Knowledge (XXG)

Military career of José de San Martín in Spain

Source 📝

406:
military leaders. They initiated planned revolutionary steps within lodges, while the war against the French occupation continued. San Martín joined the army of Andalucía, and moved first to Sevilla and then to Jaén. In June 1808, he joined a force combining regiments and militias, organized by Juan de la Cruz Mourgeón, thus learning further ways to wage war beyond the classic military discipline. This would influence him in the future to have a good opinion of Güemes and Artigas. By this time, San Martín was becoming a renowned military leader. Spanish historian Barcia y Trelles considers that San Martín is a new man since May 1808, but this turning point of his life was overlooked by both the Argentine and Spanish historians. Argentine historians talk in little detail about San Martín's military career is Spain, because they were unrelated with the Argentine War of Independence, and the Spanish ones would not be much interested in him because he departed to America in the middle of the war.
221: 491:". Besides extrapolating future events (the defeat of Napoleon and the independence of South America), Mitre provided a long-standing explanation: San Martín returned because he missed South America, and the war of independence justified changing sides to support it. This perspective was held by mitrist historians, rosist revisionists and socialists. Those groups shared a common perspective about the revolutions and rebellions that took place in the Americas between 1809 and 1811: they considered that they were, from this early stage, separatist wars, intending to create new countries apart from Spain. 321: 502:, consider this to be unlikely. San Martín was thirty-five years old by then, and left America when just seven years old. He was completely Spanish, and ideas such as "the call of the jungle" or the "telluric forces" have no room in modern psychology to explain a change like this. They consider instead, that the wars in the Americas were not initially separatist, but instead wars between supporters of absolutism and liberalism. This fight took place in both Spain and the Americas, and became independentist when 270:, son of Juan de San Martín and Gregoria Matorras del Ser. The exact year of Martín's birth is unknown, and historians are divided between 1777 and 1778. An officer in the military, Juan de San Martín requested a new deployment, and in 1781, he moved his family from Yapeyu to Buenos Aires. In 1783, the family moved to Madrid, where Juan made several requests for military promotion. In 1785, they moved to Málaga. Three years later, José de San Martín reached the age to join the army. 454: 66: 913: 25: 394:. Some historians consider him an afrancesado, others just hesitant. A popular uprising overran the barracks, killed him and dragged his corpse in the streets. San Martín was nearly killed as well during the uprising. He would keep an image of him for years, because of their friendship, although he fully supported the popular uprising. He would say years later that 161: 558:". This quote is more strange, as it does not mention an ongoing conflict, but a conflict that would be waged soon (but not by then). Such a conflict may be a possible absolutist restoration, which took place when Ferdinand VII returned to the throne, but could also happen if the Regency Council prevailed over the Junta of Seville. 445:, with the exception of Cádiz. San Martín would leave the Peninsular War by this point, but the exact nature of his resignation is unknown because it was lost from the Spanish records, and San Martín himself did not keep a copy of it among his documents. He moved briefly to Britain, and then to Buenos Aires. 405:
After those events, San Martín became involved into the democratic revolution that moved across Europe. Cádiz was by then a very active city, with discussions about Jovellanos, Flórez Estrada, the French and British democratic advances, popular intervention in politics, the role of the Juntas and the
378:
supported the French invasion as a way to remove the absolutist Spanish monarchy and replace it with a liberal monarchy, even if a foreign one. A higher portion of the enlightened Spanish rejected such a perspective, and opposed both the French invasion and an absolutist restoration. San Martín was
515:
