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Primary sourceArtifactc. 1780

Sextant of General José de San Martín

Nairne & Blunt · c. 1780

A brass sextant made by Nairne & Blunt of London, owned by San Martín, reflecting his navigational and technical approach to campaign planning.

His London-made sextant reflects his technical, navigational approach to planning campaigns.

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Brass sextant on a stand inside a glass display case, with a telescope tube and a curved arc with graduated scale. Above it hangs a framed flag document; a portrait painting is visible on the wall behind.
Sextant of General José de San Martín, by Nairne & Blunt, London, c. 1780. Museo Histórico Nacional.

About this source

What it is

This brass sextant, made around 1780 by the London instrument makers Nairne & Blunt, belonged to General José de San Martín. It is displayed today in a museum collection, together with other items associated with his career.

Why it matters

A sextant is a navigation instrument used to measure angles for determining position, often at sea or during overland expeditions. San Martín's ownership of this precise European-made instrument reflects the careful, technical planning behind his military campaigns, including his famous crossing of the Andes.

Look closer

  • Why would a general need an instrument usually associated with sailors and navigators?
  • What does owning a finely made London instrument suggest about San Martín's resources and connections?
  • What other objects are displayed near the sextant, and what might they add to the story?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of José de San Martín on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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A curved saber with a dark metal grip and cross guard, and a long curved blade, displayed in a glass case alongside its gold-colored metal scabbard with black leather covering and a ring attachment.Artifact

Primary source

Curved Saber of San Martín

early 19th century

Photograph of a handwritten letter on aged paper in a bound archival volume, with a red-bordered label reading 4172 and page number 1 at top right. The cursive text announces a victory and is signed with a flourish; a red circular stamp appears near the signature. Address line at bottom left.Letter

Primary source

Letter to Bernardo O'Higgins Announcing the Victory at Maipú

José de San Martín · 5 April 1818

Open booklet with a printed facsimile page on the left titled 'Maximas para mi hija, 1825' listing numbered maxims in Spanish, and a handwritten manuscript page on the right with the same maxims in cursive. Caption notes it is a facsimile of a document in the Museo Mitre.Document

Primary source

Máximas para mi Hija

José de San Martín · 1825

Handwritten Spanish manuscript page on lined paper, with a faded seal at upper left. The text begins 'En el Nombre de Dios todo poderoso' and continues with San Martín's will, mentioning his daughter Mercedes, a pension for his sister Elena, and his sable given to Juan Manuel de Rosas.Document

Primary source

Testamento de San Martín

José de San Martín · 1844

Oil painting of a man with dark, swept-back hair and sideburns wearing a dark military uniform with gold embroidered collar and cuffs and gold epaulettes. He holds a light-colored staff and a light blue and white flag with a laurel branch at upper right.Painting

Primary source

Portrait of José de San Martín

c. 1828

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