Uruguayan Civil War (1839-1852)

Amidst the confusion of internal Uruguayan political strife, Argentinian dictator Juan Manuel de Rosa (1793-1877) attempted to seize the country. He supported the governing claim of Manuel Oribe (1792-1857) who waged an eight-year campaign against the Uruguayan city of Montevideo and its commander Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882). British and French troops were dispatched to the country to assist in repelling Argentinian forces, and Brazil also joined with Uruguayan nationalists in the fight against Argentina. Argentinian opposition leader Justine Jose de Urquiza (1801-1870) joined with the European and Brazilian forces and defeated Rosa at the Battle of Monte Caseros on February 3, 1852. Rosa fled the country and Uruguayan independence was restored.1

Daniel Roberts