hinted the similarities of both fights, but avoid giving clear or deep explanations in order to avoid a conflict with the Mitrist perspective. Most Spanish historians, with a deeper understanding of the conflicts of the Peninsular War, endorse this point of view. José de San Martín moved to Buenos
488:
the American criollo had paid with usury his debt to the mother country, joining her during her conflicting days, and could consequently separate himself from her without deserting during an hour of need, leaving her protected by the powerful aegis of Great Britain that guaranteed the definitive
581:
pointed similar causes but arriving to a different conclusion: San Martín may have moved to South America in order to get higher military promotions, which would be more difficult to get at the Peninsular War. However, the author does not include the promotions (including promotions to national
548:
Here, San Martín does not talk about emancipation from Spain itself, but from its government, capitaling "tyranic". He also mentions that, even if preferred returning to his native country, he could have been destined to either South or Central America. An 1848 letter to the president of Perú
278:
José de San Martín joined Murcia's Infantry Regiment of Line on July 15, 1789. The minimum age to join the army was 16 years old, unless the person was the son of an official. In that case, the minimum age was 12 years old. In his incorporation, he declares being the son of an official, of a
282:
He was destined to Melilla, an African Spanish city, the following year. In June 1791, he was among the Spanish forces under siege by Moors in Orán. The siege lasted for 33 days, and he was promoted to grenadier. In June 1793, he was promoted to second sublieutenant, in July 1794 to first
409:
San Martín took part in the combat of Arjonilla, being promoted to First Captain for his brave actions. In the battle, a French officer nearly killed him with his sword, but he was saved by Sargeant Juan de Dios, who died in the effort. The following July 19 he took part in the
545:
From that moment on, I decided to employ my short services to either point that stand insurgent: I preferred to return to my native country where I had been employed at anything within my reach, my nation has rewarded my short services giving me plenty of honours that I do not
489:
triumph under the command of the future victor of Waterloo. Then, he turned his eyes to South America, whose independence he had presaged and decided to return to his distant nation, which he had always loved as a true mother, to offer her his sword and devote her his life
248:. In 1795 he was promoted to second lieutenant and during the Peninsular War he reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. However, San Martín ended up resigning his position and moved briefly to Britain, and then to Buenos Aires. In 1811, he participated in the 311:
The following reports of San Martín are found months later, then fighting against Portugal. He was attacked by thieves on his way from Valladolid to Salamanca, receiving great injures in his chest and throat. He received medical aid in a nearby village.
243:
was an Argentine-born general who moved to Spain during his childhood. He served in the Spanish army from 1789 to 1811. During that time he fought among Spanish forces under siege by Moors, in a naval battle against the British navy and in the
506:
returned to the throne and started the absolutist restoration. Under this logic, those historians consider that San Martín's move to the Americas to continue a fight about to be lost in Spain would make complete sense. Other historians like
555:
In a meeting of Americans in Cádiz, knowing about the first steps taken in Caracas, Buenos Aires, etc; we decided to return each one to our native countries, to offer them our services in the struggle that we calculated would be waged
475:
as a patriot remain contentious among historians. The action would seem contradictory and out of character, because if the patriots were waging an independentist and anti-Hispanic war, then that would turn him into a traitor or
373:
and the absolutists, but the French invasion divided the ideas even more. The Enlightenment was based in the ideas of the French revolution, but it was the French themselves who were invading the country. The Spanish
