Montevideo, with all its war elements and all the popular elements enrolled in the very moment, succeeded in reconquering Buenos Ayres. The first English invasion was repelled. A new attack of the English gave as a result the taking of Montevideo after a furious fight on the 3d of February, 1807. Seven months later the English had to withdraw from Montevideo after the defeat suffered in Buenos Ayres by General Whitelock, who, on capitulating, had to surrender Montevideo and all other places occupied by his troops. On the 25th of May, 1810, the people in Buenos Ayres gave the first decisive step for the conquering of the independence of this continent. The Governor and Municipality of Montevideo did not join then the movement. The Junta or Revolutionary Committee, established in Buenos Ayres, sends regular troops to the Banda Oriental. General Don Jose G. Artigas commands the Oriental troops. After various encounters and fights that were all favorable to the Revolution, the Spanish power was forever destroyed in the River Plate, on the 23d of June, 1814. General Artigas does all he can that the Banda Oriental be one of the confederate provinces among the united ones of the River Plate. There occur some difficulties and the general government is obliged to surrender Montevideo, and the troops retire on the 23d of February, 1815. The Portuguese, who greedily sought after possessing this territory, invades it then with a powerful army. Fortune is first favorable to them; and, on the 20th of January, 1817, General Lecor takes possession of Montevideo and other places, giving to the Banda Oriental the name of Cisplatine State (Estado Cisplatino). The Brazilians part from the crown of Portugal, and after they have declared themselves independent the new Cisplatine state becomes a dependence of the Brazilian empire, the troops of which enter into Montevideo on the 28th of February, 1824, and take possession of the whole land. Some emigrated Orientals, residing in Buenos Ayres, do all that they possibly can so as to conquer again their independence and native country. They join the few elements they can dispose of and on the 19th of April, 1825, thirty-three fearless patriots, under the command of the Oriental General D. Juan Antonio Lavalleja, tread the shore of the Agraciada, near Nueva Palmira, and with the device, "_Libertad o Muerte_" (Liberty or Death), written on the national flag, begin the heroic campaign--the liberating expedition to which the whole country joins. The first encounters were favorable to the Oriental arms. General Lavalleja convokes the people for the electing of Deputies, and in the Villa de la Florida establishes itself the Deputy Chamber, which, on the 25th of August, 1825, sanctions--giving the strength of a law--the Declaration of the Independence of the River Plate Oriental Province.