José María Pinedo (21 June 1795 – 19 February 1885) was a commander in the navy of the United Provinces of the River Plate, one of the precursor states of what is now known as Argentina. He took part in the Argentine War of Independence, the Argentine Civil Wars and the Cisplatine War. He is also known for failing to resist the British return to the Falkland Islands in 1833. Early life José María Pinedo was born on 21 July 1795 in Buenos Aires, then part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata of the Spanish Empire. His father, José Agustín de Pinedo, was a colonel in the Spanish army; his mother was Juana Albizuri y Echaurri. War of Independence On 1 April 1816, Pinedo began his naval career as an unranked officer in the crew of the corvette Vigilancia, under the command of Major Jorge Ross. Between 1818 and 1819, the Vigilancia acted as a Privateer in European waters. In Philadelphia he transshipped to the armed schooner Independencia a privateer organised by Juan Pedro Aguirre under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Juan Grimalds. Pinedo was wounded twice in actions, against Spanish shipping in the North Atlantic. Argentine civil wars On 14 September 1819, Pinedo was given command of the schooner Fortuna After leaving the Paraná River he joined the naval forces under the command of Ángel Hubac fighting the forces of Caudillos Francisco Ramírez and Estanislao López. On 26 December 1819, Fortuna took part in the Battle of Boca del Colastiné where Hubac was mortally wounded and replaced by Captain Manuel Monteverde. Three days later on 29 December, Fortuna took part in the Battle of Punta Gorda. In March 1820, Monteverde's squadron under the auspices of the Treaty of Pilar came under the command of Francisco Ramírez and joined the forces fighting against those of Caudillo José Gervasio Artigas. On 17 April, Monteverde defected but Pinedo and other officer under his command remained loyal to Buenos Aires. On 6 November 1820, he was promoted to acting 1st Lieutenant and after the campaign he was transferred to the port of Buenos Aires as a staff officer, where he established the headquarters of the navy's Service of Hygiene. Cisplatine War On 4 December 1825, on the outbreak of the Cisplatine War, Pinedo was appointed full 1st Lieutenant and given the command of the schooner ARA Sarandí in the squadron