Napoleon Uriburu departed from Mendoza for the confluence of the Liman and Neuquen Rivers, and the Fifth Division, commanddd by Lieutenant Colonel Hilario Lagos, departed from Trenque-Lauquen for Curu- Pichi-Carjuel.8

Uriburu’s Fourth Division. At Chos Malal, the Fourth Division surprised and killed the Ranquel Chief Peyeuman, and went on to capture another hostile chief and 60 of his men. According to an 1879 War Department report, during this phase of the campaign the ’°Army of the South" killed 1,313 hostile Indians and took over 13,000 as prisoners,s°

Figure 1: Obverse of the Medal for the Rio Negro

and Patagonian Campaign.

As has often been the case in conflicts between modern armies and indigenous peoples, the Conquest of the Desert was marked by cruel excesses on both sides. Most modern historians have been particularly critical, however, of General Roca for his perceived hostility toward Native Americans and for permitting abuses by his army, including the summary execution of Indian prisoners? Nonetheless, within two months, Roca’s offensive managed to push the Patagonian tribes south of the Rio Negro with severe losses. While the Second Division pursued Chief Namunaura and his men, inflicting significant losses, the Third Division captured some 500 of Chief Baigorrita’s men. Even though Baigorrita was able to escape the Third Division’s assault, he was subsequently tracked down and killed by Colonel

Figure 2: Reverse of the Medal for the Rio Negro and Patagonian Campaign.

Although Roca’s offensive quickly reached its objective of neutralizing the hostile Indian tribes as far south as the Rio Negro, the general still found it necessary to mount a smaller expedition in Patagonia in early 1881. When the governor of Buenos Aires province led a rebellion against the national government in 1880, some Patagonian tribes took advantage of the army’s preoccupation with the rebellion and resumed hostilities. Three brigades consisting of 1,700 troops under the command of Colonel Conrado Villegas marched toward

20 JOMSA

Lake Nahuel Huapi, arriving in early April. The brigade commanders reported killing 85 Indians and capturing another 188 before completing operations in May 1881. Although sporadic attacks by Patagonians tribes continued into 1882, the campaign of Rio Negro and Patagonia was essentially over.11

The Medal for the Rio Negro and Patagonian Campaign was created by the Argentine government decree of October 27, 1881.12It is oval shaped, measuring 33 x 25mm, and was issued in gold for senior officers, silver for junior officers, and bronze for enlisted men. Contrary to many 19th Century South American medals, it is of high quality manufacture. The obverse displays the arms of the Republic of Argentina, encircled by CAMPANA DEL RIO NEGRO Y PATAGONIA * 1878" (Figure 1). The reverse (Figure 2) has a radiant sun encircled by LA NACION AL EJERCITO DEL SUD "1881". There are no designer or maker marks. The ribbon has three equal stripes of light blue/white/light blue. Silver and bronze versions of the medal can still be found, while gold examples are rarely seen.

The Campaign of the Andes

Many of the Patagonian Indians that refused to surrender fled into an area bounded roughly by the Rio Neuquen, the Rio Limay, Lake Nahuel Huapi and the Andes Mountains. In November, 1882, yet another expedition was organized to bring them to heel. The mission was given to newly promoted General Villegas, along with approximately 1400 men of the Second Division.~3

After several skirmishes with warriors of the Ranquel and Araucano tribes, Lieutenant Colonel Rufina Ortega’s First Brigade forced the surrender of Chief Millaman and 100 of his men. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Ortega’s subordinate commanders captured two more chiefs and took another 80 Indians prisoner. During the campaign, the First Brigade claimed approximately 120 Indians killed and over 500 taken prisoner.14

The Second Brigade, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Godoy, pursued several hostile chiefs, including the defiant Chief Namuncura, who again managed to escape capture by crossing the Andes into Chile. Several other chiefs were less fortunate, and by the end of the campaign, the Second Brigade tallied approximately 100 Indians killed and 700 captured.15 Lieutenant Colonel Nicolas Palacios’ Third Brigade failed to apprehend or kill two of their most wanted chiefs, Sayheque and Incayal, but nonetheless managed to kill 145 hostiles and take another 500 prisoner.I6

By May, 1883, Colonel Villegas’ Second Division had secured all of Neuquen province for the republic, establishing more than a dozen small forts to insure its tranquility. The Campaign of the Andes had cost the Indians 364 killed and over 1700 prisoners, effectively eliminating them as a further threat to Argentine expansion south of the Rio Negro. The situation was succinctly described by Colonel Villegas himself:

"In the territory between the rivers Neuquen, Limay, the Andes mountain range and Lake Nahuel Huapi, there is not a single Indian left.., they have all been flung to the west. With the monitoring which in the future will exert our detachments, placed in the openings of the mountain range, it will be impossible for them to pass to the east .... to the south of the Limay river, the only savages left are the remnants of Chief Sayheque’s tribe, fleeing, poor, wretched and disillusioned,t7’’

Figure 3: Obverse of the Medal for the Campaign of the Andes.

On July 20, 1885, the National Congress authorized the Medal for the Campaign of the Andes in gold, silver and

Vol. 57, No. 1 21

bronze.18 The medal is circular, 31mm in diameter and suspended by a ribbon of half light blue and half white. The obverse (Figure 3) contains the arms of the republic, encircled by the words 2A DIVISION DEL EJERCITO. The reverse (Figure 4) design displays eight mountain peaks over the dates 1882-1883. The dates are encircled with palm and laurel branches, over the inscription CAMPANA DE LOS ANDES. There are no designer or maker marks. The bronze medal is infrequently encountered, and the silver and gold examples are rare.

Figure 4: Reverse of the Medal for the

Campaign of the Andes.

The Chaco Campaign

While tides of immigration and settlement pushed the southern Argentine frontier into Patagonia, the same forces pushed the northern frontier into the Chaco. The first group of immigrants to settle in the Chaco established their colony on the Parana River, near Esplin, in May, 1866. From its beginning, the settlement was the target of Indian attacks, mostly from the Moscovi and Abipon tribes.19 From there, attacks spread throughout the areas of Santa Fe and Corrientes.

Tactics employed by the Chaco Indians closely resembled those of the tribes of the North American Great Plains. Warriors were skilled in the use of horses and the lance, and frequently unnerved their victims with high-pitched war cries. Colonists typically erected stockades around their settlements for protection, but the attacking Indians would ride around the structures shooting flaming arrows onto the roofs of buildings.2°

Unlike General Roca’s large offensive in Patagonia, the military expeditions sent into the Chaco were small and sporadic. The first Chaco expedition actually took place in 1870, nearly a decade before the epic Conquest of the Desert. Six years later a second expedition was mounted, but it was 1884 before the campaign was declared over.

Figure 5: Obverse of the Medal for the Campaign

of the Chaco.

The Medal for the Campaign of the Chaco was authorized by the National Congress on August 7, 1888, and, as with the previous Indian campaign medals, was issued in gold, silver, and bronze. The medal is circular, 30mm

22 JOMSA