38: 536:". For the Mitrist perspective, "revolution" and "freedom" mean emancipation from Spain, for the later one, they mean the revolution against the absolutist status quo. Similarly, his resignation as head of the 531:
There are writings of San Martín that may clarify those reasons, but whose terms allow either interpretation. José Pacífico Otero found a report of a speech of San Martín to his soldiers, where he said that
1064: 283:
sublieutenant, and in May 1795 to second lieutenant. His father Juan died in 1796, and by that time he had his baptism of fire in a naval battle, against the British navy. He joined the staff of the
534:
I knew of the revolution in my country and, when I left my fortunes and my hopes, I only regretted not having anything else to sacrifice to the desire of contributing to the freedom of my country
414:, where 14,000 Spanish defeated 10,000 French. San Martín was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and his prestige continued to rise. This victory gave new hopes to the Spanish front, forcing 44: 569:
in 1957, and supported by Carlos Steffens Soler or J.C.J. Metford. This perspective, however, fails to give an explanation for the hostility between San Martín and the anglophile
134: 542:...I had the first news of the general movement at both Americas and that their original purpose was to emancipate themselves from the Peninsular Tyranic Government. 106: 113: 361:. Napoleon Bonaparte, whose troops were in Spain en route to Portugal, forced Ferdinand to abdicate as well, ending Bourbon rule and appointing his brother 120: 76: 438: 182: 169: 102: 418:
to leave Madrid and allowing later the liberation of Andalucía. However, San Martín was forced to take a license, because of a pulmonary affection.
528:, but also with Spanish born generals like Francisco Chilavert and Eduardo Kailitz, for whom the "telluric forces" would bear absolutely no value. 1125: 864: 425:, under the command of the marquis of Coupigny. He helped Torres Vedras at Portugal, and returned to Cádiz. By this point, San Martín joined the 83: 1042: 1027: 386:, governor of Andalucía and a close friend. Solano, influenced as well by the enlightenment ideas, had doubts about using his army to back the 261: 604: 472: 249: 466: 1098: 1032: 1130: 127: 1075: 207: 52: 1120: 433:
gave new strength to the French forces, leading them personally, and Joseph returned to Madrid. Despite the Spanish victory at the
1058: 220: 297:
passed review of the Spanish troops, and when he passed near San Martín, he saw his jacket and read "Murcia!" aloud. The ship
1006: 981: 91: 383: 1037: 892: 857: 174: 635:"Ser hijo de oficial, provenir de familia cristiana y haber cumplido los doce años" (San Martín) - Galasso, p. 24 521: 458: 284: 525: 873: 508: 229: 320: 850: 370: 346: 298: 674:"Hasta las piedras se levantaron España para arrojar al invasor extranjero" (San Martín) - Galasso, p. 29 1091: 971: 950: 566: 565:
may suggest that San Martín was actually a British agent or spy. This perspective was first proposed by
430: 294: 267: 902: 574: 570: 387: 324: 512: 976: 411: 354: 225: 289:
in 1798, disembarking at Toulon. He learned a bit of the French language, and became aware of the
1084: 350: 986: 483: 1011: 600: 578: 550: 537: 442: 434: 290: 592: 499: 495: 415: 391: 362: 302: 453: 369:, the Spanish resistance to the French invasion. Spain was already divided between the 366: 340: 245: 233: 1114: 955: 887: 562: 503: 426: 358: 328: 375: 65: 912: 332: 897: 477: 422: 480:. There are a variety of answers and explanations by different historians. 160: 561:
The similarity between San Martín's military campaign and the British
842: 582:
government) that were actually rejected by San Martín in her essay.
452: 319: 398:
even the rocks have risen in Spain to reject the foreign invader
846: 154: 59: 18: 486:, one of the earliest historians of San Martín, wrote that " 471:
The reasons that San Martín left Spain in 1811 to join the
1065:
Historia de San Martín y de la emancipación sudamericana
87: 461:
to Buenos Aires, aboard the frigate "George Canning".
