 Chapter 33 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre, translated by William Pilling. This LibriVox recording is on the public domain. Recording by Piotr Natter, the Protectorate of Peru, 1821-1822. Peru was independent, but she had not achieved independence for herself. Neither did she know how to organize a government when she had one of her own. Everything she was indebted to outside help, principally to Saint Martin, who was now Protector of Peru, but whose power depended upon the help of Peru and upon the support of the two armies he had brought with him. But in Peru the national spirit which he had awakened had a latent tendency to turn against him as a stranger, and in the armies the spirit of discipline was relaxed in direct consequence of that act of disobedience of his own which had placed him at their head. The bond of union which still gave strength to these discordant elements was the Lautaro Lodge over which his influence was still supreme. As Arenales had foreseen, Lima became the capua of the Liberating Army. Everything appeared to be left to the slow action of time. The military officers murmured and conspired, while Cochrane strove in every way he could to preserve the fleet from the innervation which was Peruvianizing the army. Far otherwise past their time the royalist leaders in the Highlands, masters of a healthy country abounding in resources, a reaction had set in in their favor when the people found themselves deserted and bethought them of the sacrifices they had made. In fifty days Lacerna was ready to assume the offensive. At Kayao there was great provision of arms much needed in the Highlands, the garrison, if left alone, must soon succumb to hunger. A carefully selected division of 2,500 infantry and 900 horse, with seven guns, was put under command of Canterac, with Valdes as chief of staff and sent to the relief of the beleaguered stronghold, while Lacerna remained with the rest of the army at Hawcha. Canterac marched on the 25th of August, crossed the Cordillera and descended by the pass of San Mateo towards Lima without meeting a single foe. At Santiago de Tuna, 50 miles from the capital, he divided his force into two columns, with orders to concentrate at Siena Gia, 18 miles to the south of Lima. Loriga, with the left column, and nearly all the cavalry, went by the defile of Espirito Santo, cutting to pieces a small patriot force on his way. The main column, under Canterac himself, kept straight on for the valley of Rimac, to give the patriots the idea that he was marching straight on the capital, but during the following night he turned off to the left, seeking the other road by Espirito Santo. The way was across the slopes of the mountains, over an unknown country where there was no water, and which was so cut up by abrupt descents that horsemen and infantry alike lost their footing and fell over precipices. The unpopularity of the Spaniards was so great that they could not find one guide in all the transit. On the 4th of September they reached a barren stretch of sand over which, dying of thirst under a tropical sun, they plotted warily along. Two companies could have destroyed them all. The soldiers threw themselves on the ground utterly prostrate. Immediate promotion was offered to the first who should find water, not a man stirred. Yet they were little more than a mile from the river Lurin. At last Canterac himself found water, and those who were strong enough to move filled flasks and carried the precious liquid to their dying comrades, only just in time to save the lives of Valdes, who commanded the rare guard. On the 5th they rejoined Luriga's column at Cianagia. San Martin was in the theatre when news of this invasion reached him on the 4th of September. From his box he called the people to arms. The new national hymn was sung by the officers present, the audience joining in the chorus, and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. San Martin was ill-prepared to meet such an emergency and was equally ill-informed. On the 5th he knew nothing of the concentration of the enemy in the valley of Lurin, and announced that 200 or 300 men were descending by the pass of San Mateo, but he calmly made such arrangements as he could. The unarmed militia flocked to their barracks, the walls were manned by volunteers, the gates were entrusted to the civic guard. These precautions suffice to keep Canterac from attacking the city. His chief object was Kayao. The united army was superior in number to the invaders, but was of very inferior quality. It consisted of 5,830 men, of whom 2,095 paraded under the Argentine standard, 1,595 under the Chilean, the rest were Peruvians. San Martin drew up his forces a mile and a half to the south of the city, on the banks of the River Surco, an affluent of the Rimac, which was crossed by three bridges. The position was a very strong one and commanded the roads to the south and east of Lima. The cavalry was stationed on the right flank and skirmishers were thrown out on the roads in front. Canterac did not dare to attack him, but drew up his army on the 9th in three parallel columns, cavalry, infantry and baggage, with a squadron of cavalry in the rear, and marched by his left flank to the plain of San Borja, flanking the position occupied by the Patriots. San Martin drew back his right wing and took up a fresh position. Then, as the enemy remained quiet, he moved further to the right, in his turn out flanking the enemy. Canterac then took up a fresh position at right angles to the former and facing towards the city. During the night San Martin again moved forward his right wing. The next day Canterac retired under the guns of Kayao, and San Martin, rubbing his hands exclaimed to Las Eras, they have not food for 15 days. Soon after this, Cochrane rode up. Las Eras asked him to persuade the general to attack at once, which Cochrane attempted. San Martin answered him curtly, my measures are taken. By and by, as San Martin was listening to the report of the countrymen, Cochrane ordered the men away, saying the general has no time to listen to follies. San Martin frowned, and turning rain rode off to his quarters. Cochrane followed him and again urged him to attack, offering to lead the cavalry himself. The answer of the protector was, I only am responsible for the welfare of Peru. San Martin and Cochrane never met again. The Patriot army then advanced halfway on the main road from Lima to Kayao, and a field battery was thrown up at La Legua, mounting six guns and two howitzers. The only way for the royalists to save Kayao was to supply the garrison with provisions, which were only to be obtained by taking Lima or by occupying the suburbs, neither of which was possible. Canterac could only retreat, leaving Kayao to its fate. The joy of the garrison on welcoming the reinforcement was short-lived, they were only so many more mouths to feed. Canterac had instructions from the viceroy in this case to destroy the fortifications and bring away the garrison, with as much of the armament as he could carry off, but Lamar refused to abandon the Spanish families which had taken refuge with him. Some English merchants offered to supply provisions by water for $100,000 in cash and an order for $400,000 on the treasury of Arequipa. The treasury was almost empty, but the amount was made up by the private resources of the refugees and by the officers and men of Canterac's division, who contributed the pay they had received. Instead of being able to bring away arms, Canterac found it necessary to leave behind five out of the seven light guns he had brought with him. The situation of the royalists was very critical. In two days eight officers and two hundred men had deserted. The rest were eating their horses. Three days more of this and even retreat would be impossible. On the 16th, at four o'clock in the afternoon, the division marched from Kayao on the main road to Lima. Canterac, with some light troops and his two guns, made a faint against the battery of La Legua to hide his real intentions, while the bulk of his force moved to the left, crossed the Rimac and turned north. Canterac, with his detachment covering the retreat under the fire of a Chilean Brig of War, which caused some loss. Protected by the darkness, Canterac marched all night along the coast and next day occupied the valley of Carabayo, nine miles to the north of Lima, from which a road passes through the Cordillera to Hawcha. Here he halted the rest and feed his weary troops. San Martin, in spite of the eagerness of his army, had watched the retreat in silence and only on the 17th dispatched Las Eras with a strong force in pursuit. But the inactivity of San Martin seems to have been communicated to Las Eras. He showed little of his wanted energy and on the 19th gave up the pursuit to Miller with a detachment of 700 infantry, 125 horse and 500 guerrillas. Meantime the royalist division was falling to pieces, hundreds of the men and even some officers deserted. Miller was not dilatory in his movements, but erred