Battle of Ayacucho
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Ayacucho was a decisive military encounter during the Peruvian War of Independence. It was the battle that sealed the independence of Peru, as well as the victory that ensured independence for the rest of South America. It is thus also considered the end of the Spanish American wars of independence.
As of late 1824, Royalists still had control of most of the south of Peru as well as of Real Felipe Fort in the port of Callao
. On December 9, 1824, the Battle of Ayacucho, or Battle of La Quinua, took place at Pampa de La Quinua, a few kilometers away from Ayacucho, near the town of Quinua
between Royalist and Independentist
forces. Independentist forces were led by Antonio José de Sucre
, Simón Bolívar
's lieutenant. Viceroy
José de la Serna was wounded, and after the battle second commander-in-chief José de Canterac
signed the final capitulation of the Royalist army.
The modern Peruvian Army
celebrates the anniversary of this battle.
to help the royalists of America revolted under the encouragement of General Rafael Riego
. In the subsequent weeks the revolt spread and King Ferdinand VII was forced to restore the liberal Spanish Constitution of 1812
, which he had suppressed six years earlier. This event ended Spain's ability to send reinforcements to America, which in turn eventually forced the royalist armies of the viceroyalties of Peru and New Spain (today's Mexico
), which had contained the Spanish American revolution so far, to deal with the patriot forces on their own. The royalists in each viceroyalty, however, took different paths.
In New Spain, royalists, after defeating the insurgents, proclaimed a negotiated separation from Liberal Spain through the Plan of Iguala
, which they negotiated with the remaining patriots, and the Treaty of Córdoba
, which they negotiated with the new head of government, Juan O'Donojú
. In Peru Viceroy Joaquín de la Pezuela was discredited after a royalist expedition to Chile under Mariano Osorio
was defeated and advances in Peru were made by José de San Martín
. The viceroy was overthrown on January 29, 1821, in Aznapuquio in a coup by General José de la Serna
, who proclaimed his adhesion to the restored Spanish Constitution.
The independentists started the new year with a promising victory. At Cerro de Pasco
they defeated a Peruvian royalist army commanded by Viceroy La Serna. But royalists had a solid military training. Their first victory came against the independentist army commanded by Domingo Tristán and Agustín Gamarra in campaigns in the Ica Region
. A year later, San Martin had withdrawn from the scene after the Interview of Guayaquil
and royalist forces had smashed Rudecindo Alvarado's Liberating Expedition in campaigns in Torata
and Moquegua
. The year 1823 ended with the La Serna destroying another patriot army commanded by Andrés de Santa Cruz
and Agustín Gamarra
in yet another open campaign in Puno
, which started with the Battle of Zepita and the resulted in the occupation of La Paz
on August 8. After scattering Santa Cruz's isolated troops. La Serna retrieved Arequipa
after beating Antonio José de Sucre
's Gran Colombia
n force on October 10. Sucre decided to evacuated the Gran Colombian troops, set sailing on October 10, 1823, saving himself and his troops, although losing the best of his cavalry. Viceroy La Serna ended the campaign after reaching Oruro
in Upper Peru
.
On the political front, the last remnants of optimism among patriots faded away with accusations of treason against Peruvian presidents José de la Riva Agüero
and José Bernardo de Tagle
. Riva Agüero deported deputies
of the Peruvian Congress and organized another congress in Trujillo
. After being found guilty of high treason by the Peru Congress he was banished to Chile. This act, in turn, was considered by Simón Bolívar as treasonous. Tagle, who had arranged that all armies under his command supported Bolívar against the royalist enemy, was now searched by Bolívar was looking to capture and execute him. Tagle took shelter with the royalists in the fortress of Callao, which was under siege.
Nevertheless, by the end of 1823, the situation had started to become critical for those who defended the king's cause. In spite of the impressive military triumphs, Bolívar's request for reinforcements from Colombia made him a threat to the royalist army. Both sides prepared for the confrontation they knew was coming:
Juan Gregorio de Las Heras
city with brigadier Baldomero Espartero, obtaining no agreement. Among other measures taken by the viceroy for containing the imminent rebellion, on January 10, 1824 Casimiro Olañeta was ordered:
Rivadavia believed that the project would establish peace and stopped authority's efforts of Salta over Upper Peru, refusing assistance and withdrawing advanced posts, in detriment of the cause of Peru.
In that matter, the Irish historian, of military origin, Daniel Florencio O'Leary was of the opinion that with that that truce "Buenos Aires has implicitly withdrawn from the struggle", and that "Buenos Aires Government pacts with the Spanish, on detriment of the American cause".
On January 1, 1824, Bolívar fell terribly ill in Pativilca. At that time, Félix Álzaga, plenipotentiary minister of Provincias Unidas del Río de la Plata arrived to Lima, in order to request Peru its adhesion to the truce, which was rejected by the Peruvian Congress. Nevertheless, since February 4, 1824 the quarters of Callao rioted, having the whole Argentinian infantry of the Libertor Expedition, together with some Chilean, Peruvians and Colombians: nearly 2000 men that in addition went over to the royalists http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=80349, raising the Spanish pavilion and handing over the fortresses of Callao. The mounted grenadier regiment of the Andes also revolted in Lurin on February 14: two squadrons went over to the Callao to join the riot, but when they noticed that they had joined the royalists, a hundred of them with regiment bosses went to Lima to join. The unit was then reorganized by General Mariano Necochea. On the verge of such events, the minister of Colombia, Joaquín Mosquera "fearing the ruin of our army" asked:«And what do you plan to do now?», and Bolívar, in a decided, answered:
The Site of El Callao extended the war until 1826, and immediately resulted in the occupation of Lima Canterac, and it is said that, on May 1824, with a military action against Bolívar "they would have given the final blow to independence in this part of America".
