The civil war that broke out with the shooting of Manuel Dorrego by order of Juan Lavalle in Buenos Aires mostly took place in Córdoba Province, where the battles of San Roque, La Tablada and Oncativo were fought.

Along the way he picked up soldiers who had deserted from the Unitarian army unit in the Battle of Fraile Muerto, a victory of Buenos Aires General Ángel Pacheco.

With his army reinforced, he invaded San Luis Province, where he defeated Colonel Juan Pascual Pringles, who was killed in a battle near the Quinto River.

Soon after Quiroga had entered Mendoza, the two armies met on 22 January 1831 at a place in the hills called Rodeo de Chacón, near the Tunuyán river.

[2] His divisions were commanded by Colonels Prudencio Torres, José Ruiz Huidobro, Pantaleón Argañaraz and Juan de Dios Vargas.

A few days later, General Paz was taken prisoner by the Federalists, and Lamadrid retreated with the Unitarian army to San Miguel de Tucumán.