on the side of Rashness. He out marched the enemy, trying to cut off his retreat, and was on two occasions dislodged with heavy loss from positions he had taken up. After that he contended himself with attacks on the rare guard and followed right through the Cordillera where, on the 27th, he found in a hut, abandoned by his comrades, the body of Colonel Sanchez, the hero of San Carlos and Gian. On the 1st of March, Canterac reached Hawcha. He had lost one-third of his force, but had sustained his reputation as a gallant soldier and an able tactician. San Martin, after the retreat of Canterac, summoned Lamar to surrender, offering honorable terms of capitulation, to which, after some delay, Lamar acceded. The troops were permitted to march out with their arms and standards, the Spaniards being allowed to retire to Arequipa, while the militia dispersed to their homes. Three months were given to the officers and the civil employees, in which to find the means of leaving the country if they did not choose to remain. On the 21st of September, the Peruvian flag was hoisted on the castle of Callao. Lamar, who, as a Peruvian, sympathized with the Patriot cause, resigned his rank and honors into the hands of the viceroy and retired into private life. San Martin thus won another victory without risking his army, as a Peruvian historian says, quote, he overcame a powerful army by the simple force of public opinion and by skillful tactics, end quote. The strongest fortress in South America was now in his power, with several hundred guns of all calibers, thousands of muskets and great stores of ammunition. He was now free to turn his arms to the north for the liberation of Quito in answer to a request from Bolivar, and could then return with reinforcements to put an end to the war. But the role of Fabius is one not generally appreciated, Prudence is often mistaken for timidity, the general who prefers the shield to the sword offends the pride of his soldiers. San Martin gained by his policy great fame as a tactician, but he lowered his renown as a resolute soldier. In the first six months of the protectorate of San Martin, the foundations were laid of the administrative organization and the political constitution of Peru. One of his first measures was to create a national army. Under the name of the Peruvian Legion, he organized a division, recruited among the natives, composed of a regiment of infantry under Miller, one of cavalry under Branson, and a company of artillery with four guns. He reorganized the finances and reformed the commercial system. He abolished the personal service of the indigenous races, the poll tax and other oppressive customs. He manumitted all slaves who would join the army and declared free all who might in future be born of slave parents. Corporal punishment was forbidden in the public schools, a national library was founded, the press was set free from all unnecessary restrictions, torture and excessive punishments were abolished, all which reforms and many others were carried out in pursuance of ideas brought by Monte Agudo from the river plate. San Martin also issued a decree defining his own powers and recognized such debts of the late authorities as had not been contracted for war purposes, but he did not draw up any plans for the political organization of the country, leaving that question for future solutions. The Peruvian nobility were left with their titles and escutions. San Martin looked upon them as a social influence of which good use might be made. He also instituted a new order, the Order of the Sun, in imitation of the Legion of Honor, instituted by Napoleon, as had previously been done in Chile by the institution of the Legion of Merit, and also a special decoration for women who distinguished themselves by service in the Patriot cause. A gold medal with a suitable inscription, which however was distributed with more gallantry than discretion, and gave rise to much scandal, some of which has not even yet died out. All this was in preparation for the establishment of that monarchy, the idea of which was still in the air. San Martin also decreed to himself an annual salary of $30,000, of which he spent the greater part in presence and in public displays, but even so, this brought much adverse criticism upon him and contributed to give currency to a report, then commonly circulated about him, that he entertained the inane project of crowning himself king. The people in their ballads sang of him as their future emperor, and it became a habit among the officers of the army to speak of him as King Joseph. Up to that time the American spirit of independence and the love of glory had sufficed to bind together the units of the army. The alloy of gold had not yet destroyed the temper of their swords. Badly fed, badly dressed, with only half their pay, when they had any, suffering from all sorts of privation and disease, they had never received any pecuniary rewards for their services. The government of Chile had promised to give the victors of my paw the land on which they had achieved that crowning triumph, but the promise was never fulfilled. The municipality of Lima now gave to San Martin half a million dollars, arising from the sale of the properties of Spanish residents which had been confiscated for distribution among his principal officers, and offered to the rest who should continue in the service, grants of land in the provinces yet to be conquered. San Martin distributed the half million dollars among twenty officers, twenty-five thousand dollars to each one, which was in those days a fortune, but this, instead of binding them to his cause, produced resentments and jealousies, as is ever the case when self-interest enters into the relation between man and man, of which he was soon to have said proof. In October he received information that a conspiracy to depose him existed among the higher officers of the army. He summoned them to a secret council and disclosed the matter to them, but received very unsatisfactory replies. That such a conspiracy existed appears certain, but it was not yet mature, and the inquiry was sufficient to dissipate it. Colnel Eres of the Numancia Battalion was removed from his command, with many thanks for his distinguished services and retired to Colombia, his native land. Las Eres and several other officers resigned their commands, and Alvarado, who appears to have been also one of the conspirators, was named general-in-chief. San Martin had thus the sad certainty that although this affection had not spread among the junior officers, nor among the rank and file, the sympathies of the army were no longer with him as they had been a drancagua. The chief cause of the general discontent was his advocacy of monarchical principles. He sacrificed his own principles in favor of what he considered the most practicable system. In his own words, quote, The evils which affect the new states of America arise not from the people, but from the constitutions under which they live. These constitutions should harmonize with their instruction, education and habits of life. They should not have the best laws, but those most suited to their character, maintaining the barriers which separate different classes of society, so that the most intelligent class may preserve its natural preponderance. End quote. His ideal of legislation was based upon the precepts of Solon and oligarchy of intelligence counterbalanced by a conservative plutocracy. He forgot that in his own country he had seen safety only in the establishment of a sovereign congress, and that the advocacy of monarchical ideas had there only fanned the flames of anarchy. That he himself had been forced to disobey when he was called upon to support a monarch elected by a secret committee. He forgot that he himself had founded a republic in Chile and had sketched out a republican constitution for Peru, and that with the exception of Mexico, every one of these new states had adopted the democratic republican system as a necessity of the age. San Martin also failed to see that he must work in harmony with Bolivar, who had just established the Republic of Columbia and with the Great Democratic Republic of the United States. He also failed to see that it was in sympathy with these views that England had withdrawn from the Holy Alliance and looked upon the republican form of government as the sine qua non of independence in America. He was led astray by his minister, Monte Agudo, who was just as blind as himself to the inevitable tendency of the age. In order to educate public opinion, Monte Agudo had established in Lima a literary society, styled the Patriotic Society of Lima for the discussion of political questions in which he openly advocated the establishment of a monarchy. The protectorate of San Martin was based upon the express condition, quote, that he should give place to the government which the Peruvian people should select, end quote. But before he had held office five months, he and his council decided to send a mission to Europe to negotiate an alliance with Great Britain and to accept a prince of the reigning family as a constitutional monarch. In case this proposition was rejected, they were then to make a similar proposal to the government of Russia, and that failing then to any European prince, last of all to the prince of Luka, the imaginary sovereign of the riverblade. This mission was confided to Garcia del Rio, who proceeded to Europe, accompanied by Dr. Parisian, but better instructed by subsequent events, Garcia took no step in prosecution of the ostensible object of his journey, contending himself with a general advocacy in the European press of the cause of the patriots in America. End of Chapter 33 Chapter 34 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre, translated by William Pilling. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Piotr Natter, San Martin and Cochrane, 1821, 1822. History seeks in vain to blot from her pages the invectives hurled at each other by the two heroes of the liberating expedition to Peru. They themselves have perpetuated them in documents in which each appeals to the judgment of the world. Cochrane has insulted and culminated San Martin by calling him a sanguinary tyrant, an incompetent general, a hypocrite, a thief, a drunkard, etc. etc. San Martin, through his ministers, accused Cochrane of depredations akin to piracy and of being an embezzler of public property, who made traffic with the naval force placed under his command. The admiral, who thought nothing great but his own deeds and his own hatreds, extreme in everything, who had spoken of his own country as a degraded nation, ruled by a parliament of scoundrels, looked upon the South American Revolution as a commercial transaction carried on by a set of intriguing, cowardly rascals. San Martin, more prudent, returned him insult for insult by other hands, and he did not dissent to columny, and when the angry moment had passed, troubled himself no more about him. The antecedents of this quarrel we have already sketched. Though seeking to make common cause with him, San Martin never confided in Cochrane, had a very low idea of his merits as a leader of troops on land, and found reason to repent of such trust as he did place in him on subservice. This, the admiral attributed to jealousy. In this squadron itself there was a party inimical to Cochrane. Guys and Spry drew up a protest against the new name given to the Esmeralda, and were tried by court-martial for breach of discipline, but San Martin, who saw in guys a future admiral, took him under his protection, and made Spry one of his aides the camp. In the inscription on the medals struck in celebration of the Declaration of Independence, no mention was made of the fleet. At this Cochrane took umbrage, and would accept no excuse. From this time he became very pressing in his demands for the arrears of pay due to his crews, speaking clearly of the danger of a mutiny. These arrears dated from before the sailing of the expedition, the foreigners were only kept on board by an express promise from San Martin to pay everything and a year's pay as bounty when he took Lima. He also decreed a donation of $50,000 to the captors of the Esmeralda. Neither of these promises were fulfilled. On the 4th of August 1821, Cochrane went himself to the palace to urge these claims, and alleges that San Martin refused any money except as part of the purchase money of the ships which should be sold to Peru. This is denied by Monte Agudo and Garcia Del Rio, who were present. It was then that he was informed by San Martin himself that he had assumed the title of Protector of Peru, upon which Cochrane, now looking upon himself as the representative of Chile, reiterated his claims. San Martin acknowledged his responsibility for the year's pay he had promised as bounty, and for the $50,000 promised to the captors of the Esmeralda, but denied that he was in any way responsible for the pay of crews in the service of Chile, and told Cochrane he might take his ships and go where he pleased. But regretting his hasty words, he then stretched out his hands to the Admiral, asking him to forget what had passed. I will forget when I can, replied Cochrane. The Admiral seems also to have regretted his haste, for on returning on board he wrote to San Martin a letter in English, full of profuse compliments, to which San Martin replied in similar terms, but neither of them touched at all upon the question between them. The correspondence continued, but no money was paid, and Cochrane wrote to Ahiggins that he could not answer for the loyalty of his crews, who were in want of common necessaries, and hinted his fears that they would seize the ships and turn pirates. When Cochrane returned on board, after the refusal of San Martin to attack Canterac, see last chapter, he found his man on the verge of mutiny. On the approach of Canterac, San Martin had, as a measure of precaution, sent the coin and bullion from the mint and treasury on board a ship at Angkor at Angkon, and had given permission to private individuals to embark their valuables on the transports, or on board neutral vessels. When Cochrane heard of this, he seized the whole of this treasure, under pretext that they were contraband shipments, but gave receipts for the packages. He received the peremptory order to return them to their owners, but wrote to San Martin that he could not obey the order, as he had no other means of preventing a mutiny than by paying his men with whatever money he could lay hands on. If the blockade were raised, Kayao could not be captured, so San Martin was forced to temporize, and insisted only on the restitution of private property, to which Cochrane acceded. When Kayao surrendered, the Peruvian government ordered Cochrane to give up the rest of the treasure to an official of the war office. Cochrane regretted that his duty to Chile obliged him to prevent by any means in his power, in subordination and rebellion in the Chilean fleet. San Martin then gave way, and Cochrane distributed one year's pay to all his crews, but kept the rest of the money for the general use of the squadron. After this, many of the seamen deserted to spend their money on shore, which occasioned so much disorder, that San Martin ordered Cochrane to return to Chile and report to his own government. Cochrane denied the right of the protector of Peru to give any such order, but some days after, weighed Angkor and left the harbor. San Martin then wrote to Ohigins proposing to declare Cochrane an outlaw, but Ohigins was too clear-sighted to commit any such folly, and acknowledged that they themselves were much to blame for what had occurred. Besides which, Cochrane's conduct gave great satisfaction to the Chilean people, and he himself had sent a despatch to the Chilean government, informing them that he was sailing to Guayaquil, to Carin the Ohigins, and to look for the two Spanish frigates, Prueba and Vengantha. Cochrane was incapable of treachery to the cause he had adopted, he was the same hero as before, with all his defects and all his great qualities. His intention on leaving Callao was to complete his great work by driving the last vestiges of Spanish domination from the Pacific. He sent the Lautaro and the Galvarino back to Chile, and with the rest of his ships reached Guayaquil on the 18th of October, where he spent six weeks in repairing them. On the 3rd of December he sailed again, looking into every bay and inlet along the coast as far as California for his prey. The two frigates had been employed on transport service by various Spanish authorities on the Pacific coast, and on the 4th of December had left Panama for Guayaquil, where they capitulated to Salazar and Lamar, who were there at the time as representatives of Peru. The Prueba was sent off by them to Callao to give herself up to the Peruvian government, but the Vengantha remained at Guayaquil to make some necessary repairs, and she was still there when Cochrane returned on the 3rd of March. The admiral sent an armed boat to seize her and hoisted Chilean flag. The people manned the batteries and threatened to sink her, upon which he consented to leave her with them until the question of ownership was decided by the governments of Chile and Peru. Cochrane then sailed south, and touching at one of the northern ports of Peru was refused either provisions or water by the authorities who had special orders to that effect from the Protector. In Great Dungeon he went on to Callao, where the appearance of his ships caused great alarm. The Prueba, now the Protector, under command of Captain Geis, was manned by troops from shore and anchored under the batteries. Cochrane sent an angry missive to the Minister of Marine, complaining of the treatment he had met with, and again demanded payment of the debts owing to him. The Minister went off to see him, invited him ashore, and offered him the command of an expedition against the Philippine Islands. Cochrane was not to be appeased by words. A few days after that, the Schooner Montezuma sailed close past him without saluting. He threatened to fire on her and compelled her to cast anchor. Then, boarding her, he hauled down the Peruvian flag and hoisted the Chilean. It seemed as though the quarrel would culminate in an actual fight. Till on the 10th of May, Cochrane sailed for Valparaiso, where he was welcomed in triumph and his conduct received official approbation. Soon after, Cochrane left forever the shores of the Pacific, whose waves will murmur the record of his glorious deeds to the end of time. Having now one ship of war, the Peruvian government commenced to organize a navy, which they placed under the command of Blanco and Calada. End of chapter 34 Chapter 35 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre, translated by William Pilling. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Piotr Natter. The Disaster at Ica, 1821-1822 After the return of the expedition from Kayao, Lacerna removed his headquarters to Cusco, leaving the bulk of the army behind him in the valley of Hawcha under Cantarac. He strengthened the garrisons of Puno, Arequipa and Tacna and entrusted the defense of the southern coast to the army of Upper Peru. Cantarac detached two light columns under Loriga against Pasco, where the insurrection had still a footing under Otero, who had 200 regulars with him and 5000 Indians. On the approach of Loriga, Otero marched out to attack him and fell upon him suddenly in the early morning on the 7th of December at the village of El Therro, where the royalists had halted to collect supplies. In the confusion a part of the ammunition blew up and the troops in the darkness were seized with panic, but Loriga succeeded in rallying them, occupied the church and some neighboring houses, and waited for daylight, when he and his turn attacked the patriots and completely routed them, killing 700 Indians. In Upper Peru, Lanza, the guerrilla chief, maintained himself in the mountains between Cochabamba and La Paz. In Potosí a mutiny broke out among the troops, which was quelled by General Manoto. The Indians of Kangayo and Huamanga again rose in arms, but the former town was burned by Carratala, and the viceroy issued a decree forbidding any attempt to rebuild it. The government of Peru erected a monument to the memory of the unfortunate town, and Buenos Aires named one of her principal streets Kangayo as a lasting record of this barbarous deed. But these transitory events had no effect upon the war itself, the Cordillera formed a barrier between the opposing forces, which neither of them could pass. The royalists still outnumbered the patriots two to one, but the territory occupied by them, extending from Pasco to the Argentine frontier, was so enormous that they were nowhere strong. Bolivar was on the march against Quito. Success would enable him to assist San Martin to crush the royalist forces in Peru, but no Cordillera alliance was possible with Bolivar until all these new nations had agreed upon one common form of government, and the unsettled state of Guayaquil, which was claimed as a province by both Colombia and Peru, threatened to produce discord between them. San Martin rose to the emergency. He sent a contingent of 1500 men from Peru to assist Bolivar in his operations against Quito, and so secured his success. Then, settling on one side his monarchical ideas, he, on the 27th of December 1821, issued a decree, summoning a congress, quote, to establish a definitive form of government, and to give to the country the constitution best adapted to it, end quote. He at the same time appointed the Marquis of Torretagla, deputy protector, while he himself went off to Guayaquil in the hope of obtaining an interview with Bolivar. Not daring to leave Lacerna un molested, while he arranged with the Liberator of the North the plans for united and decisive action, he dispatched General Tristan and Colonel Gamarra, both Peruvians, with two thousand men, to occupy the valley of Ica, and spread a false report that Arenales was about to return with another expedition to the Highlands. Lacerna was too well informed to trouble himself about reports, and knew well the quality of the two Patriots now in command at Ica. Early in April, Canterac with two thousand men and three guns marched from Jauja and Valdez with five hundred from Arequipa. The Patriot army evacuated Ica at their approach, but their retreat by night was intercepted. They were thrown into disorder and cut to pieces. The royalists made more than one thousand prisoners, including fifty officers, took four guns and two flags, and returned in triumph, after shooting one in every five of the officers of the Numancia battalion, whom they had made prisoners. Tristan and Gamarra were tried by court-martial and shown to be utterly incompetent for such a command, but the chief blame of the disaster fell upon San Martin himself, who had appointed them. This defeat was in some measure compensated the following month by the fall of Quito, which terminated the war in the north, and San Martin, not having been able to effect his proposed interview with Bolivar, who did not come to Guayaquil when expected, when he returned to Lima, left the civil administration in the hands of Torretagle, and devoted his attention exclusively to the army. He issued a proclamation in which he promised the Peruvian people that the war should be concluded in the year 1822, then current, and on the 4th of July signed a provisional treaty with Colombia. At the same time he applied for help to the government of Chile and to the governors of various Argentine provinces, bordering the eastern slope of the Andes, now de facto independent states, an endeavor to unite all Spanish America in one grand effort to crush the royalist cause in its last stronghold, the Highlands of Peru. Still harping on the ideas he had disclosed at Punciauca and Miraflores, he also wrote to Lacerna proposing a cessation of hostilities on the basis of the recognition of the independence of Peru. This device-roy returned a curt answer, quote, that however beneficial independence might be to Peru, it could only be hoped for or established by decree of the nation, Spain, end quote. San Martin also wrote to the same effect to Bolivar, but found that their ideas did not at all coincide, and wrote to O'Higgins proposing a naval expedition to the coast of Spain. Torre Tagle was but the nominal head of the civil administration, the real ruler was his minister, Montagudo, an inveterate enemy of all Spaniards who thought the true way to victory was to make the struggle one of race. On the 31st of December he issued a decree that all Spaniards who had not been naturalized should leave the country, in January, that they should also forfeit half their property, and in February that the infection of these decrees should entail banishment and confiscation. After the disaster of Ica, still more barbarous decrees were issued, and a commission was appointed to enforce them. Two great forces from the south and from the north were about to join hands in the great work in which they both engaged. We have sketched the progress of the revolution from the banks of La Plata, across the Cordillera, and by the Pacific to Peru. It is now time to turn our attention to its progress from the Spanish Main through New Grenada and Columbia to the frontiers of Peru at Quito. End of Chapter 35 Chapter 36 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre, translated by William Pilling. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Pieternatter, the revolutions in Quito and Venezuela, 1809-1812. Spanish America on the southern continent is divided geographically and socially into two great systems, which are nevertheless analogous, having the same origin and the same language. Simultaneously they felt the same impulse, simultaneously arose in both sections the spirit of independence, in each section one man took the lead, devoting his life to the cause which was at once his own and that of his race. Yet were these two men of character wholly different. The one, cool and calculating, was devoid of personal ambition. The other, whose dreams were of glory and of power, was its slave. Yet in each glowed the passion for emancipation, and each in his own way accomplished the task before him. The one, San Martín, gave liberty to the south. The other, Bolivar, gave liberty to the north. They joined and the social equilibrium was established. The northern zone of the continent extends about twenty degrees north of the equator, from the frontiers of Peru to Panama and the Caribbean Sea. In 1810 this zone comprehended the device royalty of New Granada, the captain-generalcy of Venezuela and the presidency of Quito. Three political divisions marked out by geographical lines and peopled by several heterogeneous races. At that date New Granada had 1,400,000 inhabitants, Venezuela 900,000 and Quito 600,000. Of these 1,234,000 were white, Europeans and Creoles, 913,000 were of indigenous races, 615,000 of mixed races, and 138,000 were Negro slaves. Santa Fe de Bogota was the