Admirable Campaign
Encyclopedia
The Admirable Campaign was a military action led by Simón Bolívar
in which the provinces of Mérida, Barinas, Trujillo and Caracas were conquered by the independentists. Its objective was to free Venezuela
from Spanish control, which was accomplished in conjunction with Santiago Mariño
's simultaneous campaign in the east.
, which was in the process of fighting with cities that did not recognize its authority. On 28 January 1813 Bolívar captured Ocaña, a city which was on the main roads to Venezuela. The expedition was formed by two divisions, a vanguard led by Colonel Atanasio Girardot
and a rear under Colonel José Félix Ribas
. At the same time Domingo de Monteverde
was moving troops to western Venezuela in preparation for an invasion of New Granada, threatening the newly independent states there.
From Ocaña Bolívar moved against royalist areas of New Granada, taking the border city of Cúcuta in the Battle of Cúcuta
on 28 February. Here Bolivar asked United Provinces for aid and permission to enter Venezuela through a document named the "Cartagena Manifesto
" . The United Provinces regarded his petition favourably taking into consideration the numerous actions that he executed for the Neogranadan government. As soon as government authorization was given, the campaign started its march into Venezuela on 16 February. The expedition marched through San Cristóbal
, La Grita
, Mérida
and Trujillo. It is from this city that Bolívar issued his "Decree of War to the Death." In the Decree Bolivar announced that the patriot army will treat Spaniards
and Criollos
differently: "Spaniards and Canarians
, count on death, even if indifferent, if you do not actively work in favor of the independence of America. Americans, count on life, even if guilty." The Decree would remain in force, technically, until the treaty signed with Pablo Morillo
at Santa Ana de Trujillo on 26 November 1820 regularized the rules of engagement.
The last major engagement of the campaign was the Battle of Los Horcones on 22 July. After that the expedition occupied the cities of Valencia and La Victoria
in early August. Losing on two fronts, the royalist government surrendered on 4 August. Bolívar's forces had a triumphal entrance into the city of Caracas
on 6 August, bringing an end to the campaign and reestablishing the Venezuelan republic.
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
in which the provinces of Mérida, Barinas, Trujillo and Caracas were conquered by the independentists. Its objective was to free Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
from Spanish control, which was accomplished in conjunction with Santiago Mariño
Santiago Mariño
Santiago Mariño , was a nineteenth-century Venezuelan revolutionary leader and hero in the Venezuelan War of Independence...
's simultaneous campaign in the east.
Overview
After the loss of the First Republic of Venezuela, Bolívar had gone to New Granada where he joined the army of the United ProvincesUnited Provinces of New Granada
The United Provinces of New Granada was a country in South America from 1811 to 1816, a period known in Colombian history as the Patria Boba. It was formed from areas of the New Kingdom of Granada. The government was a federation with a parliamentary system, consisting of a weak executive and...
, which was in the process of fighting with cities that did not recognize its authority. On 28 January 1813 Bolívar captured Ocaña, a city which was on the main roads to Venezuela. The expedition was formed by two divisions, a vanguard led by Colonel Atanasio Girardot
Atanasio Girardot
Atanasio Girardot was a Colombian revolutionary leader who fought with Simón Bolívar in the Campaña Admirable and other battles. He died during the Battle of Bárbula, trying to plant the republican flag on Bárbula Hill....
and a rear under Colonel José Félix Ribas
José Félix Ribas
José Félix Ribas , was a Venezuelan independence leader and hero of the Venezuelan War of Independence.-Early life:Ribas was the last of eleven sons, born to a prominent Caracas family. In his early years, he received a quality education and attended the city's seminary. After finishing his...
. At the same time Domingo de Monteverde
Juan Domingo de Monteverde
Juan Domingo de Monteverde y Rivas , commonly known as Domingo de Monteverde, was a Spanish soldier, governor and Captain General of Venezuela from June 1812 to 8 August 1813. Monteverde was the leader of Spanish forces in the Venezuelan War of Independence from 1812 to 1813...
was moving troops to western Venezuela in preparation for an invasion of New Granada, threatening the newly independent states there.
