Quick Facts
Biography
Cristóbal Cabral (18th century) was a Spanish army officer and cavalry commander, in the expeditions against the Indians in the Argentine territory. He was the mediator of the peace between the cacique Cacapol (father of Cangapol) and the Spanish government.
Biography
Cristóbal Cabral was born in Buenos Aires descendant of Amador Vaz de Alpoim and Margarita Cabral de Melo (natives of Azores). His ancestors had settled in the city around 1600.
In late 1730 the territories of the province of Buenos Aires, inhabited by the rural people's were continuously attacked by malones de indios (Indians raids). Following these events the Governor Miguel de Salcedo proceeded with plans for make peace. In 1740 Salcedo dismisses to Juan de San Martin (Captain) and appoint the Maestre de campo Cristóbal Cabral, to lead expeditions. In command of 700 men, Cabral was accompanied by German Jesuit Mathías Strobel, should penetrate into the lands south of the Río Salado with the aim of reaching a peace agreement with the pampas. He met with a group of Tehuelche chiefs in the Sierras Cairú where the cessation of the raids took shape on November 2, 1741. In 1744 he led an expedition against the Pehuenche indians that had ravaged the villages of Arrecifes, Carmen de Areco and Lujan. Cabral had arrested to Indian chief Calelial, killing some of their men. The Cabral's cavalry regiments were armed with flintlock rifle with bayonet.
His last armed confrontation against the Indians was in 1754, in the present territories of La Matanza and Morón where the Captain Cabral defeats the fearsome cacique Yaite, in a bloody battle that ended with the surrender of the querandíes. After obtaining peace was founded the Catedral Nuestra Señora del Buen Viaje: Morón.