) rioted led by Pedro Antonio Olañeta
a royalist against the viceroy of Peru (a liberal), after receiving news that the Constitutional Government had fallen in Spain. Indeed, the monarch Ferdinand VII of Spain and his absolutists followers recovered the government, supported by 132,000 French soldiers from the Holy Alliance
army, which will occupy Spain until 1830. Rafael del Riego
was hanged
on November 7, 1823 and the people of the liberal movement were executed, outcast or exiled from Spain. On October 1, 1823, the monarch decreed the abolition of everything approved during the last three years of constitutional government, which annulled the designation of La Serna as viceroy of Peru. The scope of the purge over the constitutionals of Vice-royalty Peru seemed infallible.
Olañeta
ordered the attack of the Upper Peruvian royalists against the constitutionals of Peruvian viceroyalty. La Serna changed his plans of going down to the coast to fight Bolívar, and sent Jerónimo Valdés
with a force of 5000 veteran to cross the river River Desaguadero, which took place on January 22, 1824, in order to drive them to Potosí
against his former subordinate, "because there are indications of a meditated treason, joining the dissidents of Buenos Aires". Memorias para la historia de las armas españolas en el Perú ("Memories for the history of the Spanish armies in Peru") from peninsular official Andrés García Camba (1846) detail the overturning that the incidents in Upper Peru produced in defensive plans of the viceroy. After a long campaign in the battles of Tarabuquillo, Sala, Cotagaita, and finally La Lava on August 17 of year 1824, both royalists forces of Viceroyalty Peru (liberals) and of the provinces of Upper Peru (absolutists), were mutually decimated.
Bolivar, having news of Olañeta, took advantage of the dismounting of the royalist defensive system so that he "moved the whole month of May to Jauja", and face José de Canterac
isolated in Junín on August 6 of 1824. And so, a non-stop persecution started with the consequent desertion of 2700 royalists, which immediately went over to the independentists lines. Finally, October 7 of 1824, having his troops right in front of the doors of Cuzco, Bolívar gave general Sucre the command of the new battle front, which followed the course of the Apuríma River, and he withdraw to Lima in order to take from the capital more loans to keep the war going in Peru, and to receive a Colombian division of 4000 men given up by Páez which would arrive after Ayacucho.
The defeat of the expeditionary force of Canterac, forced La Serna to bring Jerónimo Valdés from Potosí, who came with forced marched with his soldiers. Gathered the royalist generals, and in spite of the signs of sincere adhesion of Cusco, the viceroy rejected a direct assault because of the lack of instruction of his army, enlarged by the massive return of peasants a few weeks earlier. On the contrary, he intended to cut Sucre's rearguard through march and countermand maneuvers, which happen since Cusco to the encounter in Ayacucho, along the Andean range. Thereby, the royalists planned a quick strike which they made on December 3 in battle of Corpahuaico or Matará, where they caused the liberator army more than 500 casualties sand the loss of a big part of ammunition and artillery, having lost only 30 men. However, Sucre and his assistant managed to keep the troop organized and prevented the viceroy from exploiting this local success. Although having suffered important losses of men and material, Sucre kept the United Army in an ordered fall back, and always situated in assured positions of difficult access, like Quinoa field.
Another book of memories, In the service of the Republic of Peru, from general Guillermo Miller, offers the vision of the independentists. Besides Bolívar's and Sucre's talents, the United Army seeded from an important part of the century's military experience: the Rifles battalion of the army of Colombia was composed of European mercenary troops, which were mostly British volunteers. This unit was substantially damaged in Corpahuico. Among its ranks, there were also veterans from the Spanish Independence, the North American Independence, and from the Spanish American Wars; there were even cases like the German Major Carlos Sowersby, veteran from the Battle of Borodino
against Napoleón Bonaparte in Russia in 1812.
The royalists had had consumed their resources in a war of movements without achieving a decisive victory against the liberator army. Because of the extremely hard conditions of a campaign in the Andine range, both armies felt in numbers the effects of disease and desertion, which affected the independents as well as the armies lacking of military training and the armies made up by enemy prisoners. The royalists chiefs had positioned themselves in the heights of Condorcunca (which means condor's neck in Quechua). This was a good defensive position but one which they couldn’t hold for long given they had food supplies for less than five days, which would mean the dispersion of the army and certain defeat under the close arrival of Columbian reinforcement. The army was impelled to make a desperate decision: the Battle of Ayacucho was about to begin.
United Liberation Army
Before the battle beginning, general Sucre harangued his troops:
Marshal Sucre doesn’t mention in this part the Mounted Grenadiers of Río de la Plata. General Miller in his Memoirs of General Miller: in the service of the republic of Peru offers the full composition of the armies under Sucre:
Miller's assertion regarding that the Junín Hussars were in his division contradicts what Sucre says in the part.
Royalist Army of Perú
Sucre immediately realized the risky maneuver, which became clear as the royalists found themselves in a slope, without chances of covering their movements. Córdova Division, supported by Miller's Cavalry, stroked directly the disorganized bulk of royalist troops that were incapable of forming for battle and descended in lines from the mountains; it was right before starting this attack that general José María Córdova pronounced his famous phrase "Division, armas a discreción, de frente, paso de vencedores" (Division, discredit arms, on the pace of the victorious, Forward!) Colonel Joaquín Rubín de Celis, who commanded the first royalist regiment had to protect the artillery emplacement, which was still loaded in its mules, moved forward carelessly into the plain where his unit was smashed and he himself was killed during the attack of Córdova's division, whose effective fire on the lines formations pushed the scattered shooters of Villalobos’.
Seeing the misfortune suffered by his left, general Monet, without waiting for his cavalry to form in the plain, crossed the ravine and he led his division against Córdova's, managing to form in battle two of his battalions but, suddenly attacked by the independents division, he was surrounded before the rest of his troops could also form in battle; during these events Monet was hurt and three of his chiefs killed; the scattered armies of his side dragged in retreat the masses of militia. The royalist cavalry under Ferraz charged upon the enemy squadrons that pursued Monet's left but that. supported by the heavy fire of his infantry, caused a huge deal of casualties over Ferraz's horsemen, whose survivors were forced to rashly leave the battlefield.
