The seeds of desunity: Conflicts and disagreements within the leadership of the royal army during the emancipation of Peru 1810-1824

This article uses unpublished letters sent by Gererals La Serna, Canterac, Ramirez, and Ricafort to Intendant Juan Bautista de Lavalle in Arequipa to examine the conflicts that arose within the royal army during the Peruvian War of Independence. It argues that the royal army was seriously undermined by such internal conflicts, which lay at the heart of the disunity which in turn contributed to the successful liberation of the colonies.