Regiment of Patricians - Creation

Creation

See also: British invasions of the Río de la Plata

In time for the arrival of British troops, Viceroy Santiago de Liniers decided that volunteers who are natives of Buenos Aires be submitted at the Fort on September 15, 1806, presenting more than 4,000 men who had to be enrolled in other military units.

It was the largest and most powerful unit recruited for the Defense of Buenos Aires and, like other urban military units formed, was granted the privilege of electing its officers. The first election was held at the Consulate of Buenos Aires on November 8, 1806. As head of the Corps or Legion and commander of the 1st Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Cornelio Saavedra was elected, Esteban Romero was elected commander of the Second Battalion, and José Domingo Urien the Third Battalion commander. Manuel Belgrano was elected Sergeant Major (later replaced by Juan José Viamonte) and among other officers were Feliciano Chiclana, Vicente López y Planes, and Eustace Perdriel Gregorio Díaz Vélez.

St. Martin of Tours became the patron of the unit and on November 9, the regimental flag was blessed at the Cathedral of Buenos Aires along with the Arribeños Corps. The unit was then called the Buenos Aires Patrician Volunteer Urban Legion, with the status of a full Tercio or Colonial Regiment of Militia.

The Patricios Legion was made up of three battalions, with 23 companies of 50 men each (8 battalions I and III and seven in the II), with a total of 1,356 soldiers, all Buenos Aires native residents.