The Battle of Arapey was an encounter between the Luso-Brazilian forces under José de Abreu Mena Barreto and the Artiguist forces led by José Artigas, the independentist caudillo himself, in Salto, modern-day Uruguay. On 3 January 1817 Abreu attacked Artigas army in its camp, surprising the defenders. The Luso-Brazilian forces secured a victory and seized all of the supplies of the independentist army.