Battle of Caseros

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Battle of Caseros or Monte Caseros

Date	February 3, 1852
Location	Buenos Aires nearbies, Argentina
Result	Allied victory

Combatants

Allied Army

Buenos Aires forces

Commanders

Justo José de Urquiza

Juan Manuel Rosas

Strength

25,000 to 27,000

22,000

Casualties

400

1,200

The Battle of Caseros (also known as Monte Caseros) was fought in Caseros , today Estación El Palomar, in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 3 February 1852, between the Army of Buenos Aires commanded by Juan Manuel de Rosas and the Grand Army (Ejército Grande) led by Justo José de Urquiza. The forces of Urquiza, caudillo and governor of Entre Ríos, defeated Rosas, who fled to United Kingdom. This defeat marked a sharp division in the history of Argentina. As provisional Director of the Argentine Confederation, Urquiza sponsored the creation of the Constitution in 1853, and became the first constitutional President of Argentina in 1854.

Rosas had declared war on Brazil in 1851, which led to the signing of a treaty, on 21 November 1851, among the governments of Entre Ríos, Corrientes, Uruguay and the Brazilian Empire. In compliance with the treaty, Urquiza led a joint army and crossed the Morón Stream, positioning his forces in Monte Caseros, located in the outskirts of the city of Buenos Aires (today between Caseros and El Palomar, Tres de Febrero, within Greater Buenos Aires). Brazilian Empire contributed with 4,000 troops with the bulk of Brazilian Army remaining outside Argentina.

Rosas' forces comprised 10,000 infantry soldiers, 12,000 cavalry and 60 cannons. Due to desertion, especially that of General Ángel Pacheco, for Rosas the battle was lost beforehand. It lasted about three hours, after which Rosas was wounded in a hand and retreated; he wrote a resignation, and a few hours later he boarded a British frigate towards exile.

Within a few days, Urquiza's troops entered the city of Buenos Aires without problems. The President of the Superior Tribunal, Vicente López y Planes, was appointed interim governor.