Eustaquio Díaz Vélez (Buenos Aires, 1782–1856) was an Argentine soldier who fought in the Argentine War of Independence and in the civil wars of his country.
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Born as Eustoquio ("Eustochio Antonio" as it says in his baptism document), he is known to history as Eustaquio. He was born in Buenos Aires on 2 November 1782. His parents were Francisco José Díaz Vélez, a merchant from Huelva, Spain, and María Petrona de Aráoz, from Tucumán, Argentina, both from prominent colonial families.
Díaz Vélez entered the army in his youth, in the Blandengues frontier Regiment. Besides his military career, he was also a successful businessman. He fought along with Santiago de Liniers against the British invasions and then he became part of the Patricios Regiment. During the revolution of 1 January 1809 he fought next to the loyalists of Liniers and was wounded. He was rewarded with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He supported the 1810 May Revolution and his first military mission was to storm Colonia del Sacramento, where he captured a good quantity of ammunition. The garrison was taken back by royalist forces after Díaz Velez withdrawal.
He was part of the Army of the North and was present at the defeat at Cotagaita. Weeks later, on 7 November 1810, he fought at the Battle of Suipacha, the first victory for the Republican forces, which instigated the revolutionary movements at Potosí, Chuquisaca, La Paz and Cochabamba in Upper Peru (today's Bolivia). By order of Juan José Castelli, he executed the royalist leaders Nieto, Córdova and Sanz in Potosí. He was later promoted to the rank of colonel.
Castelli signed an armistice with the Spanish commander José Manuel de Goyeneche, but subsequent events showed that neither of them intended to abide by it. Díaz Vélez and Juan José Viamonte, commanding their regiments, were sent as advance parties toward the border. When a royalist attack came at the Battle of Huaqui, on 19 June 1811, both regiments were almost destroyed without having received help, not being able to assist the rest of the army themselves.
The retreat was a disaster and, lacking any support, they ran as far north as they could, reaching Humahuaca. Antonio González Balcarce was replaced by Juan Martín de Pueyrredón in command of the army.
Díaz Vélez took also part on the organization of the Éxodo Jujeño, under the command of Manuel Belgrano. He created a cavalry corps and was in charge of protecting the rear of the exodus. When the patriots were overtaken and defeat appeared imminent, Díaz Vélez reacted quickly and counterattacked at the battle of Las Piedras, obtaining a victory which helped restore the morale of the troops.
In part because of this victory, Belgrano was encouraged to fight the Battle of Tucumán, on 24 September 1812, which resulted in the most important victory in the battles for the Argentine War of Independence. Díaz Vélez as a senior officer took the captured artillery from royalist general Pío de Tristán, along with thirty nine wagons loaded with arms and ammunition, as well as prisoners. He established a stronghold in the city of Tucumán, where — confronted with an ultimatum of surrender from Tristán, who threatened to burn the city — he answered that in that case he would "cut the prisoners' throats". Tristán then did not follow up with his threat and retreated.
A few days later he was sent by Belgrano to take over Salta, before the arrival of Tristán's army. He freed colonel Juan Antonio Álvarez de Arenales from imprisonment, and both took military control of the city, but they had to evacuate in October in the face of royalist strength.
Early the following year (1813) he was wounded at the Battle of Salta, while commanding a wing of cavalry. Belgrano then named him governor of Salta Province.
Díaz Vélez accompanied the Army of the North in its second campaign to Upper Peru, and he occupied the city of Potosí. He commanded a fraction of the Army during the ill-fated battles of Vilcapugio and Ayohuma. By order of Belgrano, and to protect their rearguard, he evacuated the city, taking with him all of its silver. He also attempted to destroy Potosí's mint; but a warning of an officer to the populace averted the destruction. These acts earned the hostility of Upper Perú's residents towards Buenos Aires.
Upon return to Buenos Aires he married Carmen Guerrero y Obarrio, with whom he had three children: Carmen, Eustoquio and Manuela. He was promoted to general and sent as new military governor of Santa Fe Province, with the objective to avoid the province's turn to the federalism of José Gervasio Artigas. He took the post in April 1814. He then sent all the supplies he could to the Army of the North. His government was not loved by the local population, mainly for not being from Santa Fé province, and also for his strong-arm tactics and for not respecting the local Cabildo.
In March 1815, a great number of people protested in front of the government house, requesting he relinquish government control to the Cabildo. At the same time a flotilla of armed canoes crossed the Paraná River under the command of Eusebio Hereñú from Entre Ríos Province, who demanded he comply with the people's wishes. Díaz Vélez stepped down and Francisco Candioti was elected in his place.
Díaz Vélez returned to Buenos Aires and stayed out of politics for a few months. The following year he took part in an expedition to Santa Fe, under orders from Viamonte, as military commander of Rosario. The failure of Viamonte forced him to return in February 1816.
In April of the same year he was sent again in a third attack against Santa Fe, where he besieged the city from the river. He was defeated and signed the Pact of Santo Tomé with governor Mariano Vera, then retreated towards Rosario. There he deposed his superior, Belgrano, and assumed command of the army. This surprising rebellion on the part of Díaz Vélez led to the fall of director Ignacio Álvarez Thomas. A few days later he reneged on the pact he had signed and re-attacked Santa Fe. He was defeated for the third time and his actions made Estanislao López rise up as caudillo in that province.
Díaz Vélez went back to Buenos Aires, where he joined the Logia directed by Supreme Director Pueyrredón and his minister Gregorio García de Tagle. In 1817 he was designated Deputy Commander Chief of Staff of the Army and on December 13, 1818 was named interim governor of Buenos Aires, replacing Juan Ramón Balcarce, who was ill. He stayed as a senior commander of the army until 1821.
In March 1819 he requested removal the post of Governor, keeping the functions of Police Superintendent until the Battle of Cepeda, after which he was exiled to Montevideo.
Upon his return to Buenos Aires, in October 1821, he returned to active service, and was put in charge of implementing the Reform Law, then went to retirement on 26 February 1822 with full salary. Taking advantage of new foreclosure laws promulgated by minister Rivadavia, purchased a great deal of land. He founded several ranches, and became the biggest landowner in Buenos Aires Province. The most well-known of his ranches were El Carmen (present day Rauch Partido and Ayacucho Partido), Campos de Díaz Vélez and Médanos Blancos (present day Necochea Partido).
He did not take part in the subsequent civil wars, until 1839, when he supported the Libres del Sur upraising against dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas from his ranch in Tandil. He was arrested and subjected to a long judicial process, then finally freed and sent to exile again in Montevideo. His lands were taken over by the government.
He returned to Buenos Aires after the Battle of Caseros and declined to participate in politics; he regained all his lands and a good part of his holdings before dying in Buenos Aires, on 1 April 1856.
Díaz Vélez was buried in Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, in the family's pantheon, now declared a National Historical Monument.