The Battle of Ayacucho
Peru, 9^th December 1824

Seeking to cut the Republicans off from Lima, the Viceroy brought them to battle at Ayacucho. Both sides attacked each other's left flank, but the Royalists mistakenly initiated a general advance when they thought victory had been achieved. This left them open to a cavalry attack, and the Republicans soon defeated the Royalists, capturing the Viceroy. This battle saw the defeat of the last viable Royalist army in South America, and decided the fate of the whole continent.

Thanks to William Warner for the order of battle

Republican Forces

United Army of Liberation (5280 men)

Commanding General Antonio Jose de Sucre
Cavalry Command – General Guillermo Miller
Chief of staff- General Agustin Gamarra

1st Division - General Jose Maria Cordoba (2300 men)

Bogota Battalion – Colonel Leon Gallindo (600 men)
Voltigeros Battalion – Lt. Colonel Pedro Guias (500 men)
Pichincha Battalion – Lt. Colonel Manuel Leon (500 men)
Caracas Battalion – Colonel Jose Leal (500 men)
Horse Grenadiers – Colonel Lucas Carvajal (200 men in two squadrons)

2nd Division - General Jose La Mar (1280 men)

1st Peruvian Battalion - Colonel Francisco de Paula Ortero (300 men)
2nd Peruvian Battalion – Lt. Colonel Ramón Gonzales (300 men)
3rd Peruvian Battalion – Lt. Colonel Miguel Benavidea (195 men)
Peruvian Legion – Colonel Jose Maria Plaza (270 men)
Hussares de Junin – Colonel Isodoro Suarez (200 men in two squadrons)

3rd Division - General Jacinto Lara (1800 men)

Rifles Battalion – Colonel Arturo Sandes (533 men)
Vencedor Battalion - Colonel Ignacio Luque (533 men)
Vargas Battalion – Lt. Colonel Trinidad Moran (533 men)
Colombian Hussars Colonel Laurencio Silva (200 men in two squadrons)

1 Artillery piece – 4lb Mountain gun

Royalist Forces

Spanish Royalist Army (8475 men*)

Commanding Viceroy Jose de La Serna
Cavalry Command – Brigadier Valentin Ferraz
Artillery Command – Brigadier Cancho
Chief of staff- Lt. General Jose de Caternac

Vanguard Division - General Jeronimo Valdez (2063 men)

Cantabria Battalion – Colonel Antonio Tur (580 men)
Centro Battalion (464 men)
Castro Battalion (495 men)
1st Imperial Alexandro Battalion (400 men)
2 squadrons of Hussars of Fernando VII (124 men)
6 Artillery pieces

1st Division - General Juan Antonio Monet (2264 men)

1st Burgos Battalion (540 men)
Infante Battalion (444 men)
Victoria Battalion (392 men)
Guias Del General Battalion (240 men)
2nd Battalion of the 1st Regiment (400 men)
3 squadrons of the Dragones de La Union cavalry regiment (248 men)

2nd Division - General Alejandro Gonzales Villalobos (1720 men)

2nd Burgos Battalion (540 men)
2nd Imperial Alexandro Battalion (400 men)
1st Battalion of the 1st Regiment (400 men)
4 squadrons of the Granaderos de la Guardia (380 men)

Viceroy’s Guard – Viceroy Jose La Sernas (146 men)

Alabardero guard squadron (46 men)
1 company of the Guias Del General (100 men)
5 Artillery pieces

Reserve Division - General Jose Carratalla (182 men)

Fernando VII Battalion (196 men)
1st Gerona Battalion – Colonel Cayetano Ameller (450 men)
2nd Gerona Battalion – Colonel Domingo Echezarraga (450 men)
San Carlos Cavalry squadron (86 men)

* Usually the histories of this battle give a figure of 9310 men but when the list are counted for the records, the total with artillerist is 8475 men

Sources:
Alfonso Maria Borrero – Ayacucho (1974)
Jaime Auguilar Parades - Las Grandes Battallas del Libertador (1980)
Julio Mario Luqui Lagleyze - El Ejecito Realista en la Guerra de Independencia (1995)
Banderas Olvidadas - El Ejercito Realista en America (1990)

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