Battle of Rodeo del Medio

Part of Argentine Civil Wars

Date	24 September 1841
Location	Rodeo del Medio, center of Mendoza Province, Argentina
Result	Decisive victory for the Federalists

Belligerents

Federalists

Unitarians

Commanders and leaders

Ángel Pacheco

Gregorio Aráoz de Lamadrid

Strength

Total: 2.000-3.000
Cavalry: 1.200-1.500y
Infantry: 1.600-1.800
Cannons: 10-13

Total: 1,150-1.600
Cavalry: 800-1.200
Infantry: 400
Cannons: 8-10

Casualties and losses

Dead: 18 Wounded: 30

Dead & wounded: 400
Prisoners: 300

The Battle of Rodeo del Medio, fought in Mendoza Province, Argentina on 24 September 1841, was a battle between the Federalist army of Ángel Pacheco and the Unitarian army of Gregorio Aráoz de Lamadrid during the Argentine Civil Wars. It gave victory to the Federalists that would last for a decade.

In 1840 the Northern Coalition had formed an alliance of almost all the northern provinces against the governor of Buenos Aires Province, Juan Manuel de Rosas, and his allies. General Juan Lavalle had spent more than a year fighting Rosas in Entre Ríos and Corrientes, when he had invaded Buenos Aires Province. But he failed in the invasion, retreating to Córdoba Province, where he was defeated at the Battle of Quebracho Herrado.

Lavalle joined forces with Gregorio Aráoz de Lamadrid, and together they retreated to Tucumán Province. From there, Lamadrid marched towards the Cuyo provinces to open a new war front, thinking José Félix Aldao only had 800-1000 troops from Mendoza at the time, as Lavalle believed. Lavalle resisted in Tucuman with 1,500 militiamen. Yet, at that time reinforcements under Manuel Oribe began arriving adding up to 9,000 troops, but only 6,000 ended up part of the final push as the rest remained defending the Cuyo region.

Lamadrid's vanguard led by Mariano Acha had 900 to 1,000 soldiers and two cannons. Acha faced the Federalist armies of José Félix Aldao and Nazario Benavídez, governors of the provinces of Mendoza and San Juan, in the epic Battle of Angaco, one of the bloodiest of the Argentine civil wars. After Acha had won, he occupied the city of San Juan, but two days later was defeated by Benavídez in the Battle of La Chacarilla, and was shot by order of Aldao. Lamadrid reoccupied San Juan with 1,500 troops, and from there went to Mendoza, entering the city on 3 September 1841, where he was elected governor.

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