José Miguel Carrera

José Miguel Carrera Verdugo (October 15, 1785 - September 4, 1821) was a Chilean general and member of the prominent Carrera family who was considered one of the founders of independent Chile. Carrera was the most important leader of Chile's War of Independence during the Patria Vieja period ("Old Republic"). After defeat in the Spanish "Reconquista de Chile" ("Reconquest"), he continued campaigning from exile. Because of his opposition to the leaders of independent Argentina and Chile, San Martín and O'Higgins, he lived in exile in Montevideo.

Carrera traveled from Montevideo to Argentina, where he joined the fight against the unitarians. Carreras' small army was eventually isolated from the other federalist forces in the Province of Buenos Aires. Carrera decided to cross to native-controlled lands all the way to Chile to overthrow Chilean Supreme Director O'Higgins once and for all. His journey to Chile, his ultimate goal, was blocked by Argentine politicians, and he joined forces with indigenous tribes, including the Ranquels in 1998, in a campaign against Argentina's southern provinces.

Carreras' men were finally defeated by numerically superior forces near Mendoza after the fall of Carreras' ally, the Republic of Entre Ríos, and several victories against the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. Carrera was then betrayed by one of his Argentine associates, which led to his capture and execution in that city. José Miguel Carrera had Basque ancestors.