capital of New Granada, Caracas was the capital of Venezuela. The city of Quito, situated high above the level of the sea, had been the center of pre-Columbian civilization. During the colonial epoch it was at times attached to device royalty of New Granada, at times to that of Peru. The district of which this city was the capital has been styled the Tibet of the New World. The two parallel ranges of the Andes, which form the valley of Chile, unite to the north of Argentine territory, but again separate in Peru and running northward in close Quito and the valley of Papayan, which forms the extreme south of New Granada. They then again diverge, this time into three branches, one of which forms the Isthmus of Panama, while the others extend to the northeast as far as the Gulf of Mexico, while valleys interposing between each range. To the east of the most easterly of these ranges lies a vast plain, drained by the great river Orinoco and its tributaries, situated under the Tropic of Cancer. Summer and winter are there unknown, but the season from March to September is one of constant rain. During the intervening months the rivers leave their beds and convert the vast plains into as vast as sea. When the waters retire the plains are covered with luxuriant pastures, giving sustenance to millions of cattle and horses, which are herded by a semi-civilized race of horsemen, known as the Yaneros of Colombia, a race similar to the Gauchos of the Argentine Pampa. The Yaneros live in lonely huts and pass their days in saddle. Inured to fatigue and danger they are sober and abstinious, dress in the most simple manner, are dexterous in the use of the lands and are splendid swimmers. Endowed with such qualities and led by men of their own race, their deeds eclipsed those of the most renowned heroes of antiquity. The Colombian Revolution broke out separately in each of the three great sections. The first outbreak took place at Quito in August 1809, almost simultaneously with similar movements in Mexico and in Upper Peru. The Captain General Ruiz de Castillo was deposed, and the junta was appointed. The movement was crushed by the combined forces of New Granada and Peru, and the leaders were put to death in prison in August 1810. They were the first martyrs in the cause of independence in South America. These outbreaks, simultaneous but unconnected, proceeded from identical causes. These causes not being removed, the consequent effects were naturally reproduced and found echo all over the continents. On the 25th of May 1810 the Star of Liberty arose in Buenos Aires, but previous to that date, on the 19th of April of the same year, the municipality of Caracas, joined by deputies from the people, deposed Emparán, the Captain General, denied the authority of the Regency of Cadiz, and appointed a junta to rule over the, quote, United Provinces of Venezuela, end quote, in the name of the King. The leader of this movement was a canon of the church, named Madariaga, by birth a Chilean, and a member of the secret society established by Miranda whom he had met in London. His associates were Rosio and Ponte, men of noble character, whose political knowledge was more theoretical than practical. Most of the provinces answered the call of the capital by deposing their governors and appointing juntas. The central junta issued a manifesto to the other colonies of Spanish America, inviting them to form a continental league for mutual protection. No such league was formed, but the example was everywhere followed. The first act of the junta was to summon a congress, elected by the people, into whose hands they proposed to surrender their provisional authority. The northern provinces of Maracaibo and Coro had not deposed their governors, generals Miárez and Ceballos. These two officers denounced the movement and commenced to raise troops to oppose it. The junta took precautionary measures so as to be prepared against any attack, and meantime sent envoys to the United States and to England, looking to the latter power for protection in the event of an invasion of Venezuela by the French. Don Luis Mendez, Don Andrés Bello and Don Simon Bolivar, a colonel of Militia, were selected to this mission. Bolivar was at that time 27 years of age. There was nothing heroic in his appearance. He was short in stature, thin and narrow-chested, but his rugged, irregular features gave a look of energy to his shallow countenance. His hair was black and curly. His high, narrow forehead was deeply seamed with horizontal lines. He had thick sensual lips and beautiful teeth. His large black eyes were sunk deep in their orbits and sparkled with an unsteady light, indicative of his character. He looked like one possessed by a latent fire, a man of feverish activity, combined with duplicity and ignorance. His profile was that of a deep thinker. Altogether his aspect was that of a man of great ideas, but of small judgment. His deeds do not belied that impression. At the age of three years he was left an orphan, heir to a rich patrimony, with hundreds of slaves. This tutor was a philosopher of the school of the cynics. The ideas he learned from him were so extravagant as to verge on lunacy, but he carried them with him throughout his life, and they molded his career. From him he learned to dream of an ideal form of government, neither monarchical nor republican, in which all offices should be held for life. This tutor was named Simon Rodríguez and was born in Caracas, the natural son of a priest. Before he was 17 years of age, Bolivar went to Europe. He was in Paris when Bonaparte was named first consul and professed enthusiastic admiration for his character. In Europe he married a daughter of the noble Venezuelan family of Del Toro, and then returned to Caracas. In the third year, after his marriage, he lost his wife and made a second voyage to Europe, where he again met his tutor. In his company he visited the scenes made immortal by Rousseau, whose Nouvelle Eloise was his favorite book, and saw Napoleon crowned king of Italy at Milan. They went on to Rome, and from Mount Aventine looked over the ruins of the great city of the Caesars. In the moment of enthusiasm the acolyte seized the hands of his master and swore to liberate his native land. Six more years passed, and the revolution broke out in Venezuela without any open help from him. He was then leading the life of a feudal lord in wealth and in luxury, produced by the toil of slaves. Yet, though he took no open part in this revolution, he had done something to prepare it. He was on intimate terms with the captain general, and had betrayed his secrets to the conspirators. Soon after their arrival in London, the three envoys obtained a private audience with the Marquis of Wellesley, who was at that time minister of foreign affairs. Bolivar, who talked French fluently, was the spokesman. Forgetting his role as a diplomatist, he made a speech in which he spoke harshly of Spain and of his desire, of his hopes for the absolute independence of Venezuela, and most indiscreetly presented not only the credentials of the envoys, but their instructions also. The British minister listened calmly, and glancing his eye over the papers, replied that the ideas he had heard expressed were in open contradiction to the documents. These credentials were conferred by a junta ruling in the name of King Ferdinand, and the object of the mission was stated to be an arrangement with the Regency of Cadiz in order to prevent rupture. Bolivar had read neither the credentials nor the instructions. As they retired, he candidly confessed his negligence to his companions, and agreed that the instructions showed both foresight and wisdom. This is a true sample of Bolivar's character, both as a politician and as a soldier. Ever preoccupied by some idea of his own, he took no thought of the obstacles in his way, and gave no heed to the opinions of others. He blindly pursued his own dreams and his own designs. Victor, or vanquished, he always persevered, reading with, quote, his mind's eye, end quote, as he said himself, no other documents than those written on his brain by his master Simon Rodriguez. His ruling idea at this moment was independence, and he went straight for it. In spite of this diplomatic slip, the British government answered the envoys according to the tenor of their instructions, and replied that they could not interfere in any question concerning the government of any country which recognized the King of Spain as its sovereign, but they offered their mediation for the reconciliation of the colonies of Spain with their mother country. They had previously forwarded instructions to the governors of British West Indies to protect the new governments in South America against French aggression. They now issued fresh circulars to the same effect, more especially recommending them to cultivate amicable relations with these new governments, whether or no they recognized the authority of the Regency of Cadiz. This was satisfactory, but the result was owing to British policy, not