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Pascual Ruiz Huidobro


Pascual Ruiz Huidobro (Ourense, Galicia, 1752 – Mendoza, Argentina, March 1813), Spanish soldier in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, who fought against the British invasions of the Río de la Plata as Governor of Montevideo.

Ruiz Huidobro had a long naval service career in the Spanish Navy, in Cádiz and other locations. He arrived in the Río de la Plata with the Viceroy Ceballos expedition in 1777. After serving in different posts in Spanish America, he reached the post of Teniente General de Marina (Navy Lieutenant General). In 1803 he was named civil and military Governor of Montevideo and commander of the local navy fleet. The next year, with new Viceroy Sobremonte, he was named chief troop inspector of the viceroyalty, that is to say second in military command after the viceroy.

With the information that the British fleet was about to invade, the viceroy sent most of his troops to Montevideo, as it was thought to be the central focus of the invasion. Instead, the British landed near Buenos Aires and took it with little resistance.

Ruiz Huidobro organized an expedition to recapture Buenos Aires, but just as he was ready to leave, captain Liniers arrived with fresh information about the local resistance that was being formed, and he was given command of the troops. Using the Montevideo troops and the local resistance, Liniers retook the city, putting an end to the first invasion of 1806.

The next year saw the British come back in the second invasion, landing at Maldonado and then marching to Montevideo. Ruiz Huidobro made a serious strategic error by not defending the city from within the walled forts, coming out to do battle in open fields surrounding the city, where he was defeated. A few days later the city fell to the British. He was taken prisoner and sent to England.


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