On the other end of the line, the Second Division of José de La Mar plus the Third Division of Jacinto Lara stopped together the assault made by the veterans of Valdés’ vanguard who had launched themselves to take a lonely house occupied by some independentist companies, which, although swapped at first, were soon reinforced and went back to the attack, eventually helped by the victorious Córdova's division. Viceroy La Serna and the other officers tried to reestablish the battle and reorganize the scattered men who ran and general Canterac himself led the reserve division over the plain; however, Gerona battalions were not the same that won in the battles of Torata and Moquegua, because during Olañeta's rebellion they had lost almost all their veterans and even their former commander Cayetano Ameller; this troop, composed by recruits forced to fight scattered before facing the enemy, and Ferdinand VII battalion followed, after a feeble resistance. At one o’clock the viceroy had been hurt and made prisoner along with a great number of his officers and even though Valdés’ division was still fighting to the right of his front, the battle was a victory for independentists. Casualties told by Sucre were 370 killed and 609 wounded, the royalists had about 1800 dead and 700 wounded.
With the remnants of his division, Valdés managed to retreat to the heights of his rearguard where he joined 200 riders that had gathered around general Canterac and some dispersed soldiers from royalist divisions whose fleeing demoralized men even shot and kill their own officers who intended to regroup them. With the main body of the royal army destroyed and the viceroy himself in the hands of his enemies, royalists leaders surrendered.
Bolívar summoned from Lima the Panama Congress, on December 7, for the unión of the new independent countries. The project was only ratified by Great Colombia. Four years later, due to personal ambitions of many of its generals and the absence of a united visión that foresaw South America as a single nation, Great Colombia would end up splitting in the countries that exist today in the South American continent, frustrating the dream of union hoped by The Liberator of America.
On the contrary, Spanish commander Andrés García Camba tells in his memories how Spanish officials, latter known as "ayacuchos", were unjustly accused upon their arrival to Spain: "misters, with that thing we had a Masonic defeat" they were told in an accusatory manner, -"That thing was lost, my general, in the way battles are lost", the battle veterans.
) territory on February 25, 1825. Besides having orders of installing an immediately independent administration, his role was limited to giving an appearance of legality to the process that Upper Peruvians themselves had started already. Royalist general Pedro Antonio Olañeta
stayed in Potosí
, where he received by January the "Union" Inf. Battalion coming from Puno
under the command of colonel José María Valdez. Olañeta then summoned a War Council, which agreed to continue the resistance in the name of Ferdinand VII. Next, Olañeta distributed his troops between Cotagaita
fortress with the "Chichas" Btn. in charge of colonel Medinacelli, while Valdez was sent to Chuquisaca
with the "Union" Btn. and Olañeta himself marched toward Vitichi
, with 60,000 pieces of gold from the Coin House in Potosí.
However, in Cochabamba
the First Battalion "Ferdinand VII", led by colonel José Martínez, rioted, followed by the Second Battalion "Ferdinand VII" in Vallegrande
, removing brigadier Francisco Aguilera on February 12. Royalist colonel José Manuel Mercado occupied Santa Cruz de la Sierra
on February 14, as Chayanta
stayed in the hands of lieutenant colonel Pedro Arraya, with squadrons "Santa Victoria" (Holy Victory) and "Dragones Americanos" (American Dragoons), and in Chuquisaca the battalion "Dragones de la Frontera"(Frontier Dragoons) under colonel Francisco López claimed victory for the independentists on February 22. At this point, the majority of royalist troops of Upper Peru refused to continue fighting against the powerful army of Sucre. Colonel Medinacelli with 300 soldiers also revolted against Olañeta, and on April 2 of 1825 they faced each other in the Battle of Tumusla, which ended with the death of Olañeta. A few days later, on April 7, general José María Valdez surrendered in Chequelte to general Urdininea, putting an end to the war in Upper Peru.
. After some time, the subject of the name of the Young nation arose again, and a Potosian deputy named Manuel Martín Cruz offered a solution, suggesting that in the same manner which from Romulus
comes Rome, from Bolívar ought to come Bolivia
.
By the time Bolívar got the news, he felt flattered by the young nation, but until then he hadn’t accepted willingly Upper Peru's because he was worried about its future, due to Bolivia's location in the very center of South America; this, according to Bolivar, would create a nation that would face many future wars, which curiously did happen. Bolivar wished that Bolivia would become part of another nation, preferably Peru (given the fact that it had been part of Viceroyalty del Perú for centuries), or Argentina (since during the last decades of colonial domain it had been part of Viceroyalty del Río de la Plata), but what deeply convinced him otherwise was the attitude of the people. On August 18, upon his arrival to La Paz, there was a manifestation of popular rejoicing. The same scene repeated when the Liberator arrived to Oruro
, then to Potosí and finally to Chuquisaca. Such a fervent demonstration by the people touched Bolívar, who called the new nation his "Predilect Daughter", and by the peoples of the new republic as their "Favorite Son".
, 13 from Cochabamba and 2 from Santa Cruz
. The act of Independence, wrote by the president of the Congress, Serrano, states in its expositive part:
As of late 1824, Royalists still had control of most of the south of Peru as well as of Real Felipe Fort in the port of Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
. On December 9, 1824, the Battle of Ayacucho, or Battle of La Quinua, took place at Pampa de La Quinua, a few kilometers away from Ayacucho, near the town of Quinua
Quinua, Peru
Quinua is small town in the province of Huamanga, in Peru's central highland department of Ayacucho, from the city of Huamanga , at an altitude of , which today serves as the administrative capital of the district of the same name...
between Royalist and Independentist
Patriot (Spanish American Revolution)
Patriots was the name the peoples of the Spanish America, who rebelled against Spanish control during the Spanish American wars of independence, called themselves. They supported the principles of the Age of Enlightenment and sought to replace the existing governing structures with Juntas...
forces. Independentist forces were led by Antonio José de Sucre
Antonio José de Sucre
Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá , known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" , was a Venezuelan independence leader. Sucre was one of Simón Bolívar's closest friends, generals and statesmen.-Ancestry:...
, Simón Bolívar
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...
's lieutenant. Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
José de la Serna was wounded, and after the battle second commander-in-chief José de Canterac
José de Canterac
José de Canterac was a Spanish general of French origin who fought in the Spanish American wars of independence. As Field Marshal, he took command of the Spanish Army in South America in 1822. His defeats at the Battle of Junín and the Battle of Ayacucho led to his capitulation to the Patriot forces...
signed the final capitulation of the Royalist army.