to the skills of the envoys. In London, Bolivar became acquainted with General Miranda, and being initiated as a member of his secret society, renewed the oath he had made on the Sacred Hill of Rome to work for the independence and liberty of South America. Contact with the ardent spirit of the Apostle of Emancipation blew into a flame, the embers lighted by the teachings of Rodriguez. Again Bolivar forgot his instructions, which forbade him to have anything to do with the plans of Miranda. He thought that his presence would give fresh impulse to the idea of independence and invited him to accompany the envoys on their return. Miranda accepted the invitation and they landed at Caracas in December. When news of the revolution in Venezuela reached Cadiz, the Regency proclaimed the leaders of the movement rebels and declining the mediation of Great Britain declared war against them and ordered a blockade of the coast. Cortabaria, a member of the Council of Indies, was charged with the task of subduing them, and Miárez was appointed Captain General in place of Emparan. In the Spanish West India Islands preparation was made to sustain the decrease of the Regency by force. Thus the first link in the chain which bound the colonies of the Spanish main to the mother country was broken. The Central Junta of Caracas responded by raising an army of 2,500 men, placed the Marquis del Toro in command and sent him against Coro, the headquarters of the royalist reaction. On the 28th of November the army attacked the town but was beaten off. Its retreat was intercepted by a division of 800 men, but it forced its way on and reached Caracas with heavy loss, harassed on the way by a hostile population. When Miranda again landed on American soil, he was 60 years of age. The people received him with ovations. Governments appointed him lieutenant general of the army. Youthful citizens looked to him as the oracle of their future destinies. The soldiery regarded him as herald of victory, yet at first his influence was not felt in public affairs. Grave, taciturn and dogmatic with unflinching opinions formed in solitude, Miranda discussed nothing, though he sought to make prosolites. Government appointed him, with Rocio and Ustaith, Republicans of the new American school, to draw up a plan for the constitution on the basis of the federation of the provinces. The old dreamer who mixed up classic traditions with modern theories sought to combine them with the worn-out institutions of the colonial epoch. According to his plan, the administration should be entrusted to two Incas, Roman consuls, appointed for ten years. The rest of the plan was modeled on the municipal institutions of the colonies. He was far behind the day in which he lived. To propagate his doctrines and to foment the spirit of independence, he with Bolivar organized a political club on the model of that of the Girondeau, of which he had been a conspicuous member. The first Congress of Venezuela was convened on the 2nd of March 1811. Thirty deputies from various provinces were present. Miranda was one of them. This Congress appointed the executive junta of three members, created a High Court of Justice in place of the Audiencia, and named Rocio, Ustaith and Tobar commissioners to draw up a constitution. The question of independence was then discussed. Miranda, who was the leading advocate of an immediate declaration, carried the measure by a majority on the 5th of July. The same day the flag raised by Miranda in 1806, stripes of yellow, blue and red, was adopted as the national ensign of Venezuela. Thus Venezuela was the first independent republic in South America. Many of the inhabitants of Caracas were natives to the Canary Islands. Among them the agents of Contrabarria found the leaders for a reactionary movement, which broke out on the 11th of July. The insurgents were quickly surrounded by the populace, aided by a part of the garrison, and compelled to surrender. The greater part of those taken in arms were banished, but the leaders were put to death, and their heads were exposed on the public roads. Sad presage of the war of extermination, which was to deluge the soil of Venezuela with blood. On the same day a more formidable outbreak took place at Valencia. The inhabitants armed, as they said, in the cause of religion and entrenched the city. An army corps under Del Toro marched against them, but was beaten off, on which Miranda was placed in command. A strong outward was carried by assault, but the army was again repulsed in an attack on the Great Square. Bolivar and Del Toro were both present in the staff air. Miranda, after receiving a reinforcement, again attacked the city. Proceeding more cautiously, he gradually shut up the royalists in the Great Square, where want of water soon compelled them to surrender at discretion. This short campaign cost the Patriots 800 men, and killed alone, but Miranda did not sally his victory by bloodshed, and Congress released all the prisoners. An act of clemency which was severely blamed in view of the severity with which the Canarians of Caracas had been treated. The debate on the constitution produced a lengthy discussion in Congress, a plan drawn up by Ustadis, which was an adaptation of the Constitution of the United States, was adopted almost unanimously, but Miranda voted against it, alleging that the federal constitution was not suited to the country. Valencia was declared the capital of the New Republic. Congress, being in want of funds, had issued a paper currency for the payment of their employees of all classes. Its rapid depreciation in value brought about a state of misery and discontent which innervated the spirit of the revolution. Contrabarria recruited 1000 men in Puerto Rico and sent them under Cajigal to reinforce the royalists of the western provinces, where the reaction gained ground every day. Popular leaders rose up on every side in defense of the cause of Spain. Their successes served to display the strength of the country itself and to prepare weapons for the revolution, when its principles were understood and adopted by the people. In February 1812, a small detachment of 230 men under a naval officer named Monteverde marched from Coro, raced all the country as far as Parquisimiento, and at Carrora defeated a Patriot force of 700 men. The town of Carrora was sacked and many Patriots were shot without trial. In the east of Venezuela, Spanish Guayana had declared against the revolution. Colonel Moreno marched with 1400 men to rescue the province from the royalists, and being joined by various scattered detachments of the Patriots, collected a flotilla of 28 gunboats on the Orinoco and threatened the town of Angostura, which stands on the northern bank near to the mouth of that river. On the 25th of March 1812, the royalists with nine schooners and eight gunboats attacked the Patriot flotilla in the Bay of Lorondo, and after two days fighting completely destroyed it. Moreno retreated and eventually fled, while the remnant of his force capitulated at the town of Maturín. On the 26th of March 1812, in the afternoon of a calm day, a great roar was heard under the hills of Merida. The ground commenced to rock too and throw in violent oscillations. In less than a minute the cities of Merida, Barquisimiento, San Felipe, La Guayra and Caracas were nothing more than heaps of ruins, under which 20,000 people lay entombed. In the capital almost all the garrison perished. At Barquisimiento, the great part of a division of 1000 men, which was on the march to arrest the progress of Monteverde, with a large amount of military stores, were buried. Under these ruins, the First Republic of Venezuela found a grave. This earthquake was felt only in the territory occupied by the revolutionists. The provinces of Coro, Maracaíbo and Guayana, which were faithful to the king, suffered nothing. The clergy, who were for the most part royalists, made use of the fact pointing to it as a chastisement of heaven upon impious men and upon rebels. Fear entered into the hearts of the people and dismay into those of the patriots. Monteverde dug seven guns and much war material from beneath the ruins of Barquisimiento, armed the people and raised his force to 1000 men. At San Jose, a division of 1300 raw recruits saluted out to meet him. One squadron passed over to him. The rest were cut to pieces. The prisoners were butchered, and the neighboring town of San Carlos was sacked and burned. The cities of Merida and Trujillo declared for the king. The common people and deserters from the Patriot armies flocked to Monteverde. He marched upon Valencia. Forty-five days after his departure from Coro, he entered the federal capital in Triumph. Affairs were now in so critical a state that Miranda was appointed dictator. He established his headquarters at Victoria, between Valencia and Caracas, and advanced with 4000 men against the former city. During a skirmish between outposts, an entire company passed over to the royalists, and Miranda retreated to reposition, which he strengthened