# Battle of Cerrito (31 December 1812)

URL: https://allhistories.com/uruguay/timeline/1812-battle-of-cerrito
Location: Montevideo, Uruguay
Themes: battle

On 31 December 1812 about 2,300 royalist troops under Gaspar de Vigodet sallied from Montevideo and attacked José Rondeau's roughly 1,000 patriots at the Cerrito hill. The Spanish seized the position, but Miguel Estanislao Soler's counterattack and a cavalry charge by Rafael Hortiguera routed them. Royalist losses were about 250, rebel losses about 130. The battle took place at the start of the second siege and decided that the Spanish could not break the blockade by land. The city was now confined to its walls and dependent on the sea. The patriot camp kept the siege lines at Cerrito and Pantanoso, from which they harassed the walled city. The victory at Cerrito sustained patriot morale and confirmed that Spanish forces would not be able to relieve Montevideo from the land side. It also shows that the siege was conducted by the united army of Buenos Aires and the Banda Oriental, before Artigas broke away. Many soldiers of the future Argentine and Uruguayan armies fought there.

## Why it matters
Cerrito confined the Spanish garrison to the walled city and kept the siege alive.

Ruler at the Time: [Gaspar de Vigodet (1811–1814)](https://allhistories.com/uruguay/rulers/gaspar-de-vigodet-second-term)

## Sources
- [Battle of Cerrito](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cerrito)
- [History of Montevideo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Montevideo)
- [Siege of Montevideo (1812–1814)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Montevideo_(1812%E2%80%931814))