The modern Peruvian Army
Peruvian Army
The Peruvian Army is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with safeguarding the independence, sovereignty and integrity of national territory on land through military force. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding internal security, conducting disaster relief operations...
celebrates the anniversary of this battle.
Background
In 1820, Spain began what would shortly become a political disaster. An expedition of 20,000 soldiers waiting to be sent to Río de la PlataViceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, , was the last and most short-lived Viceroyalty of the Spanish Empire in America.The Viceroyalty was established in 1776 out of several former Viceroyalty of Perú dependencies that mainly extended over the Río de la Plata basin, roughly the present day...
to help the royalists of America revolted under the encouragement of General Rafael Riego
Rafael del Riego
Rafael del Riego y Nuñez was a Spanish general and liberal politician, who played a key role in the outbreak of the Liberal Triennium .-Early life and action in the Peninsular War:...
. In the subsequent weeks the revolt spread and King Ferdinand VII was forced to restore the liberal Spanish Constitution of 1812
Spanish Constitution of 1812
The Spanish Constitution of 1812 was promulgated 19 March 1812 by the Cádiz Cortes, the national legislative assembly of Spain, while in refuge from the Peninsular War...
, which he had suppressed six years earlier. This event ended Spain's ability to send reinforcements to America, which in turn eventually forced the royalist armies of the viceroyalties of Peru and New Spain (today's Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
), which had contained the Spanish American revolution so far, to deal with the patriot forces on their own. The royalists in each viceroyalty, however, took different paths.
In New Spain, royalists, after defeating the insurgents, proclaimed a negotiated separation from Liberal Spain through the Plan of Iguala
Plan of Iguala
Plan of Iguala, also known as Plan of the Three Guarantees , was a peace treaty proclaimed on February 24, 1821, in the final stage of Mexican War of Independence from Spain. The plan attempted to establish a constitutional foundation upon which an independent Mexican Empire would be based...
, which they negotiated with the remaining patriots, and the Treaty of Córdoba
Treaty of Córdoba
The Treaty of Córdova established Mexican independence from Spain at the conclusion of the Mexican War of Independence. It was signed on August 24, 1821 in Córdoba, Veracruz, Mexico. The signatories were the head of the Army of the Three Guarantees, Agustín de Iturbide, and acting on behalf of the...
, which they negotiated with the new head of government, Juan O'Donojú
Juan O'Donojú
Juan O'Donojú y O'Rian was a Spanish military officer and jefe político superior of New Spain from July 21, 1821 to September 28, 1821, during Mexico's war of independence...
. In Peru Viceroy Joaquín de la Pezuela was discredited after a royalist expedition to Chile under Mariano Osorio
Mariano Osorio
Mariano de Osorio was a Spanish general and Governor of Chile, from 1814 to 1815.-Early career:Osorio was born in Seville, Spain. He joined the Spanish army and as many of his contemporaries, his military career began during the Spanish Peninsular War in 1808 as an artillery general, as well as...
was defeated and advances in Peru were made by José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
. The viceroy was overthrown on January 29, 1821, in Aznapuquio in a coup by General José de la Serna
José de la Serna e Hinojosa
José de la Serna e Hinojosa, 1st Count of los Andes was a Spanish general and colonial official. He was the last Spanish viceroy of Peru to exercise effective power .-Background:...
, who proclaimed his adhesion to the restored Spanish Constitution.
The independentists started the new year with a promising victory. At Cerro de Pasco
Cerro de Pasco
Cerro de Pasco is a city in central Peru. It is the capital of the Pasco region, and an important mining center. It is connected by road and by rail to the city of Lima.- Overview :...
they defeated a Peruvian royalist army commanded by Viceroy La Serna. But royalists had a solid military training. Their first victory came against the independentist army commanded by Domingo Tristán and Agustín Gamarra in campaigns in the Ica Region
Ica Region
Ica is a region in Peru. It borders the Pacific Ocean on the west; the Lima Region on the north; the Huancavelica and Ayacucho regions on the east; and the Arequipa Region on the south. Its capital is the city of Ica.- Geography :...
. A year later, San Martin had withdrawn from the scene after the Interview of Guayaquil
Guayaquil conference
The Guayaquil Conference was a meeting that took place on July 26, 1822, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, between José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar, to discuss the future of Perú .-Overview:...
and royalist forces had smashed Rudecindo Alvarado's Liberating Expedition in campaigns in Torata
Torata District
Torata District is one of six districts of the province Mariscal Nieto in Moquegua Region, Peru.- External links :*...
and Moquegua
Moquegua Region
Moquegua is a small department in southern Peru that extends from the coast to the highlands. The region's name is of Quechua origin and means "quiet place". The regional capital is the city of Moquegua, but the port city of Ilo is more commercially active....
. The year 1823 ended with the La Serna destroying another patriot army commanded by Andrés de Santa Cruz
Andrés de Santa Cruz
Andrés de Santa Cruz y Calahumana was President of Peru and Bolivia...
and Agustín Gamarra
Agustín Gamarra
Agustín Gamarra Messia was a Peruvian soldier and politician, becoming twice President of Peru from 1829 to 1833 and from 1838 to 1841....
in yet another open campaign in Puno
Puno
Puno is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province with a population of approximately 100,000. The city was established in 1668 by viceroy Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro as capital of the province of...
, which started with the Battle of Zepita and the resulted in the occupation of La Paz
La Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
on August 8. After scattering Santa Cruz's isolated troops. La Serna retrieved Arequipa
Arequipa
Arequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
after beating Antonio José de Sucre
Antonio José de Sucre
Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá , known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" , was a Venezuelan independence leader. Sucre was one of Simón Bolívar's closest friends, generals and statesmen.-Ancestry:...
's Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia is a name used today for the state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 1831. This short-lived republic included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. The...
n force on October 10. Sucre decided to evacuated the Gran Colombian troops, set sailing on October 10, 1823, saving himself and his troops, although losing the best of his cavalry. Viceroy La Serna ended the campaign after reaching Oruro
Oruro, Bolivia
Oruro is a city in Bolivia with a population of 235,393 , located about equidistant between La Paz and Sucre at approximately 3710 meters above sea level. It is the capital of the department of Oruro....
in Upper Peru
Upper Peru
Upper Peru was the region in the Viceroyalty of Peru, and after 1776, the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, comprising the governorships of Potosí, La Paz, Cochabamba, Los Chiquitos, Moxos and Charcas...
.
On the political front, the last remnants of optimism among patriots faded away with accusations of treason against Peruvian presidents José de la Riva Agüero
José de la Riva Agüero
José Mariano de la Riva Agüero y Sánchez Boquete Marquess De Montealegre de Aulestia was a Peruvian soldier, politician, historian and twice President of Peru....
and José Bernardo de Tagle
José Bernardo de Tagle
José Bernardo de Tagle y Portocarrero, marquis de Torre Tagle and marquis of Trujillo was a Peruvian soldier and politician, occupying the Peruvian presidency from 1823 to 1824.-Biography:...
. Riva Agüero deported deputies
Deputy (legislator)
A deputy is a legislator in many countries, particularly those with legislatures styled as a 'Chamber of Deputies' or 'National Assembly'.-List of countries:This is an list of countries using the term 'deputy' or one of its cognates....
of the Peruvian Congress and organized another congress in Trujillo
Trujillo, Peru
Trujillo, in northwestern Peru, is the capital of the La Libertad Region, and the third largest city in Peru. The urban area has 811,979 inhabitants and is an economic hub in northern Peru...
. After being found guilty of high treason by the Peru Congress he was banished to Chile. This act, in turn, was considered by Simón Bolívar as treasonous. Tagle, who had arranged that all armies under his command supported Bolívar against the royalist enemy, was now searched by Bolívar was looking to capture and execute him. Tagle took shelter with the royalists in the fortress of Callao, which was under siege.
Nevertheless, by the end of 1823, the situation had started to become critical for those who defended the king's cause. In spite of the impressive military triumphs, Bolívar's request for reinforcements from Colombia made him a threat to the royalist army. Both sides prepared for the confrontation they knew was coming:
Buenos Aires Truce and Callao Revolt
Historian Rufino Blanco Fombona says that "Still in 1824 Bernardino Rivadavia makes a pact with Spanish, obstructing Ayacucho Campaign": on July 4, 1823, Buenos Aires made a truce with Spanish commissionaires (Preliminary Peace Convention (1823)) that forced it to send negotiators to other South American governments so that it could had effect. It was stipulated that hostilities would cease after 60 days after its ratification and would subsist over a year and half; meanwhile, a definitive peace and friendship would be negotiated. This was the reason for which they had a meeting in SaltaSalta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
Juan Gregorio de Las Heras
Juan Gregorio de las Heras
Grand Marshal Juan Gregorio de Las Heras was an Argentine soldier who took part in the Spanish American wars of independence and was also a governor of the province of Buenos Aires.-Biography:...
city with brigadier Baldomero Espartero, obtaining no agreement. Among other measures taken by the viceroy for containing the imminent rebellion, on January 10, 1824 Casimiro Olañeta was ordered:
Rivadavia believed that the project would establish peace and stopped authority's efforts of Salta over Upper Peru, refusing assistance and withdrawing advanced posts, in detriment of the cause of Peru.
In that matter, the Irish historian, of military origin, Daniel Florencio O'Leary was of the opinion that with that that truce "Buenos Aires has implicitly withdrawn from the struggle", and that "Buenos Aires Government pacts with the Spanish, on detriment of the American cause".
On January 1, 1824, Bolívar fell terribly ill in Pativilca. At that time, Félix Álzaga, plenipotentiary minister of Provincias Unidas del Río de la Plata arrived to Lima, in order to request Peru its adhesion to the truce, which was rejected by the Peruvian Congress. Nevertheless, since February 4, 1824 the quarters of Callao rioted, having the whole Argentinian infantry of the Libertor Expedition, together with some Chilean, Peruvians and Colombians: nearly 2000 men that in addition went over to the royalists http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=80349, raising the Spanish pavilion and handing over the fortresses of Callao. The mounted grenadier regiment of the Andes also revolted in Lurin on February 14: two squadrons went over to the Callao to join the riot, but when they noticed that they had joined the royalists, a hundred of them with regiment bosses went to Lima to join. The unit was then reorganized by General Mariano Necochea. On the verge of such events, the minister of Colombia, Joaquín Mosquera "fearing the ruin of our army" asked:«And what do you plan to do now?», and Bolívar, in a decided, answered:
The Site of El Callao extended the war until 1826, and immediately resulted in the occupation of Lima Canterac, and it is said that, on May 1824, with a military action against Bolívar "they would have given the final blow to independence in this part of America".
Olañeta's Rebellion
Surprisingly, at the start of year 1824, the entire royalist army of Upper Peru (today's BoliviaBolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) rioted led by Pedro Antonio Olañeta
Pedro Antonio Olañeta
Pedro Antonio Olañeta was born of a humble family in Biscay and emigrated with his parents to South America in 1797...
a royalist against the viceroy of Peru (a liberal), after receiving news that the Constitutional Government had fallen in Spain. Indeed, the monarch Ferdinand VII of Spain and his absolutists followers recovered the government, supported by 132,000 French soldiers from the Holy Alliance
Holy Alliance
The Holy Alliance was a coalition of Russia, Austria and Prussia created in 1815 at the behest of Czar Alexander I of Russia, signed by the three powers in Paris on September 26, 1815, in the Congress of Vienna after the defeat of Napoleon.Ostensibly it was to instill the Christian values of...
army, which will occupy Spain until 1830. Rafael del Riego
Rafael del Riego
Rafael del Riego y Nuñez was a Spanish general and liberal politician, who played a key role in the outbreak of the Liberal Triennium .-Early life and action in the Peninsular War:...
was hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
on November 7, 1823 and the people of the liberal movement were executed, outcast or exiled from Spain. On October 1, 1823, the monarch decreed the abolition of everything approved during the last three years of constitutional government, which annulled the designation of La Serna as viceroy of Peru. The scope of the purge over the constitutionals of Vice-royalty Peru seemed infallible.