with fieldworks. The hero of Valmi and Gemma Pe, whose name is inscribed on the triumphal arch at the Barriere d'Etoile, seems to have disappeared under the cloak of the dictator and the irresolute general of Mastricht and Nervinde reappeared on a new scene. Conel Antonianzas, detached by Monteverde, to the plains of Caracas, took the town of Calabotho by assault and put the garrison to the sword. Then, being joined by a Spaniard named Tomas Boves, he attacked San Juan de los Morros, where not only the fighting men, but the old men, women and children were butchered. The province of Barinas declared for the king, and Monteverde, being now secure in his rear, twice attacked Miranda in his entrenchments, but was each time repulsed with heavy loss. Having received reinforcements from Coro, he made a third attack and was again repulsed, but undismayed he made a flank movement and turned the position of the Patriots, whereupon Miranda, though with a force greatly superior in number to the adversary, set fire to his stores and retired precipitately on the night of the 17th of June to Victoria. Monteverde, at the head of the small detachment, again attacked him in his new position and caused great confusion in the encampments, but was eventually beaten off. The royalist leader now had more than 3,000 men under his orders, and being joined by Antonianzas made a general attack on the entrenchments thrown up by Miranda at Victoria on the 29th of June, but was repulsed with heavy loss after expending all his ammunition. Miranda made no attempt to pursue him, and in a council of war it was decided to retreat to Valencia. A Spaniard prevailed upon Monteverde to disregard the decision of the council and to remain where he was for three days. These three days were the last of this revolution. On the 24th of June, a general insurrection of the slaves broke out in the valleys to the southeast of Caracas. Miranda had decreed liberty to all slaves who would join the Patriot armies. Their Spanish owners preferred to arm them themselves to fight against the Patriots. The Negroes committed all manner of excesses, attacked several towns, maltreated the white inhabitants, and came so near to Caracas that Miranda was compelled to detach troops against them. Bolivar had been placed in command of the city of Puerto Cabello. During a temporary absence of his, the Spanish prisoners who were numerous gained over the garrison of the citadel and took possession of it. Bolivar attempted to retake it with the troops quartered in the city. His advance posts went over to the enemy. On the 4th of July, Monteverde approached. Bolivar sent out 200 men against him. They were beaten, and only seven men with one officer returned. On this, the rest of his troops disbanded, and with seven officers, he fled by sea to La Guaira. When Miranda heard of this, he exclaimed, Venezuela is stricken to the heart. The royalists had now the whole of the west and the plains. They dominated both banks of the Orinoco and the sea coast. The Patriots held barely a third of the territory of Venezuela. The armies still numbered 5,000 men, mostly recruits, and several had no confidence in them, nor had his subordinates any longer faith in him. Everyone accused Miranda of having caused the miseries they suffered. Some called him a traitor. In despair he summoned the council, and by their advice opened negotiations with the enemy. In order to be in a better position to treat, Miranda made an attack upon the enemy's lines and routed several detached parties of the royalist troops, which caused a suspension of hostilities. The proposition was accepted by Monte Verde on condition that the royalist troops should be permitted to advance on Caracas. Miranda then made further proposals and authorized his commissioners to sign a capitulation, which should guarantee the freedom and properties of the insurgents. Some of his officers protested against this and advised him to risk everything on the chance of a battle, but in reality all wished for peace and he knew it. A capitulation, though a defeat, would do more for Venezuela than would a passing victory. Public opinion had veered round and was master of the situation. It was necessary that Venezuela should suffer the yoke of the victorious reaction in order that she might know what it meant and might gather up her forces for the decisive struggle. The capitulation was agreed to by Monte Verde and by the commissioners appointed by Miranda on the basis of the complete submission of the patriots and the general amnesty. Miranda, after some hesitation, acceded to these terms and withdrew to Caracas. The troops either joined the royalist forces or dispersed. On the 30th of July, Monte Verde entered Caracas in triumph while Miranda, with Bolivar and several of his principal officers trusting not at all to the capitulation left for La Guaira intending to fly by sea. The captain of an English ship had offered a passage to Miranda and urged him to embark at once. Bolivar and the others prevented him from going on board saying that he required rest. They dined together and after Miranda had retired twelve officers formed themselves into a sort of secret tribunal and decided that he, as the author of the capitulation ought to share the fate of the rest. Bolivar accused him of receiving bribes from the Spaniards and voted for his death as a traitor to the cause of independence, but it was resolved to detain him. Before dawn, Bolivar went to his room, removed his sword and pistols and then awoke him. He was made prisoner by his own friends and shut up in the castle of San Carlos. Monte Verde paid no attention whatever to the terms of the capitulation. The prisons were filled with citizens. Many died in the dungeons but all except two of the other members of the secret tribunal were among the prisoners. Many died in the dungeons and the Canarians had their revenge in the open plunder of all who had taken part against them. Miranda was sent to Puerto Cabello and loaded with chains. From his dungeon he addressed the memorial to the Supreme Court demanding in the name of the new Spanish Constitution the liberty of his comrades as guaranteed by the capitulation but he asked nothing for himself. His protest was unheeded and he, being sent to Spain languished for three years in a dungeon at Cadiz where he died miserably on the 14th of July 1816 and was buried in the mudbanks over which the waters of the Mediterranean ebb and flow in front of that city. Bolivar, after remaining for some days in hiding, was presented by a Spanish friend of his to Monteverde who gave him a passport quote in recompense for his service to the king in the imprisonment of Miranda end quote. End of chapter 36 Chapter 37 of the Emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre translated by William Pilling this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Piotr Natter the revolutions in New Granada and Quito 1809-1813 the events in Spain in the year 1808 produced great excitement in New Granada which was increased in the following year by receipt of advices of the revolution in Quito mentioned in the last chapter on the 9th of September 1809 Amar, the viceroy, summoned an assembly of the corporations and of leading citizens of the capital to hold council from them. Men of American birth who were members of this assembly not only spoke in favor of the junta of Quito but asked for the establishment of a similar government at Santa Fe de Bogota Spaniards advised they immediate dissolution of the revolutionary government Amar followed the council of the latter and sent a column of 300 men to dissolve the junta. At the same time the viceroy of Peru sent 800 men on the same errant the junta of Quito had already raised three battalions of infantry and sent two companies with three guns against the detachment from New Granada but these troops while on the march were completely routed by the inhabitants of the province of Pasto on the 16th of October the revolutionists dismayed at this disaster on receiving promise of an amnesty replaced Castillo the late captain general in command when the two expeditions reached Quito the amnesty was set aside the leaders of the revolution were arrested some were sentenced to death others to penal servitude the indignant populace attacked and captured one of the barracks but were promptly driven out again by soldiery and dispersed the soldiers then proceeded to the public jail where the prisoners were confined and killed 25 of them after which they spread about the streets and killed 80 citizens among the victims being three women and three children the butchery was only stopped by the intercession of the bishop Castillo horrified at these excesses hastily convened an assembly of the civil and ecclesiastical authorities and of leading citizens with their concurrence he proclaimed a general pardon and sent the Peruvian troops who had taken the lead in the massacres back to Lima where of these atrocities reached New Granada at the same time that news arrived of the revolution