Gaspar de Vigodet

In September 1782, Vigodet participated, as a volunteer cadet, in the Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779–1783) before being transferred to the Regiment of Murcia the following month,[1] and becoming a second lieutenant in 1783.

[1] In February 1797, Vigodet boarded the 112-gun three-decker ship of the line, Conde de Regla to take part in the Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797) and later that same month participated in the defence of Cádiz.

[1] In May 1805, he was promoted to captain of fusiliers in the Africa Regiment and in February 1806, a commander-in-chief of Paraguay, post he was unable to occupy due to the war against England.

[1] In June 1809, as part of General Venegas's Army of La Mancha, Vigodet commanded the 2nd Division, then numbering 4,667 troops,[2] and which fought the following month at Almonacid and the following November at Ocana, both battles resulting in defeat for the Spanish forces.

In July 1810, he was appointed Governor of Montevideo, to stop the advance of the Independentist rebels forces of Río de la Plata.