Olañeta
Pedro Antonio Olañeta
Pedro Antonio Olañeta was born of a humble family in Biscay and emigrated with his parents to South America in 1797...
ordered the attack of the Upper Peruvian royalists against the constitutionals of Peruvian viceroyalty. La Serna changed his plans of going down to the coast to fight Bolívar, and sent Jerónimo Valdés
Jerónimo Valdés
Jerónimo Valdés was a Spanish military figure and administrator. Born in Villarín, in Asturias, he participated in the battle of Ayacucho , which was a defeat for the Spanish. He served as Viceroy of Navarre from 1833 to 1834 and also served as Minister of War. He fought on the Liberal side in...
with a force of 5000 veteran to cross the river River Desaguadero, which took place on January 22, 1824, in order to drive them to Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...
against his former subordinate, "because there are indications of a meditated treason, joining the dissidents of Buenos Aires". Memorias para la historia de las armas españolas en el Perú ("Memories for the history of the Spanish armies in Peru") from peninsular official Andrés García Camba (1846) detail the overturning that the incidents in Upper Peru produced in defensive plans of the viceroy. After a long campaign in the battles of Tarabuquillo, Sala, Cotagaita, and finally La Lava on August 17 of year 1824, both royalists forces of Viceroyalty Peru (liberals) and of the provinces of Upper Peru (absolutists), were mutually decimated.
Bolivar, having news of Olañeta, took advantage of the dismounting of the royalist defensive system so that he "moved the whole month of May to Jauja", and face José de Canterac
José de Canterac
José de Canterac was a Spanish general of French origin who fought in the Spanish American wars of independence. As Field Marshal, he took command of the Spanish Army in South America in 1822. His defeats at the Battle of Junín and the Battle of Ayacucho led to his capitulation to the Patriot forces...
isolated in Junín on August 6 of 1824. And so, a non-stop persecution started with the consequent desertion of 2700 royalists, which immediately went over to the independentists lines. Finally, October 7 of 1824, having his troops right in front of the doors of Cuzco, Bolívar gave general Sucre the command of the new battle front, which followed the course of the Apuríma River, and he withdraw to Lima in order to take from the capital more loans to keep the war going in Peru, and to receive a Colombian division of 4000 men given up by Páez which would arrive after Ayacucho.
Ayacucho campaign
Another book of memories, In the service of the Republic of Peru, from general Guillermo Miller, offers the vision of the independentists. Besides Bolívar's and Sucre's talents, the United Army seeded from an important part of the century's military experience: the Rifles battalion of the army of Colombia was composed of European mercenary troops, which were mostly British volunteers. This unit was substantially damaged in Corpahuico. Among its ranks, there were also veterans from the Spanish Independence, the North American Independence, and from the Spanish American Wars; there were even cases like the German Major Carlos Sowersby, veteran from the Battle of Borodino
Battle of Borodino
The Battle of Borodino , fought on September 7, 1812, was the largest and bloodiest single-day action of the French invasion of Russia and all Napoleonic Wars, involving more than 250,000 troops and resulting in at least 70,000 casualties...
against Napoleón Bonaparte in Russia in 1812.
The royalists had had consumed their resources in a war of movements without achieving a decisive victory against the liberator army. Because of the extremely hard conditions of a campaign in the Andine range, both armies felt in numbers the effects of disease and desertion, which affected the independents as well as the armies lacking of military training and the armies made up by enemy prisoners. The royalists chiefs had positioned themselves in the heights of Condorcunca (which means condor's neck in Quechua). This was a good defensive position but one which they couldn’t hold for long given they had food supplies for less than five days, which would mean the dispersion of the army and certain defeat under the close arrival of Columbian reinforcement. The army was impelled to make a desperate decision: the Battle of Ayacucho was about to begin.
Battle disposition
There is a debate regarding the numbers of fighters, but there must be taken into account that both armies started with similar forces (8500 independents vs, 9310 royalists) that were diminished during the next weeks until the very day of the battle (5780 independentists vs. 6906 loyals) because of the reasons exposed so far.United Liberation Army
- Commander: general Antonio José de SucreAntonio José de SucreAntonio José de Sucre y Alcalá , known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" , was a Venezuelan independence leader. Sucre was one of Simón Bolívar's closest friends, generals and statesmen.-Ancestry:...
- Chief of High Command - general Agustín GamarraAgustín GamarraAgustín Gamarra Messia was a Peruvian soldier and politician, becoming twice President of Peru from 1829 to 1833 and from 1838 to 1841....
- Cavalry – general William Miller
- First Division - general José María CórdobaJosé María CórdovaJosé María Córdoba also known as the "Hero of Ayacucho", was a General of the Colombian army during the Latin American War of independence from Spain.- Biographic data :Córdova was born in Concepción, Antioquia on September 8, 1799...
(2.300 men) - Second Division - general José de La MarJosé de la MarJosé de la Mar was a South American military leader.He was born in Cuenca in what today is Ecuador. He spent his early childhood in Spain, where he started his military career...
(1.580 men) - Reserve - general Jacinto LaraJacinto LaraJacinto Lara , was a Venezuelan independence leader and hero of the Venezuelan War of Independence. His contribution included participating in Simón Bolívar's 1813 Admirable Campaign. He was briefly Prefect of the Intendency of the Magdalena River and the Isthmus in 1821...
(1.700 men)
Before the battle beginning, general Sucre harangued his troops:
Marshal Sucre doesn’t mention in this part the Mounted Grenadiers of Río de la Plata. General Miller in his Memoirs of General Miller: in the service of the republic of Peru offers the full composition of the armies under Sucre:
Miller's assertion regarding that the Junín Hussars were in his division contradicts what Sucre says in the part.
Royalist Army of Perú
Royalist (Spanish American Revolutions)
The royalists were the American and European supporters of the various governing bodies of the Spanish Monarchy, during the Spanish American wars of independence, which lasted from 1808 until the king's death in 1833...