From Ocaña Bolívar moved against royalist areas of New Granada, taking the border city of Cúcuta in the Battle of Cúcuta
Battle of Cúcuta
The Battle of Cúcuta was a battle fought in the Independence of Colombia on February 28, 1813. It was an important symbolic victory that greatly increased the morale of Bolivar's army and aided them in their fight against the Spanish in Venezuela....
on 28 February. Here Bolivar asked United Provinces for aid and permission to enter Venezuela through a document named the "Cartagena Manifesto
Cartagena Manifesto
The Cartagena Manifesto was written by Simón Bolívar during the Colombian and Venezuelan War of Independence, after the fall of the First Republic, explaining with great detail and precision what he believed to be the causes of this loss. It was written in Cartagena de Indias, on 15 December 1812...
" . The United Provinces regarded his petition favourably taking into consideration the numerous actions that he executed for the Neogranadan government. As soon as government authorization was given, the campaign started its march into Venezuela on 16 February. The expedition marched through San Cristóbal
San Cristóbal, Táchira
San Cristóbal is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Táchira. It is located in a mountainous region of Western Venezuela. The city is situated 818 m/2,625 ft above sea level in the northern Andes overlooking the Torbes River, 56 km/35 mi from the Colombian border. San...
, La Grita
La Grita
La Grita is a town in Táchira state, Venezuela. It has a population of 80.000. It is located in the North West of Tachira State. Founded by the Spanish Captain Francisco de Cáceres, in 1573, also known as ciudad de Atenas or ciudad del Espíritu Santo, it was the capital of the Province of La Grita...
, Mérida
Mérida, Mérida
Santiago de los Caballeros de Mérida, Venezuela, is the capital of the municipality of Libertador and the state of Mérida, and is one of the principal cities of the Venezuelan Andes...
and Trujillo. It is from this city that Bolívar issued his "Decree of War to the Death." In the Decree Bolivar announced that the patriot army will treat Spaniards
Peninsulares
In the colonial caste system of Spanish America, a peninsular was a Spanish-born Spaniard or mainland Spaniard residing in the New World, as opposed to a person of full Spanish descent born in the Americas or Philippines...
and Criollos
Criollo (people)
The Criollo class ranked below that of the Iberian Peninsulares, the high-born permanent residence colonists born in Spain. But Criollos were higher status/rank than all other castes—people of mixed descent, Amerindians, and enslaved Africans...
differently: "Spaniards and Canarians
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, count on death, even if indifferent, if you do not actively work in favor of the independence of America. Americans, count on life, even if guilty." The Decree would remain in force, technically, until the treaty signed with Pablo Morillo
Pablo Morillo
Pablo Morillo y Morillo, Count of Cartagena and Marquess of La Puerta, aka El Pacificador was a Spanish general....
at Santa Ana de Trujillo on 26 November 1820 regularized the rules of engagement.
The last major engagement of the campaign was the Battle of Los Horcones on 22 July. After that the expedition occupied the cities of Valencia and La Victoria
La Victoria, Aragua
La Victoria is a city in the state of Aragua in Venezuela.It is famous for the independence battle of 12 February 1814, where José Félix Ribas led a young and inexperienced army that succeeded in halting the royalist troops of José Tomás Boves at La Victoria...
in early August. Losing on two fronts, the royalist government surrendered on 4 August. Bolívar's forces had a triumphal entrance into the city of Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
on 6 August, bringing an end to the campaign and reestablishing the Venezuelan republic.
See also
- NevadoNevadoNevado was a Mucuchies dog that was given to Simón Bolívar by the local people of Mucuchíes, Mérida, in the Venezuelan Andes. It was given as a kind of present shortly after the Battle of Niquitao during his triumphal Admirable Campaign from New Granada to Caracas in 1813...
, the mucuchiesMucuchiesThe Mucuchies is a dog breed from Venezuela. They have a short coat with feathering along their limbs. The coat color is either white or white with splashes of colors such as honey or tan, or shades of black and gray.-Size:...
puppy gift to Simon BolivarSimón BolívarSimón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
, from the Admirable Campaign.