An exploration of women's involvement in the Latin American Wars of Independence

María Remedios del Valle

Other names: Remedios Rosas

Gender:Female

Ethnic origen: Black

Events:

Connections:

Biography:
A Buenos Aires woman who fought in Belgrano's Independence army from 1800. In 1827 she begged for food from convents. General Viamonte took up her cause and obtained a salary for her (as an infantry captain), but the political climate prevented her from receiving her pension. She continued to beg for her survival and died an old, forgotten woman. (Knaster, 505.)

Sosa de Newton describes her as a black woman who joined up in the northern provinces auxiliaries with her husband and two sons. She saw action in Desaguadero, Tucumán, Salta, Vilcapujio and Ayohúma. She was wounded in battle at Ayohúma and taken prisoner by the royalists and she was publicly whipped for nine days. She escaped and rejoined the army where she continued to fight and to work in the hospitals. Her husband and sons were killed in the wars. In 1827 she petitioned for 6,000 pesos for her services to her country. She was supported by General Viamonte who had known her during her time as a soldier and named her captain of infantry. In 1829 she was promoted to Sergeant Major of Cavalry. She worked under Rosas and took the name Remedios Rosas. She died on 8 November 1847. A street in Buenos Aires was named after her in 1944. (Sosa de Newton, 653)

References:

Davies, Catherine, Brewster, Claire and Owen, Hilary (2006) South American Independence. Gender, Politics, Text
Knaster, Meri (1977) Women in Spanish America: An Annotated Bibliography from Pre-Conquest to Contemporary Times
Sosa de Newton, Lily (1986) Diccionario biográfico de mujeres argentinas