- Commander: Viceroy José de la Serna
- Cavalry Commander – brigadier Valentín Ferraz
- Chief of the High Command – lieutenant general José de CanteracJosé de CanteracJosé de Canterac was a Spanish general of French origin who fought in the Spanish American wars of independence. As Field Marshal, he took command of the Spanish Army in South America in 1822. His defeats at the Battle of Junín and the Battle of Ayacucho led to his capitulation to the Patriot forces...
- Vanguard Division - general Jerónimo ValdésJerónimo ValdésJerónimo Valdés was a Spanish military figure and administrator. Born in Villarín, in Asturias, he participated in the battle of Ayacucho , which was a defeat for the Spanish. He served as Viceroy of Navarre from 1833 to 1834 and also served as Minister of War. He fought on the Liberal side in...
(2.006 men) - First Division - general Juan Antonio Monet (2.000 men)
- Second Division - general Alejandro González Villalobos (1.700 men)
- Reserve Division - general José Carratalá (1.200 men)
Outcome
The mechanism organized by Canterac foresaw that the Vanguard division surrounded, alone, the enemy gathering, crossing Pampas river in order to secure the units to the left of Sucre. While the rest of the royalist army descended frontally from the hill Condorcunca, abandoning his defensive positions and charging against the main body of the enemy, which he expected to find disorganized, there was stay in reserve the battalions Gerona and Ferdinand VII disposed in second line to be sent wherever they were required.Sucre immediately realized the risky maneuver, which became clear as the royalists found themselves in a slope, without chances of covering their movements. Córdova Division, supported by Miller's Cavalry, stroked directly the disorganized bulk of royalist troops that were incapable of forming for battle and descended in lines from the mountains; it was right before starting this attack that general José María Córdova pronounced his famous phrase "Division, armas a discreción, de frente, paso de vencedores" (Division, discredit arms, on the pace of the victorious, Forward!) Colonel Joaquín Rubín de Celis, who commanded the first royalist regiment had to protect the artillery emplacement, which was still loaded in its mules, moved forward carelessly into the plain where his unit was smashed and he himself was killed during the attack of Córdova's division, whose effective fire on the lines formations pushed the scattered shooters of Villalobos’.
Seeing the misfortune suffered by his left, general Monet, without waiting for his cavalry to form in the plain, crossed the ravine and he led his division against Córdova's, managing to form in battle two of his battalions but, suddenly attacked by the independents division, he was surrounded before the rest of his troops could also form in battle; during these events Monet was hurt and three of his chiefs killed; the scattered armies of his side dragged in retreat the masses of militia. The royalist cavalry under Ferraz charged upon the enemy squadrons that pursued Monet's left but that. supported by the heavy fire of his infantry, caused a huge deal of casualties over Ferraz's horsemen, whose survivors were forced to rashly leave the battlefield.
On the other end of the line, the Second Division of José de La Mar plus the Third Division of Jacinto Lara stopped together the assault made by the veterans of Valdés’ vanguard who had launched themselves to take a lonely house occupied by some independentist companies, which, although swapped at first, were soon reinforced and went back to the attack, eventually helped by the victorious Córdova's division. Viceroy La Serna and the other officers tried to reestablish the battle and reorganize the scattered men who ran and general Canterac himself led the reserve division over the plain; however, Gerona battalions were not the same that won in the battles of Torata and Moquegua, because during Olañeta's rebellion they had lost almost all their veterans and even their former commander Cayetano Ameller; this troop, composed by recruits forced to fight scattered before facing the enemy, and Ferdinand VII battalion followed, after a feeble resistance. At one o’clock the viceroy had been hurt and made prisoner along with a great number of his officers and even though Valdés’ division was still fighting to the right of his front, the battle was a victory for independentists. Casualties told by Sucre were 370 killed and 609 wounded, the royalists had about 1800 dead and 700 wounded.
With the remnants of his division, Valdés managed to retreat to the heights of his rearguard where he joined 200 riders that had gathered around general Canterac and some dispersed soldiers from royalist divisions whose fleeing demoralized men even shot and kill their own officers who intended to regroup them. With the main body of the royal army destroyed and the viceroy himself in the hands of his enemies, royalists leaders surrendered.
Capitulation of Ayacucho
That's the treaty signed by the royalist major Canterac, and general Sucre at the end of the Ayacucho battle, on December 9, 1824. Its main consequences were:- The royalist army under command of viceroy La Serna refused to keep on the fight.
- The staying of the last royalist soldiers in the Callao fortresses.
- The Peru Republic should have paid the economic and politic debt to the countries that gave military contributions to its independence.
Bolívar summoned from Lima the Panama Congress, on December 7, for the unión of the new independent countries. The project was only ratified by Great Colombia. Four years later, due to personal ambitions of many of its generals and the absence of a united visión that foresaw South America as a single nation, Great Colombia would end up splitting in the countries that exist today in the South American continent, frustrating the dream of union hoped by The Liberator of America.
Conspiratorial theories about the Battle of Ayacucho
The capitulation has been called by Spanish historian Juan Carlos Losada as "Ayacucho betrayal" and in his piece of work Batallas Decisivas de la Historia de España (Decisive Battles in the History of Spain) (Ed. Aguilar, 2004), he states that the result of the battle was already pactated. The historian points out Juan Antonio Monet as responsible of the agreement: "the main characters kept a deep silence pact and, therefore, we can only speculate, although with little risk of being wrong" (Page 254). A capitulation without battle would have been undoubtedly judged as treason. Spanish leader, of liberal ideas, and accused of belonging to masonry just like other independentist leaders, didn’t share king Ferdinand VII's ideas all the time, a monarch considered tyrannical, besides absolutism supporter.On the contrary, Spanish commander Andrés García Camba tells in his memories how Spanish officials, latter known as "ayacuchos", were unjustly accused upon their arrival to Spain: "misters, with that thing we had a Masonic defeat" they were told in an accusatory manner, -"That thing was lost, my general, in the way battles are lost", the battle veterans.
