Military Figure. He is remembered as a Peruvian forefather, who served in the Liberation Army during the War of Independence of Peru from Spain. Serving under the command of Don José de San Martín, his unit was battling the Spanish troops in a high mountain terrain with freezing temperatures. Facing danger, the Liberation cavalry had to advance in columns through a gorge between a hill and a swamp and would be an easy target. He carefully pondered the situation. With heavy casualties already reported, he had an important role in the Battle of Junin on August 4, 1824, by deciding to change an order that was given to him from withdrawing a unit to attacking the enemy. Seeing the momentum of Rázuri, other units attacked with his unit giving a victory to the Liberation Army, thus this battle became the turning point of the war. He should have been court-martial and shot for disobeying a direct order, but instead he became a Peruvian hero. On December 9, 1824, the Liberation Army, under Antonio jose de Sucre, destroyed the last mainstay of the Spanish Army at the Battle of Ayacuho, ending Spanish rule of South American colonies. The bravery of the men in the “Húsares of Perú” unit of in the Battle of Junín motivated the liberator, Simon Bolívar to change the name to “Húsares of Junín.” Once the War of Independence of Peru was won, Rázuri remained in the Peruvian army and was promoted to captain. At this point, the political-unstable Peru was under attack from other South American countries wanting to control. He participated at the rank of Sergeant Major in the the invasion by Simon Bolivia in 1828, fought in the war against the newly formed region of Gran Colombia in 1829 and in the Battle of Portete de Tarqui in 1829. After the overthrow of President José de La Mar, he chose to leave the military to devote himself to agriculture, as he was mentally disheartened with politics and physically exhausted of fighting civil wars. At the rank of sergeant, he had entered the military on November 18, 1820 and retired in June of 1829. His parents had hoped that he would choose a career in the church, sending him to study at San Carlos and San Marcelo Seminary in Trujillo, yet he studied agriculture and then later, had an outstanding military career. Years later, the President of Peru Roman Castilla promoted this elderly man to the rank of Colonel of the Peruvian Army with a hero's medal. Castilla had been his commanding officer during the War of Independence. Commander Castilla had given him the task of recruiting patriots in the northern zone of Peru, which he did efficiently with the help of his brothers, forming a cavalry corps called "Pacasmayo Dragons". This unit was then incorporated intothe Húsares Regiment of Peru under the orders of Castilla. In 1881 the Chilean military invaded the city of Lima and occupied Peru. Even with this occupation, Chilean officers' were ordered to give respect this old soldier, a veteran of the War of Independence. To decline any honor from the Chilean government at his funeral, he requested to be buried in the city cemetery in San Pedro de Lloc with a private service at dawn before the Chilean government knew he had died. On August 6, 1953, his remains were transferred to the Pantheon of the Próceres de Lima, the last resting place for many of Peru's heroes. On August 6, 1974, an equestrian monument was inaugurated in the square that bears his name in San Pedro de Lloc, his hometown. The beautiful garden-like park of the José Andrés Rázuri Esteves Park Museum is located in the downtown area of the city of Junin at the Plaza de Armas. The museum has displays of portraits, old photographs, maps, uniforms and weapons used in the Battle of Junin. His home in San Pedro de Lloc is considered a historical monument. In 2003 a private school providing primary and secondary education opened in the city of Cusco with the name José Andrés Rázuri Esteves.