308:, and he was prisoner of the British for some time. 1074: 1051: 1020: 999: 964: 943: 927: 920: 880: 797: 795: 785: 783: 781: 779: 733: 731: 721: 719: 228:was one of the most important battles fought by 103:"Military career of José de San Martín in Spain" 396: 345:The Spanish monarchy entered crisis during the 858: 520:ship, with other American born generals like 441:, France prevailed and conquered most of the 8: 467:Revolutionary purposes of the May Revolution 357:to abdicate and give the throne to his son, 92:introducing citations to additional sources 682: 680: 661: 659: 53:Learn how and when to remove these messages 924: 865: 851: 843: 208:Learn how and when to remove this message 597:Seamos Libres y lo demás no importa nada 219: 185:of all important aspects of the article. 82:Relevant discussion may be found on the 619: 382:By this time, San Martín was second to 279:Christian family and twelve years old. 365:as monarch. This was the start of the 181:Please consider expanding the lead to 473:Spanish American wars of independence 384:Francisco María Solano Ortiz de Rosas 250:Spanish American wars of independence 7: 577:during his conflicts with Britain. 437:, where San Martín fought next to 14: 1099:Revolución: El cruce de los Andes 1033:María de los Remedios de Escalada 34:This article has multiple issues. 911: 262:Early life of José de San Martín 159: 75:relies largely or entirely on a 64: 23: 266:José de San Martín was born in 173:may be too short to adequately 42:or discuss these issues on the 1126:Military careers by individual 1007:Regiment of Mounted Grenadiers 183:provide an accessible overview 1: 1059:San Martín National Institute 893:Revolution of October 8, 1812 390:, even when requested by the 293:. Oral tradition says that 1147: 494:Later historians, such as 464: 457:Arrival of San Martín and 338: 259: 1131:Military history of Spain 909: 599:. Buenos Aires: Colihue. 427:Lodge of Rational Knights 935:Military career in Spain 449:Return to South America 522:Carlos María de Alvear 462: 459:Carlos María de Alvear 439:William Carr Beresford 421:He resumed service in 403: 347:Abdications of Bayonne 336: 237: 1092:El Santo de la Espada 972:Crossing of the Andes 951:Battle of San Lorenzo 509:Tulio Halperín Donghi 456: 323: 223: 903:Guayaquil conference 575:Juan Manuel de Rosas 573:, or his support to 571:Bernardino Rivadavia 498:, Oriol Anguerra or 388:Dos de Mayo Uprising 379:part of this group. 301:by the British ship 88:improve this article 526:José Matías Zapiola 325:Second of May, 1808 1121:José de San Martín 1085:Cerro de la Gloria 874:José de San Martín 567:Ricardo Piccirilli 463: 431:Napoleón Bonaparte 351:Mutiny of Aranjuez 337: 295:Napoleón Bonaparte 268:Yapeyú, Corrientes 241:José de San Martín 238: 230:José de San Martín 1108: 1107: 1012:Army of the Andes 995: 994: 764:Galasso, p. 42-43 746:Galasso, p. 34-35 606:978-950-581-779-5 593:Galasso, Norberto 579:Patricia Pasquali 538:Army of the Andes 443:Iberian Peninsula 435:Battle of Albuera 291:French Revolution 218: 217: 210: 200: 199: 153: 152: 138: 57: 1138: 925: 915: 881:Political career 867: 860: 853: 844: 838: 835: 829: 826: 820: 817: 811: 808: 802: 799: 790: 787: 774: 771: 765: 762: 756: 753: 747: 744: 738: 735: 726: 723: 714: 711: 705: 702: 696: 693: 687: 684: 675: 672: 666: 663: 654: 651: 645: 642: 636: 633: 627: 624: 610: 500:Rodolfo Terragno 496:Norberto Galasso 416:Joseph Bonaparte 412:Battle of Bailén 392:Junta of Seville 363:Joseph Bonaparte 226:Battle of Bailén 213: 206: 195: 192: 186: 163: 155: 148: 145: 139: 137: 96: 68: 60: 49: 27: 26: 19: 16:Military general 1146: 1145: 1141: 1140: 1139: 1137: 1136: 1135: 1111: 1110: 1109: 1104: 1070: 1047: 1016: 991: 960: 939: 921:Military career 916: 907: 876: 871: 841: 836: 832: 827: 823: 818: 814: 809: 805: 800: 793: 788: 777: 772: 768: 763: 759: 754: 750: 745: 741: 736: 729: 724: 717: 712: 708: 703: 699: 694: 690: 685: 678: 673: 669: 664: 657: 652: 648: 643: 639: 634: 630: 625: 621: 617: 607: 591: 588: 484:Bartolomé Mitre 469: 451: 343: 318: 276: 264: 258: 214: 203: 202: 201: 196: 190: 187: 180: 168:This article's 164: 149: 143: 140: 97: 95: 81: 69: 28: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1144: 1142: 1134: 1133: 1128: 1123: 1113: 1112: 1106: 1105: 1103: 1102: 1095: 1088: 1080: 1078: 1072: 1071: 1069: 1068: 1061: 1055: 1053: 1052:Historiography 1049: 1048: 1046: 1045: 1040: 1035: 1030: 1024: 1022: 1018: 1017: 1015: 1014: 1009: 1003: 1001: 1000:Military units 997: 996: 993: 992: 990: 989: 984: 979: 974: 968: 966: 962: 961: 959: 958: 953: 947: 945: 941: 940: 938: 937: 931: 929: 922: 918: 917: 910: 908: 906: 905: 900: 895: 890: 884: 882: 878: 877: 872: 870: 869: 862: 855: 847: 840: 839: 837:Galasso, 