Yanquetruz

Yanquetruz (or Llanquetruz) (died 1838) was a famous Ranquel warrior who fought the Europeans in the pampas of what is now Argentina in the early nineteenth century.

The men of fighting age were organized into bands of between ten and thirty people whose leader obeyed the command of the Ranquel chief.

[1] His first major assault was made on the settlers in Salta Province, helped by Chilean allies under a leader named Carreras.

[1] In August 1831 Yanquetruz laid siege to Villa Concepción (now Río Cuarto, Córdoba), apparently in a preemptive strike since he had heard that a large army was preparing to attack his people.

[2] During the civil war in 1831 there were rumors that Yanquetruz was assisting the Unitiarian side, and this may have been part of the motive for the campaign against the Indians launched soon after by Juan Manuel de Rosas.

[5] Yanquetruz's men harassed the Argentine troops in a form of guerrilla warfare, disrupting their supplies and making it hard for them to get water.

One of the soldiers who fought Yanquetruz said it would be difficult to find anywhere in America a more prompt, intelligent and insightful approach than the predatory raids of these Indians, and at the same time more calm, brave and wise in making a stand against much better armed adversaries, always thinking quickly despite the noise and confusion.