Battle of San Lorenzo (Argentina, 1846)

Combat of San Lorenzo. Battle which is also known as the second Battle of San Lorenzo, developed on January 16 , 1846 within the framework of the Paraná War , between the forces of the Argentine Confederation and the Anglo-French forces, under the command of Samuel Inglefield , which kept access to the ports on the River Plate and the Paraná River blocked .

Summary

[ disguise ]

• Background
• 2 Combat development
• 3 Result
• 4 Sources

Background

In mid-1845 the Argentine Confederation was invaded by a powerful Anglo-French fleet under the command of Admiral Hotham. The two greatest powers in the world violated Argentine territory at the request of English merchants, bankers and industrialists who “urged the British government to, together with that of France, adopt measures to limit the restrictions placed on trade in La Plata.”

In anticipation of the invaders’ purpose of forcing the Paraná, the Argentine army sets up, in different and strategic places along the river, defenses to stop or at least hinder the navigation of the powerful invading fleet.

After fighting with the Anglo-French squad in Paso del Tonelero, Mansilla placed eight cannons hidden under piles of brush, 250 carabinieri and 100 infantry in the ravines of the coast between the convent of San Lorenzo and the tip of Quebracho .

Combat development

At noon on January 16 , 1846 , the steamship “Gordon”, the corvette “Expeditive”, the brigs “Dolphin”, “King” and two armed schooners appeared. The fleet mounted 37 heavy-caliber guns and guarded the navigation of 52 merchant ships.

At the mouth of the San Lorenzo stream, the “Expeditive” and the “Gordon” fired three bullets and shrapnel on the coast to discover Mansilla’s strength. The Argentine troops remained, according to plan, hidden in their posts. When the entire convoy was in the narrowness of the river, Mansilla ordered the fire of his batteries led by captains José Serezo, Santiago Maurice and Álvaro de Alzogaray to break.

«The attack was accurate; The merchant ships headed dismantled towards two nearby streams, increasing the damage caused by the land cannons with their collision with each other.

Adolfo Saldías. History of the Argentine Confederation .

At the beginning of the afternoon the combat was still extremely fierce. Favored by the evening stern wind, the invading convoy reached the place called “Punta Quebracho” with great damage to the warships and considerable losses of the manufactured goods carried by the merchant ships. 50 men from the invading forces died in combat. Rear Admiral Inglefield in his official report to the British Admiralty says that:

“The English and French steamers held the fire for more than three and a half hours and barely a single ship in the convoy left without receiving a shot.”

Commemorative plaque of Combat of San Lorenzo

The loss of the national forces was insignificant: a single casualty. Mansilla was able to say with propriety that:

“He had had the honor of defending the flag of his country in the same place of San Lorenzo that San Martín watered with his blood when leading the first charge of his later famous Grenadiers on horseback.”

Result

The victory in that battle gave the definitive triumph of the Argentine forces, being the end of the colonialist expedition of the Anglo-French squadron.