39-40 830: 828:Galasso, p. 38 821: 819:Galasso, p. 37 812: 810:Galasso, p. 35 803: 801:Galasso, p. 42 791: 789:Galasso, p. 41 775: 773:Galasso, p. 55 766: 757: 755:Galasso, p. 39 748: 739: 737:Galasso, p. 34 727: 725:Galasso, p. 33 715: 713:Galasso, p. 53 706: 704:Galasso, p. 31 697: 695:Galasso, p. 28 688: 686:Galasso, p. 30 676: 667: 665:Galasso, p. 29 655: 653:Galasso, p. 27 646: 644:Galasso, p. 26 637: 628: 626:Galasso, p. 24 618: 616: 613: 612: 611: 605: 587: 584: 551:Ramón Castilla 518:George Canning 513:Ricardo Levene 450: 447: 367:Peninsular War 341:Peninsular War 317: 316:Peninsular war 314: 275: 272: 260:Main article: 257: 254: 246:Peninsular War 234:Peninsular War 216: 215: 198: 197: 177:the key points 167: 165: 158: 151: 150: 144:September 2013 86:. Please help 72: 70: 63: 58: 32: 31: 29: 22: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1143: 1132: 1129: 1127: 1124: 1122: 1119: 1118: 1116: 1101: 1100: 1096: 1094: 1093: 1089: 1087: 1086: 1082: 1081: 1079: 1077: 1073: 1067: 1066: 1062: 1060: 1057: 1056: 1054: 1050: 1044: 1041: 1039: 1036: 1034: 1031: 1029: 1026: 1025: 1023: 1021:Personal life 1019: 1013: 1010: 1008: 1005: 1004: 1002: 998: 988: 985: 983: 982:Cancha Rayada 980: 978: 975: 973: 970: 969: 967: 963: 957: 956:Yatasto relay 954: 952: 949: 948: 946: 942: 936: 933: 932: 930: 926: 923: 919: 914: 904: 901: 899: 896: 894: 891: 889: 888:Lautaro Lodge 886: 885: 883: 879: 875: 868: 863: 861: 856: 854: 849: 848: 845: 834: 831: 825: 822: 816: 813: 807: 804: 798: 796: 792: 786: 784: 782: 780: 776: 770: 767: 761: 758: 752: 749: 743: 740: 734: 732: 728: 722: 720: 716: 710: 707: 701: 698: 692: 689: 683: 681: 677: 671: 668: 662: 660: 656: 650: 647: 641: 638: 632: 629: 623: 620: 614: 608: 602: 598: 594: 590: 589: 585: 583: 580: 576: 572: 568: 564: 563:Maitland Plan 559: 557: 552: 547: 543: 539: 535: 529: 527: 523: 519: 516:Aires in the 514: 510: 505: 504:Ferdinand VII 501: 497: 492: 490: 485: 481: 479: 474: 468: 460: 455: 448: 446: 444: 440: 436: 432: 428: 424: 419: 417: 413: 407: 402: 401: 395: 393: 389: 385: 380: 377: 372: 371:enlightenment 368: 364: 360: 359:Ferdinand VII 356: 352: 348: 342: 334: 330: 329:Pedro Velarde 326: 322: 315: 313: 309: 307: 306: 300: 296: 292: 288: 287: 286:Santa Dorotea 280: 274:First battles 273: 271: 269: 263: 255: 253: 251: 247: 242: 235: 231: 227: 222: 212: 209: 194: 191:November 2011 184: 178: 176: 171: 166: 162: 157: 156: 147: 136: 133: 129: 126: 122: 119: 115: 112: 108: 105: –  104: 100: 99:Find sources: 93: 89: 85: 79: 78: 77:single source 73:This article 71: 67: 62: 61: 56: 54: 47: 46: 41: 40: 35: 30: 21: 20: 1097: 1090: 1083: 1063: 1038:Curved saber 934: 833: 824: 815: 806: 769: 760: 751: 742: 709: 700: 691: 670: 649: 640: 631: 622: 596: 586:Bibliography 560: 554: 544: 541: 533: 530: 517: 493: 487: 482: 470: 420: 408: 404: 399: 397: 381: 376:afrancesados 353:forced king 344: 310: 304: 299:was captured 285: 281: 277: 265: 240: 239: 204: 188: 172: 170:lead section 141: 131: 124: 117: 110: 98: 74: 50: 43: 37: 36:Please help 33: 429:. However, 349:, when the 1115:Categories 1043:Later life 1028:Early life 615:References 465:See also: 355:Charles IV 339:See also: 333:last stand 331:takes his 256:Early life 114:newspapers 39:improve it 977:Chacabuco 944:Argentina 898:Inca plan 423:Catalonia 175:summarize 84:talk page 45:talk page 595:(2009). 546:deserve. 478:deserter 232:at the 128:scholar 1076:Legacy 603:  553:says " 540:says " 130:  123:  116:  109:  101:  987:Maipú 965:Chile 928:Spain 135:JSTOR 121:books 601:ISBN 556:soon 305:Lion 303:HMS 224:The 107:news 524:or 511:or 90:by 1117:: 794:^ 778:^ 730:^ 718:^ 679:^ 658:^ 400:". 327:: 252:. 48:. 866:e 859:t 852:v 609:. 532:" 335:. 236:. 211:) 205:( 193:) 189:( 179:. 146:) 142:( 132:· 125:· 118:· 111:· 94:. 80:. 55:) 51:(

Index

improve it
talk page
Learn how and when to remove these messages

single source
talk page
improve this article
introducing citations to additional sources
"Military career of José de San Martín in Spain"
news
newspapers
books
scholar
JSTOR

lead section
summarize
provide an accessible overview
Learn how and when to remove this message

Battle of Bailén
José de San Martín
Peninsular War
Peninsular War
Spanish American wars of independence
Early life of José de San Martín
Yapeyú, Corrientes
Santa Dorotea
French Revolution
Napoleón Bonaparte

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.