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The Battle of Boyacá (1819), also known as the Battle of Boyacá Bridge was a decisive victory by a combined army of Venezuelan and New Granadan troops along with a British Legion led by General Simon Bolivar over the III Division of the Spanish Expeditionary Army of Costa Firme commanded by Spanish Colonel José Barreiro.
This victory ensured the success of Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada.
The battle of Boyaca is considered the beginning of the independence of the north of South America, and is considered important because it led to the victories of the battle of Carabobo in Venezuela, Pichincha in Ecuador, and Junín and Ayacucho in Peru.
New Granada acquired its definitive independence from the Spanish Monarchy, although fighting with royalist forces would continue for years.
Under the overall command of General Simon Bolivar, the Brigadier Generals Francisco de Paula Santander and José Antonio Anzoátegui led a combined patriot army of Neogranadines and Venezuelans that defeated in two hours the Spanish Royalist forces led by Spanish Colonels José María Barreiro and Francisco Jiménez who would both be captured in battle.
The effective destruction of the Royalist Army led to the collapse of the Royalist Government in the capital of Santa Fe with Viceroy Juan de Samano along with other government officials fleeing the capital shortly after news had reached of the battle. The battle led to the liberation of much of central New Granada and would lead to the union between New Granada and Venezuela creating the Republic of Colombia (Gran Colombia) in December of that same year.
The battle occurred 150 km from Bogotá in the Andes Mountains, in a place known as Casa de Teja, close to a bridge over the Teatinos River and 3 roads heading to Samaca, Motavita and Tunja, an area which is now part of the Boyacá Department. The site of the battlefield today is dotted with various monuments and statues that commemorate the battle.
At 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 7, the Royalist army departed Motavita and continued their march towards Santa Fe. From Motavita they marched down the Samaca road with the intention of rejoining the main Camino Real (Royal Road to Santa Fe) at the Casa de Teja or Casa de Postas where the road formed a Y shape as both the Samaca road and Camino Real converged and became a single road that crossed the Boyacá Bridge.
The Boyacá Bridge was an important bridge that was part of the Camino Real de Santa Fe, where it crossed the Teatinos River which was swollen at this time of year as a result of winter rain season. The distance to the bridge was only 25 km which the Spanish completed in 7 hours 30 minutes, at an average pace of 18 minutes per kilometer. Early morning that same day at 7 am, Bolivar left Tunja and took up an observation point at the San Lazaro heights near Tunja, from there around 9 am he spotted the Royalist Army and was able to deduce the route that they were taking.
The consequences of Bolivar's victory at Boyaca bridge lead to large chain of events that would end up changing the history of South America forever.
-The final defeat of Royal forces in central New Kingdom of Granada and the weakening of the rest of the forces in all America.
-The end of Spanish control over the American provinces, with the escape of viceroy Juan de Samano.
-The creation of Gran Colombia in December of 1819.
-The start of an autonomous government in the former Spanish provinces.
-The subsequent independence of Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and the creation of Bolivia, after a liberation campaign.
August 7 is a national holiday in Colombia. On this date every 4 years the elected President of Colombia is inaugurated as president by taking the presidential oath of office while also receiving the Presidential sash in the Plaza de Bolivar in Bogotá.
More information: Colombia One
and experience comes from bad judgement.
Simon Bolivar
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