Celestino Barcala
Encyclopedia
Celestino Barcala, the warrior son of Independence Colonel Lorenzo Barcala
, was a key player on the Argentine civil wars in the north-west, reaching the rank of major national army
.
against Miguel Molina, commanding officer of Governor Victor Maubecín.
With the rank of lieutenant, he was responsible for executing Estanislao Pucheta, captain of a company of the civic guard, who was shot by a firing squad inside the barracks. Barcala denied him the last rites
.
At the time of the second invasion of Felipe Varela, Barcala was in charge of the vanguard of national forces.
Varela, who was in Jáchal, said his lieutenant Estanislao Medina to occupy the village of Chilecito
, which took effect on 18 February 1867. On the march joined the leader Severo Chumbita.
On March 4, Medina's army reached the outskirts of Tinogasta
. He asked Lt. Col. Meliton Cordova to "march to the fields of San Jose to offer battle". Cordova did not respond and stayed in the villa, but Barcala took charge of the troops and led his men to the battle.
A popular song then recalled that:
Before coming to High
lines were drawn,
shot to the forefront
Barcala commanded.
With Barcala back to the village, Medina split his troops into columns and enter the village streets. After three hours of intense fighting, Tinogasta fell to the rebel army. Cordova died in combat while Barcala and other officers fled to the disaster. On his way to Belén, Barcala was captured while crossing the river Abaucán. Luis Medina Quiroga shot the commander in sight but he kept Barcala alive.
At the end of this month Medina met Varela at Chimbicha, 60 km from Catamarca. Varela's forces amounted to about 5000 men with three guns. After a grueling forced march and, on April 9, the day after the battle of Pozo de Vargas after midnight Felipe Varela arrived Tables (20 km from La Rioja), without being harassed by the government forces.
In the afternoon Medina ordered the execution of the prisoners. Along with Barcala were executed Balbino Arias Lieutenant and three civilians, militia commanders and Fermin Bazan septuagenarian Vicente Barros and Fernando Vega, an important neighbor of the town of Famatina.
After the failure of the movement, Colonel Severo Chumbita, like his son, Captain Ambrose Chumbita, was prosecuted criminally by the rebellion from 1861 to 1863 and 1867, and for offenses committed during them. Regarding the latter, the sentence he was convicted of taking part as principal chief in the rebellion led by Felipe Varela but also of events that qualify as common crimes and therefore excluded him from the general amnesty granted by Octavian Navarro and sentencing him to ten years of exile and 2000 piastre
s fine. Among these crimes he was accused of Barcala death, Arias and three civilians. Eventually, on 4 November 1876 the court acquitted Chumbita crimes against him, except for charges relating to crimes committed during the rebellion of 1861 to 1863.
One historian says that Barcala was "infantry battalion commander, brave and reputed man of color, excellent education."
Lorenzo Barcala
Barcala Lorenzo , was an Argentine military commander who participated in the Argentine civil wars on the side of the Unitarian Party, and one of the few black soldiers to reach the rank of colonel in that country.-Early military career:The son of slaves, he was also a slave during his childhood...
, was a key player on the Argentine civil wars in the north-west, reaching the rank of major national army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
.
Biography
Barcala took part in the revolution of May 1866 in the province of CatamarcaCatamarca
Catamarca may refer to:*San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, Argentina*Catamarca Province, Argentina...
against Miguel Molina, commanding officer of Governor Victor Maubecín.
With the rank of lieutenant, he was responsible for executing Estanislao Pucheta, captain of a company of the civic guard, who was shot by a firing squad inside the barracks. Barcala denied him the last rites
Last Rites
The Last Rites are the very last prayers and ministrations given to many Christians before death. The last rites go by various names and include different practices in different Christian traditions...
.
At the time of the second invasion of Felipe Varela, Barcala was in charge of the vanguard of national forces.
Varela, who was in Jáchal, said his lieutenant Estanislao Medina to occupy the village of Chilecito
Chilecito
Chilecito is a city in the Argentine province of La Rioja, and head of the department of Chilecito.-Overview:It's located in the valley formed by the Sierras de Velazco to the east, and the Sierras de Famatina to the west. The city was founded in 1715 by Spanish colonizers...
, which took effect on 18 February 1867. On the march joined the leader Severo Chumbita.
On March 4, Medina's army reached the outskirts of Tinogasta
Tinogasta
Tinogasta is a city in the west of the , on the right-hand shore of the Abaucán River, about 280 km from the provincial capital San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca. It has about 14,500 inhabitants as of the . It is the head town of the department of the same name. The name of the city comes from...
. He asked Lt. Col. Meliton Cordova to "march to the fields of San Jose to offer battle". Cordova did not respond and stayed in the villa, but Barcala took charge of the troops and led his men to the battle.
A popular song then recalled that:
Before coming to High
lines were drawn,
shot to the forefront
Barcala commanded.
With Barcala back to the village, Medina split his troops into columns and enter the village streets. After three hours of intense fighting, Tinogasta fell to the rebel army. Cordova died in combat while Barcala and other officers fled to the disaster. On his way to Belén, Barcala was captured while crossing the river Abaucán. Luis Medina Quiroga shot the commander in sight but he kept Barcala alive.
At the end of this month Medina met Varela at Chimbicha, 60 km from Catamarca. Varela's forces amounted to about 5000 men with three guns. After a grueling forced march and, on April 9, the day after the battle of Pozo de Vargas after midnight Felipe Varela arrived Tables (20 km from La Rioja), without being harassed by the government forces.
In the afternoon Medina ordered the execution of the prisoners. Along with Barcala were executed Balbino Arias Lieutenant and three civilians, militia commanders and Fermin Bazan septuagenarian Vicente Barros and Fernando Vega, an important neighbor of the town of Famatina.
After the failure of the movement, Colonel Severo Chumbita, like his son, Captain Ambrose Chumbita, was prosecuted criminally by the rebellion from 1861 to 1863 and 1867, and for offenses committed during them. Regarding the latter, the sentence he was convicted of taking part as principal chief in the rebellion led by Felipe Varela but also of events that qualify as common crimes and therefore excluded him from the general amnesty granted by Octavian Navarro and sentencing him to ten years of exile and 2000 piastre
Piastre
The piastre or piaster refers to a number of units of currency. The term originates from the Italian for 'thin metal plate'. The name was applied to Spanish and Latin American pieces of eight, or pesos, by Venetian traders in the Levant in the 16th century.These pesos, minted continually for...
s fine. Among these crimes he was accused of Barcala death, Arias and three civilians. Eventually, on 4 November 1876 the court acquitted Chumbita crimes against him, except for charges relating to crimes committed during the rebellion of 1861 to 1863.
One historian says that Barcala was "infantry battalion commander, brave and reputed man of color, excellent education."