Upper Peru after the Battle of Ayacucho and the birth of Bolivia
After the victory at Ayacucho, following precise orders from Bolívar, general Sucre entered Upper Peru (today's BoliviaBolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) territory on February 25, 1825. Besides having orders of installing an immediately independent administration, his role was limited to giving an appearance of legality to the process that Upper Peruvians themselves had started already. Royalist general Pedro Antonio Olañeta
Pedro Antonio Olañeta
Pedro Antonio Olañeta was born of a humble family in Biscay and emigrated with his parents to South America in 1797...
stayed in Potosí
Potosí
Potosí is a city and the capital of the department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world by elevation at a nominal . and it was the location of the Spanish colonial mint, now the National Mint of Bolivia...
, where he received by January the "Union" Inf. Battalion coming from Puno
Puno
Puno is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province with a population of approximately 100,000. The city was established in 1668 by viceroy Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro as capital of the province of...
under the command of colonel José María Valdez. Olañeta then summoned a War Council, which agreed to continue the resistance in the name of Ferdinand VII. Next, Olañeta distributed his troops between Cotagaita
Cotagaita
Cotagaita is a small town in Bolivia. In 2009 it had an estimated population of 1904.-References:...
fortress with the "Chichas" Btn. in charge of colonel Medinacelli, while Valdez was sent to Chuquisaca
Sucre
Sucre, also known historically as Charcas, La Plata and Chuquisaca is the constitutional capital of Bolivia and the capital of the department of Chuquisaca. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of 2750m...
with the "Union" Btn. and Olañeta himself marched toward Vitichi
Vitichi
Vitichi is a location in the Potosí Department in Bolivia. It is the capital of the Vitichi Municipality, the second municipal section of the Nor Chichas Province.-References:...
, with 60,000 pieces of gold from the Coin House in Potosí.
However, in Cochabamba
Cochabamba
Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a valley bearing the same name in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cochabamba Department and is the fourth largest city in Bolivia with an urban population of 608,276 and a metropolitan population of more than 1,000,000 people...
the First Battalion "Ferdinand VII", led by colonel José Martínez, rioted, followed by the Second Battalion "Ferdinand VII" in Vallegrande
Vallegrande
Vallegrande is a small colonial town in Bolivia, located in the Department of Santa Cruz, some 125 km southwest of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It is the capital of the Vallegrande Province and Vallegrande Municipality and serves as a regionally important market town...
, removing brigadier Francisco Aguilera on February 12. Royalist colonel José Manuel Mercado occupied Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia and the largest city in the country...
on February 14, as Chayanta
Chayanta
Chayanta is:*Chayanta Province, a province in the Potosí Department in Bolivia*Chayanta Municipality, a municipio in the Rafael Bustillo Province in Bolivia*Chayanta, Bolivia, a small town in the Chayanta Municipality in Bolivia...
stayed in the hands of lieutenant colonel Pedro Arraya, with squadrons "Santa Victoria" (Holy Victory) and "Dragones Americanos" (American Dragoons), and in Chuquisaca the battalion "Dragones de la Frontera"(Frontier Dragoons) under colonel Francisco López claimed victory for the independentists on February 22. At this point, the majority of royalist troops of Upper Peru refused to continue fighting against the powerful army of Sucre. Colonel Medinacelli with 300 soldiers also revolted against Olañeta, and on April 2 of 1825 they faced each other in the Battle of Tumusla, which ended with the death of Olañeta. A few days later, on April 7, general José María Valdez surrendered in Chequelte to general Urdininea, putting an end to the war in Upper Peru.
The foundation of Bolivia
Through a decree it was determined that the new state in Upper Peru would carry the name of República Bolívar, in honor of the liberator, who was designated as "Father of the Republic and Supreme Chief of State". Bolívar thanked them for these honors, but declined the presidency of the Republic, a duty he gave instead to Ayacucho's Marshall Antonio José de SucreAntonio José de Sucre
Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá , known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" , was a Venezuelan independence leader. Sucre was one of Simón Bolívar's closest friends, generals and statesmen.-Ancestry:...
. After some time, the subject of the name of the Young nation arose again, and a Potosian deputy named Manuel Martín Cruz offered a solution, suggesting that in the same manner which from Romulus
Romulus
- People:* Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of Rome* Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Roman Emperor* Valerius Romulus , deified son of the Roman emperor Maxentius* Romulus , son of the Western Roman emperor Anthemius...
comes Rome, from Bolívar ought to come Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
.
By the time Bolívar got the news, he felt flattered by the young nation, but until then he hadn’t accepted willingly Upper Peru's because he was worried about its future, due to Bolivia's location in the very center of South America; this, according to Bolivar, would create a nation that would face many future wars, which curiously did happen. Bolivar wished that Bolivia would become part of another nation, preferably Peru (given the fact that it had been part of Viceroyalty del Perú for centuries), or Argentina (since during the last decades of colonial domain it had been part of Viceroyalty del Río de la Plata), but what deeply convinced him otherwise was the attitude of the people. On August 18, upon his arrival to La Paz, there was a manifestation of popular rejoicing. The same scene repeated when the Liberator arrived to Oruro
Oruro, Bolivia
Oruro is a city in Bolivia with a population of 235,393 , located about equidistant between La Paz and Sucre at approximately 3710 meters above sea level. It is the capital of the department of Oruro....
, then to Potosí and finally to Chuquisaca. Such a fervent demonstration by the people touched Bolívar, who called the new nation his "Predilect Daughter", and by the peoples of the new republic as their "Favorite Son".
Bolivian Declaration of Independence
After being summoned once again the Deliberant Assembly in Chuquisaca by Marshall Sucre, on July 8 of 1825, and then concluded, it was determined the complete independence of Upper Peru under the republican form. Finally, the Assembly president José Mariano Serrano, together with a commission, wrote down the "Independence Act of the Upper Peruvian Departments" which carries the date of August 6, 1825, in honor of the Battle of Junín won by Bolivar. Independence was declared by 7 representatives from Charcas, 14 from Potosí, 12 from La PazLa Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
, 13 from Cochabamba and 2 from Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia and the largest city in the country...
. The act of Independence, wrote by the president of the Congress, Serrano, states in its expositive part: