Spanish American wars of independence important change in strategy after three United Provinces campaigns had been defeated in Upper Peru. San Martín's army became the nucleus of the Army of the Andes, which received crucial political and material support in 1816 when Juan Martín de Pueyrredón became Supreme Director of the United Provinces. In January 1817, San Martín was finally ready to advance against the royalists in Chile. Ignoring an injunction from the congress of the Río de la Plata not to move against Chile, San Martín together with General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, later Supreme Director of Chile, led the Army over the Andes in
John Higgins of Montoge John Higgins of Montoge Sir John Higgins of Montoge (1678–1729) was an Irish physician. Higgins was a descendent of the O'Higgins of Montiagh, an Irish noble family who lost their lands in Sligo under the English Crown about 1649. His parents were a Dr. Patrick Higgins of Limerick City and his wife Mary Loftus of Annacotty. He was a cousin of Don Esteban de Iguiño (Stephen Higgins) who was Spanish General of the Infantry in the Army of Philippine islands. Sir John Higgins was born in 1678, and after the Treaty of Limerick in 1691 left Ireland to live in