After a lacklustre career in Salta Province, Paz had made a name for himself in the war with Brazil, where he was promoted to the rank of general after the Battle of Ituzaingó.

He then declared himself to be against the Buenos Aires governor Manuel Dorrego who had been forced to sign a peace treaty with the Empire of Brazil which granted the independence of Uruguay and its separation from the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata.

It is possible, judging by the lack of movements or preparations on the part of Bustos, that Arredondo had not yet arrived with a response, so the federalist commander would have thought they were still within a period of truce.

The order was followed in each of his groups, after a severe bombardment over the federalist positions by commander Arengreen's artillery, a Swedish soldier fighting for the unitarians.

[1] The divisions commanded by Román Deheza, Gregorio Aráoz de Lamadrid and Juan Esteban Pedernera displaced the enemy's forces before them with ease.

The federalist troops, on their side were severely affected by the unitarian bombardment, and after the capture of their artillery and heavy losses of their men, they simply ran away from the battlefield.

Córdoba province remained under Paz's and unitarian control, joined with the federalists that had left Bustos plus the young class of city lawyers and merchants.