When the Junta Grande was formed, the morenista faction was weakened, as from that moment on, decisions had to take the whole country into account, not just the point of view of the city of Buenos Aires. On 5 and 6 April 1811, a popular protest demanded total separation from the morenista movement and to make laws considering the whole of the country, not only for Buenos Aires and its elite. They saw Cornelio Saavedra (rival of Mariano Moreno) as their leader. Saavedra did not favor a revolution and slowly became less involved in government. After these first successes, French, along with other morenistas were stripped of their posts and power and exiled to Patagonia. He returned in 1812 and rejoined the army. French took part on the siege of Montevideo in 1814 and in the Army of the North in 1815.
