalists attempted to regroup and return the attack, but began to break rank and were pursued and defeated by the Peruvian Hussars, the Colombian Grenadiers, the Mounted Grenadiers, and Colombian Hussars.
The partido
of Coronel Suárez
, in the south of Buenos Aires Province
, and its main city, Coronel Suárez
, were both named after him.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
colonel who commanded Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian and Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n cavalry troops in their wars of independence. He was noted for his pivotal role in securing a revolutionary victory at the Battle of Junín
Battle of Junín
The Battle of Junín was a military engagement of the Peruvian War of Independence, fought in the highlands of the Junín Region on August 6, 1824. The preceding February the royalists had regained control of Lima, and having regrouped in Trujillo, Simón Bolívar in June led his rebel forces south to...
. He was the great-grandfather of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
, who commemorated him in three poems:
- "Sepulchral Inscription" from Fervor of Buenos Aires (1923)
- "A Page to Commemorate Colonel Suárez, Victor at Junín" from The Other, The Same (1964)
- "Colonel Suárez" from The Iron Coin (1976)
Role in the Battle of Junín
On August 6, 1824, the revolutionary and royalist armies confronted one another on the plain of Junín. The revolutionaries occupied the low ground, while the royalist cavalry held better territory. The armies clashed at around four in the afternoon. In the initial melee of "swords and sabers", revolutionary general William Miller's hussars were forced back. This initial setback led Simon BolívarSimón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
to withdraw from the field to his infantry rearguard. Reunited, they hurried back and waited once more for the royalist cavalry under Canterac
José de Canterac
José de Canterac was a Spanish general of French origin who fought in the Spanish American wars of independence. As Field Marshal, he took command of the Spanish Army in South America in 1822. His defeats at the Battle of Junín and the Battle of Ayacucho led to his capitulation to the Patriot forces...
.
Colonel Suárez commanded the Peruvian Hussars, part of Miller's cavalry. Suárez and his men concealed themselves in a twist in the road, where they lay in wait for the enemy. They did not leave with the rest of Miller's cavalry, observing that Canterac's entire cavalry was riding in pursuit. Suárez allowed them to pass and then ordered the attack. The royalists found their unguarded flank under attack. The royalists attempted to regroup and return the attack, but began to break rank and were pursued and defeated by the Peruvian Hussars, the Colombian Grenadiers, the Mounted Grenadiers, and Colombian Hussars.
The partido
Partido
A partido is an administrative subdivision of the . They are formally considered to be a single municipality, and usually contain one or more population centers...
of Coronel Suárez
Coronel Suárez Partido
The partido of Coronel Suárez is a subdivision of the Province of Buenos Aires in Argentina. Located in the south-central part of the province, it was created in 1882 by the provincial government when they divided the territory of Tres Arroyos into the partidos of Coronel Suárez, Tres Arroyos and...
, in the south of Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, and its main city, Coronel Suárez
Coronel Suárez
Coronel Suárez is a town in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is also the capital of Coronel Suárez Partido.The partido was created in 1882 by the government of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina who divided the territory of Tres Arroyos into the partidos of Tres Arroyos, Coronel Pringles and...
, were both named after him.