URU - 2014 - #004 - DESCRIPTION - 185TH ANNIVERSARY "FLORIDA" BATTALION

Uruguay - 2014 - 185th Anniversary "Florida" Infantry Battalion No. 1 ( Previous/ Next)

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SERIE--- 1,00 EUR
SERIE [2X2] --- 4,00 EUR
FDC not Sent --- 2,00 EUR
FDC Sent on First Day --- 7,00 EUR
COVER Sent on First Day --- 5,00 EUR

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Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: March 6th, 2014
Printed: 15.000 copies

Stamp Shape and Size: Rectangular [39 mm. x 27 mm.]
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

Block Configuration: 25 stamps [5 x 5]
Block Shape and Size: Rectangular [Unknown]

FDC Type: Official Cover from Post Office
FDC not sent Shape and Size: Rectangular [165 mm. x 105 mm.]
FDC sent on issue day Shape and Size: Rectangular [165 mm. x 105 mm.]

Cover Shape and Size: Rectangular [240 mm. x 160 mm.]

Catalogue information:

Michel: No Data Available
Ivert: No Data Available
Scott: No Data Available
Stanley & Gibbons: No Data Available

Topics:

Issue:

As Main Topic: The Militaria or Militar issues is clearly the main topic of the stamp. Most specific inside that wide topic will be the Military of Uruguay, then more precise the Army of Uruguay, and finally this particular Infantry Battalion called "Batallón de Infantería 1: Florida", that his 185th anniversary is commemorated in this release.

Then, surrounding the main topic, could be found the followings: The first that cames to our mind is History, in particular the History of Southamerica, focus on the Emancipation of Southamerica, or the Liberty of Southamerica, or the Spanish American wars of independence, as this Battalion was created when this emancipation was happening, and has his main activity during the Cisplatine War, an armed conflict over an area known as Banda Oriental or the "Eastern Shore" (roughly present-day Uruguay) in the 1820s between the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata and the Empire of Brazil in the aftermath of the United Provinces' emancipation from Spain. During the Cisplatine War, the "Florida" Battalion has an heroic performance specially in the Battle of Ituzaingó, that was fought in vicinity of Santa Maria river, in a valley of small hills where a stream divided the valley in two, in which Juan Antonio Lavalleja, led the battalion under the command of Carlos María de Alvear, and beat Marquis of Barbacena. Also tied with this Battalion is the personality of Eugenio Garzón, as he was it first Chief.

Another Topic that could ber related to this Battalion cames from his name "Florida", that cames from the Department of Florida, that is a department of Uruguay that is located in the south of the central part of this country, and was named this way by Venancio Flores, before the "Batalla de Las Cañas", a battle that took place in 1863 in which Venancio Flores beat Diego Eugenio Lamas, and was named that way because many of the soldiers of this battalion were born in that department.

Now, regarding the desing of the stamp:It is clear that two topics emerges, one is Coat of Arms, as in the left side of the stamp is shown the Coat of arms of the Battalion "Florida", and the other is Architecture, because in the right side the Palace "Palacio Legislativo" is shown. The selection of this Building to be included in the design of the stamp is because the main function of this Battalion is to protect the Legislature powerthat work in this building.

Now going inside the Coat of Arms of the Battalion, many topics could be discovered: The first is the Cross, a Red Cross, similar to the one used by the Battalion in the Paraguay War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was an international military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. This cross divides the Field of the Shieldin four Cantons, however only the two of the top are filled with symbols. The left one has a Sword hilt similar to the one used by one of his more emblematic Chiefs Lorenzo Latorre, that is the head of the Animal Lion, and it is made of the Mineral Gold, this Lion also honour another Chief of this Battalion: León de Palleja, and serves as Symbol of Vigilance, Strength, Courage, Defense of sovereignty. Then, the right canton shows an also made of gold Natural horn, a Musical instrument that is the ancestor of the modern-day horn, and is differentiated by its lack of valves, honours the first name of the Battalion that was "Batallón de Cazadores", that in english means Battalion of Hunters, and also the Horn symbolizes Courage. Outside the field of the Coat of Arm, on top of it, there is a A Morion , a type of open Helmet, that was part of the traditional Uniform of the Battalion, then behind the shield are two Rifles, a Firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves ("rifling") cut into the barrel walls, with a Bayonet, a Knife, Sword, or spike-shaped Weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, turning the Gun into a Spear. That two Rifles were positioned in a Saltire way, an Heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross, like the shape of the letter X in Roman type, also called Saint Andrew Crossas is said that he have been martyred on such a cross, and it was used in the Coat of Arms to symbolize the Sacrifice of the soldiers of Infantry, and also the use of the Fusils used in the Period of José Gervasio Artigas, represents the ideal of Independence, Republic and Federation of the Artiguism, that is the reference ideology of the Army. Finally, below the field there is a Cross Pattée , a type of Cross which has arms narrow at the centre, and broader at the perimeter, and it is Military merit medal that was granted to the Battalion.

Then, regarding The "Palacio Legislativo", the site where the Uruguayan Parliament meets, which building started in 1904 sponsored by the government of President José Batlle y Ordoñez, designed by Italian architectsVittorio Meano and Gaetano Moretti, who planned the building's interior, and adorned with notable contributions by the Sculptor José Belloni, who created numerous Reliefs and Allegorical Sculptures for the building. Finally in the picture of the palace, the Flags topic is also included as the Flag of Uruguay, and surely, although barely seen, the Flag of Artigas at his right, are waving in their masts. The Flag of Artigas pays homage to José Gervasio Artigas, national hero of Uruguay, and has three horizontal stripes, the top and bottom being blue, and the central one white, and on top of them, it has a diagonal red stripe.

Finally, in a more symbolic way:As the "Palacio Legislativo", is the place in which the laws are created and established, the Legal System topic, and even the Laws topic could be infered from the stamp.

Block:

The block: Only reinforces the Topic Militaria, adding it as the icon selected to show the inks used in printing the Block, the figure of what seems to be Soldiers

FDC:

The desing of the First Day Cancelation:It only help to strengthen two topics that already exist in the stamp, that are the Hat Topic and the Weapons Topic, as it replaces the field and the merit medal of the Coat of Arm of the Battalion, with only the Morrion and the Rifles crossed behind it.

If you consider that there are another topics in this stamp, that were not spot in this review, you are encouraged to telling me about them, so please do not hesitate to post a comment. I would appreciate your help very much.