Arroyo Saladillo

At the crack of dawn on 7 February 1812 Manuel Belgrano stood into Pago de los Arroyos. Accompanied by his troops, they crossed through a rainwater ravine named “Arroyo Saladillo” by cart.

At the height of  Argentina 's War of Independence, Belgrano, then head of  Regimiento de Patricios (military unit), had been appointed to guard the shores of the Paraná River in order to prevent royalist invasions.

So as to fulfill this mission, two defense units were formed: The Artillery battery Libertad, built in the ravine area where present-day National Flag Memorial is located, and battery Independencia, built in Espinillo, a river island.