Picture Remedios a young woman from a prominent Buenos Aires family. Her life unfolded in a grand home on what is now Hipólito Yrigoyen and Defensa streets. This wasn’t just any house. It was known as “los altos de Escalada” a luxurious building with a balcony that overlooked the Plaza del Fuerte.
Remedios de Escalada’s story is one of privilege and profound sadness. Born in 1797 into immense wealth her family’s mansion boasted heavy European drapes Venetian mirrors and paintings from the Alto Peru and Quito. Her father Antonio Escalada was incredibly rich. He was one of the wealthiest men in Buenos Aires. Remedios was his favorite. Sundays were special. She and her mother would attend mass dressed in their finest attire. Their elegance was a stark contrast to the simple lives of many Buenos Aires residents.
At fourteen Remedios met José de San Martín. It was love at first sight. It was a scandalous match. He was a relatively unknown soldier. Her family disapproved. She was even betrothed to another man. Yet Remedios’s determination prevailed. Her father eventually relented. They married secretly in 1812.
Their marriage was a blend of intense passion and heartbreaking separation. San Martín’s military career kept him away. Their life together in Mendoza was simpler than her privileged upbringing. Remedios adapted gracefully. She helped with fundraising efforts for San Martín’s cause. She actively supported him socially.
In 1816 while San Martín was preparing his army for the Andes crossing Remedios gave birth to their daughter Merceditas. She even played a crucial role in creating the Army of the Andes’ flag. She and other women searched tirelessly for the right fabric. They even used their own jewelry to create the sun’s embellishments.
The crossing of the Andes marked a turning point. It was also a devastating separation. Remedios and Merceditas returned to Buenos Aires. Remedios’s health deteriorated. She was plagued by tuberculosis. In 1819 the family moved to a country estate for better air. There in the current Parque Patricios neighborhood she died in 1823. She was only 25.
San Martín’s grief was profound. He arrived in Buenos Aires months later only to find his beloved wife gone. Her tombstone in the Recoleta Cemetery simply reads “Here rests Remedios de Escalada wife and friend of General San Martín”. A testament to their enduring love amidst the turmoil of a nation’s birth. A life cut short but not forgotten.