Steven’s Argentine Army of the South American Wars of Liberation

This is the Argentine element of San Martin’s Army of the Andes from my 1817-18 Chilean Project.

Roland Davis painted all the figures. Except where noted all figures are the 15mm range from Grenadier Productions. Roland uses the Black Undercoat Method of painting and basing style based on XF-52 Flat Earth (see Flock page for more detail). Flags are based on my best guess Flags for 1817-18 Chilean Project and are painted by Roland. Uniform guides were the books by John Fletcher of Grenadier Productions (Fletcher, 2005, 2006) in particular the illustrations by Prof. Julio Luqui Lagleyze and Cesar Puliafito that appear in Fletcher (2005, p. 28 – 36).

Roland will also paint the Chileans. I’m painting the Royalists.

---

The Full Array

I’m trying to do my 1817-18 Chilean Project in Phases. Phase 1 of produces the bulk of the Argentine forces. So far I’ve got most of the cavalry and all of the infantry.

---

Staff

José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras, nicknamed “the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru”, is my favourite of the Liberators. He won battles by planning, not dash.

The staff figures are Battle Honours British staff officers painted appropriately. Roland just picked out the chaps with bicornes

---

Cazadores a Caballo de la Escolta del General

The Argentine “Cazadores a Caballo de la Escolta del General” might also be called “Cazadores a Caballo” or “Escolta del General”. Check out Patriot Cazadores a Caballo in the 1817-18 Chilean Campaign.

---

Granaderos a Caballo

I’ve got four squadrons of Granaderos a Caballo.

---

7th Infantry Regiment

The other ranks of the 7th Infantry Regiment were freed slaves. Officers were either white or black.

Notice the distinctive red and yellow cuff of the Grenadiers of this regiment.

---

8th Infantry Regiment (8th Battalion of Free Negroes)

The 8th Infantry Regiment looks quite similar to the 7th. The only differences are the drummer’s uniform, cuffs of the Grenadiers jacket, and number on the flag.

---

11th Infantry Regiment

The 11th Infantry Regiment was manned by white Argentines. The uniform was slightly different to that of the 7th and 8th.

---

Cazadores de los Andes (Cazadore Infantry Regiment #1)

The Cazadore Infantry Regiment #1 were also known as the Cazadores de los Andes. They wore a uniform cut like those of British Rifles but in blue. Grenadier Productions lack a suitable figure so I used figures from Fantassin. Spanish light infantry regiments had flank companies like the line regiments, called Carabineros and and Tiradores (corresponding to Grenadier and Cazadore in the line regiments) with the centre company men being Cazadores (equivalent to Fusiliers). Apparently the Argentine units followed suit, but I don’t know the distinctive features of the flank companies so all stands were painted as Cazadores.

The command figures are British light infantry from Fantassin / War Modelling because Rifles command packs don’t have the right mix of figures

---

Grenadier Battalion

On occasion both Patriots and Royalists converged their flank companies to create Grenadier and/or Cazadore battalions. I got a specialist command stand for the resulting Grenadier battalion, but the grenadier stands themselves come from the line battalions. I love the red bag at the top of the shakos of the Argentine Grenadiers – very distinctive.

Converged battalion of elite companies didn’t carry flags, so I had to change my usual command configuration. On the Cazadore Command Stand have I have replaced the standard bearer with a Grenadier figure.

---

Cazadore Battalion

On occasion both Patriots and Royalists converged their flank companies to create Grenadier and/or Cazadore battalions. I got a specialist command stand for the Cazadore battalion but the Cazadore stands themselves come from the Line battalions.

---

Artillery

---

References

Fletcher, J. (2005). Liberators! Volume 1: The War in the South. Grenadier Productions.

Fletcher, J. (2006). Liberators! Supplement 1: The War in the South. Grenadier Productions.