illuminate known truths . Among the Afro-descendants who fought in the Argentinean armies during the 19th century , some barely left memories or documents that can prove their actions . Most of them saw their blood spilled without any posthumous recognition , but it was possible to reconstruct the military career of some army officers , such as Colonel Lorenzo Barcala , along with other ranks engaged in the crossing of the Andes Mountains . San Martín began to organize this campaign in 1814 , when the royalist forces reconquered Chile ; in May 1816 , he planned the patriotic reconquering through that crossing .
A Feat in the Heights In his 1869-written and 1887-published work History of San Martín and the South American Emancipation , the most comprehensive biographer of General San Martín , Bartolomé Mitre , had no qualms in describing the crossing of the Andes as one of the most extraordinary events in military history . The historian and former Argentine President added that this campaign came out of nowhere , was admirably executed and ended up being praised by the own San Martín ’ s enemies and by specialists in the art of war . Miter said that San Martin was encouraged — in the camp of Mendoza — by " a superior will ; he knew what he wanted and what he was doing , and everybody wanted to comply ; he ordered everything , instilling the certainty of the victory in the souls of his soldiers "( Miter : 1950 , 279 , 302 , 309 , 324 ). San Martin was designated Captain General for the Andean Army by the Congress of Tucumán , as before Manuel Belgrano for the Northern Army . It was not easy to cross such risky mountain passes with so many troops . The heights caused sleepless nights for the general , who was more worried about them than about the very enemy forces . His army had considerable dimensions . According to sources from the Central Library of the Army ' s Commander-in- Chief , he had more than 5,000 troops . From 40 % to 50 % were blacks . The army broke down into 4,000 soldiers plus 1,200 militia from the Cuyo ’ s cavalry as auxiliary force ; a brigade of 250 artillerymen and the personnel in charge of various tasks , as muleteers and workshop staffers . It is important to note that 16 slaves ceded by their owner in the province of Mendoza formed the first music band of the patriot army ( Miter : 1950 , 305 , 308 , Lanuza : 1979 , 72 , 164 ). San Martin had estimated the army ’ s needs in 1 million shots , 1 500 fighting horses and more than 12,000 pack mules . At the end , he had available 900 000 rifle and carbine rounds , 2 000 cannon balls , 200 loads of shrapnel and 600 grenades , as well as 1 600 battle horses and 10 000 pack and riding mules . The supplies included 600 live cattle plus other items such as jerky and cheese . After returning eight years later to Buenos Aires , the combatants numbered 159 and should quickly be ready for the imminent war against the Empire of Brazil . Preparing the army was a San Martín ’ s constant concern . In 1816 , he wrote his ally Juan Martín de Pueyrredón , Supreme Director of the United Provinces of Río de la Plata : " Let ’ s not kid ourselves : the army ( that of Peru ) needs at least one year to be organized , and that is with all the efforts by the government ; consequently , we ’ re giving all this time to the enemy for harassing us and for killing us off " ( Mitre : 1950 , 283 ). The Andean Army departed from Camp Plumerillo ( Mendoza ). The British merchant Samuel Haigh visited the camp and rendered a laudatory remark on the combatants of African descendant : " We interpreted the silent and gloomy fierceness of the soldiers ,
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