Battle of Sauce (1816)

The Battle of Sauce was a military engagement fought on November 27, 1816, during the Uruguayan War of Independence. It was a significant victory for the patriotic forces of the Banda Oriental (present-day Uruguay), led by Fructuoso Rivera, against the invading Portuguese army under Brigadier General Sebastiao Barreto Pereira Pinto.

The battle took place near the Sauce stream, located in the Canelones Department of Uruguay. Rivera's forces, consisting primarily of gauchos and local militia, utilized guerilla tactics and knowledge of the terrain to ambush and harass the larger and better-equipped Portuguese army.

The victory at the Battle of Sauce, while not decisive in ending the Portuguese occupation, significantly boosted the morale of the Uruguayan patriots and hampered the Portuguese campaign. It solidified Rivera's reputation as a skilled military leader and contributed to the ongoing struggle for independence. The battle is remembered as an important event in Uruguayan history and is commemorated annually. The Portuguese ultimately consolidated their control, leading to the incorporation of the Banda Oriental into the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves as the Cisplatine Province.