Battle of Ayohuma

Battle of Ayohuma
Part of Bolivian War of Independence Argentine War of Independence
Old map of the battle
Date 14 November 1813 Location Bolivia 18°51′21″S 66°8′5″W / 18.85583°S 66.13472°W / -18.85583; -66.13472Coordinates: 18°51′21″S 66°8′5″W / 18.85583°S 66.13472°W / -18.85583; -66.13472 Result Royalist victory Withdrawal of the Army of the North towards Jujuy and Salta
Belligerents
United Provinces of South America Republiquetas	Spanish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Manuel Belgrano	Joaquín de la Pezuela
Strength
3400 soldiers 8 cannons	3500 soldiers 18 cannons
Casualties and losses
200 dead 200 wounded 500 prisoners	42 dead 96 wounded
Location within Bolivia

The Battle of Ayohuma ("dead man's head" in Quechua) was an action fought on 14 November 1813, during the second Upper Peru Campaign of the Argentine War of Independence. The republican forces of the Army of the North, led by General Manuel Belgrano were defeated by the royalists, commanded by Joaquín de la Pezuela.

After the rout of Vilcapugio, Belgrano established his headquarters at Macha. There he reorganized his army, obtaining help from Francisco Ocampo (then President of Charcas), and from the provinces of Upper Peru (Cochabamba, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and Chayanta). At the end of October 1813, the republican army included around 3,400 men, of which barely 1,000 were veterans. An important fraction of the republican army, under the command of General Díaz Vélez had remained isolated at Potosí after Vilcapugio, but was able to reunite with Belgrano after a small action at Tambo Nuevo relieved them from the pressure of the royalist army.

Despite their recent victory, Pezuela's troops were short of horses and supplies. They had sought refuge on the Condo-Condo heights, where, being surrounded by hostile populations and still recovering from the casualties suffered at Vilcapugio, they could not readily take the offensive against the Army of the North. However, on 29 October, they left their camp in Condo-Condo in order to attack the republicans before they could obtain further reinforcements. On 12 November, they arrived at Toquirí, a hill dominating the small plain of Ayohuma, half a league from the village of the same name.

In the meantime, just two leagues away from Toquirí, on 8 November, Belgrano had discussed his plans with his officials. The majority of them wanted to withdraw to Potosí, but the general convinced his officers to fight. That same night the army left Macha, reaching Ayohuma on the morning of the next day.