tɹɐdˈɪʃənəli, ðə spˈænɪʃ kəlˈoʊnɪəl ˈɑːɹmi bɐtˈæliənz wɜː dᵻvˈaɪdᵻd ˌɪntʊ kˈæsts ʌv blˈæk slˈeɪvz ænd fɹˈiː blˈæks, bˌʌt sˌæn mˈɑːɹtɪn wʌz ɐɡˈɛnst sˌɛɡɹɪɡˈeɪʃən ænd bᵻlˈiːvd ɪn jˈuːnɪfˌaɪɪŋ pˈiːpəl ʌv kˈʌlɚ ænd wˈaɪts, fˈaɪɾɪŋ æz sˈoʊldʒɚz ɪnðə sˈeɪm jˈuːnɪt.
Traditionally, the Spanish colonial army battalions were divided into castes of black slaves and free blacks, but San Martin was against segregation and believed in unifying people of color and whites, fighting as soldiers in the same unit.