An exploration of women's involvement in the Latin American Wars of Independence

Martina Silva de Gurruchaga

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Martina Silva

Gender:Female

Ethnic origen: Unknown

Events:

Connections:

Biography:
Born on 3 November 1790, she was the daughter of María Isadora Fernández de Córdoba and Marcelino Miguel de Silva. She married José Gurruchaga in 1810. She was an enthusiastic patriot who gave Belgrano lodging at her home and contributed uniforms and arms to equip a unit of the independence troops. She made a flag and gave it to Belgrano. He is claimed to have said "if all American hearts were like yours we'd have an easy victory". She led a group of women who rode through the area urging campesinos to join the patriot troops. Belgrano gave her the title Capitana del Ejército Patriota and a silk sash. She died in Salta on 5 March 1873. (Sosa de Newton, 608, 590)

She was born in Salta on 3 November 1790. In 1810 she married José Gurruchaga, a merchant who supported the independence cause. On the eve of the battle of Salta, she armed citizens who then contributed to the victory. She made a flag and gave it to Belgrano who is said to have received it with the following words: "Señora, si en todos los corazones americanos existe la misma decisión que en el vuestro, el triunfo de la causa porque luchamos será fácil." In 1813 Belgrano gave her the honorary title Capitana del ejército. She died on 5 March 1873 in Salta. (Carranza, 148-149)

References:

Carranza, Adolfo P. (1910) Patricias argentinas
Davies, Catherine, Brewster, Claire and Owen, Hilary (2006) South American Independence. Gender, Politics, Text
Sosa de Newton, Lily (1986) Diccionario biográfico de mujeres argentinas