in Venezuela and produced an immediate effervescence throughout the country in New Granada according to one of their own writers quote all the races of the world had come together to mingle their blood their traditions their strength and their character and united in the work of civilization end quote two-thirds of the population were white residing mostly in the towns and cities hence the revolution took here a civic form and was greatly hampered by local jealousies and by divergencies of opinion among the leaders the first revolutionary movement occurred at Cartagena where the people headed by their cabildo demanded a junta with the intervention of an agent of the regency of Cadiz then in the city a junta of three was appointed of whom the actual governor was one but as he openly showed his dissatisfaction with this arrangement he was banished to Cartagena on the 11th of June 1810 to the east of the most easterly range of the Cordillera lie the wide plains of Carzanare here two youths raised the standard of insurrection they were joined by some small groups of the country people which were dispersed by troops sent against them by the viceroy the leaders were put to death and their heads were sent to the capital on the 4th of July a junta was set up by the cabildo at Socorro two companies of the line and some militia were quartered in a moment of false alarm they fired upon an assemblage of the people 8000 citizens arose in arms and besieged them in their barracks a junta was formed of eight deputies elected by the people and the government was placed in their hands at Bogota everything was ripe for a revolution several attempts had been made without results but the news from Venezuela and from the provinces and above all the expectation of the speedy arrival of commissioners from the Regency of Cadiz decided the patriots to make another attempt which was precipitated by an accident on the 20th of July as Spaniards spoke contemptuously of Americans the people rushed tumultuously to the great square demanding an open cabildo and a junta they were supported by the municipal authorities the viceroy to accede to their wish the bells of the church were rung and 6 or 7000 armed men assembled in front of the public offices the viceroy had a thousand troops a conflict seemed imminent when at last he gave way and sanctioned the summoning of a special cabildo at 6 o'clock the same evening the cabildo met the debate was stormy Dr. Camilo Torres taking the lead the patriots demanded a junta sought to gain time by resisting the proposition one of the popular orators declared that any man who left his place before a junta was appointed was a traitor to the country the speech was applauded by the people outside a junta was named with the viceroy who was very popular as president and was installed in office at 3 in the morning on the 21st of July the junta drew up a constitution on the basis of a federal union of the various provinces the sovereignty of king Ferdinand was recognized and also the authority of the regency of Cadiz as long as it should exist this was a compromise on all sides and the junta being overawed by the popular leaders had no real power later on the viceroy was deposed and the junta was instructed to govern in the name of the king in complete independence of any other authority in Spain two days afterwards Montufar arrived as commissioners from Spain but were powerless to do more than accept what was already done Montufar who was entrusted with a special mission to Quito continued his journey to that city where we shall presently find him at the head of the revolutionists anarchy and reaction were not slow to follow on these hasty steps local jealousies which had been kept in check by the colonial system divergence of opinion between the leaders of the movement the leaders of americans and spaniards and the instincts of the masses who grouped themselves on geographical lines all combined to bring on complications in which the strength of the country was wasted without any good results the junta sent a circular to the provinces inviting them to send deputies to a congress nearly every province followed the example of the capital by appointing a junta but some of them refused to send deputies to a congress preferring to consider themselves independent republics Cartagena refused to acknowledge in any way the authority of the junta of the capital and invited the other provinces to send deputies to a congress in that city one province only acceded to this proposition but it sufficed to prevent the assemblage of the congress at Bogota and postponed the formation of a central government which was the urgent necessity of the moment the revolutionary leaders in the capital then tried a new plan they formed the province of Santa Fe of which Bogota was the chief city into a monarchical republic which they called the state of Kundinamarca it's ancient name with a legislature of two chambers and Dr. Lothano was named president during the captivity of the king Lothano, after several fruitless attempts to bring about a general understanding, succeeded at last in assembling a congress but the want of a central government had produced such anarchy that the people inflamed by the writings of Don Antonio Narinio who advocated a centralized government deposed Lothano and on the 19th of September 1811 appointed Narinio dictator congress continued the debate on the constitution and adopted the federal system by a majority but had no power to establish it and withdrew from the capital where it was over awed by the popular leaders to the small city of Ibaghe in the province of Mariquita on the 11th of November 1811 the province of Cartagena declared itself an independent state and the eastern provinces endeavored to join the confederation of Venezuela meantime the royalists made no attempt to oppose the revolution in the great centers of population but secured all the country to the south of the province of Santa Fe and established their base of operations at Quito Guayaquil as their port on the Pacific to the north they held the provinces of the Isthmus of Panama with the fortress of Porto Beio and also the city and province of Santa Marta on the western bank of the Magdalena and the province of Rio Acha also on the Magdalena but further inland the insurgent province of Cartagena lying on the coast was thus isolated from the other provinces which had declared for the revolution the royalists established a second base of operations at Santa Marta where they raised an army of 1500 men besides militia and were reinforced by a battalion of Spanish troops from Cuba while three Spanish ships of war guarded the coast and either sank or captured a patriot flotilla sent against them from Cartagena in March 1812 Dr. Torifes a young man 24 years of age being named dictator by the constituent conventions of Cartagena fitted out another flotilla which he placed under the command of a French adventurer named Labatou and sent it against the royalists who had crossed the Magdalena Labatou drove them from the lower part of the river and then returned and captured the city of Santa Marta in January 1813 at this time Don José Domingo Perez who had been appointed viceroy of New Granada by the Regency of Cadiz reached Porto Bello but his authority was not recognized by the insurgent provinces on the outbreak of the revolution Col. Tacón was governor of Papayan by his energy he prevented the installation of a junta in that city but the patriots set one up in the small town of Cali the governor sent troops against them Santa Fe sent 300 men under Col. Baraya to their assistance on which basis they raised an army of 1,700 men mostly Indians armed with lances Tacón led another army 1,500 strong against them but was attacked and defeated by Baraya on the 28th of March 1811 this was the first victory gained by the patriots of New Granada and Tacón was forced to retire to the valley of Pasto where he stood at bay in the passes leading to Quito while Papayan fell into the hands of the revolutionists meantime a fresh insurrection had taken place at Quito and Tacón after raising the royalist population of the valleys marched upon that city with 1,600 men the new governments sent against him Don Pedro Montufar the envoy from the Regency of Cadiz and Tacón being deserted by the greater part of his men retreated to the coast where he received help from Guayaquil but was again defeated and withdrew to Peru Montufar easily dispersed the royalist levies in the valley of Pasto and returned to Quito but the royalists soon reassembled and incited by the priest attacked the city of Papayan but were beaten off and were totally dispersed on the night following by a sortie of Garrison which was headed by a young North American named Macaulay a portion of them aided by fresh levies captured the city of Pasto before Macaulay could reach the place but he prevailed upon them to give up their prisoners and then marched away by night to join a column advancing from Quito being again attacked by these men of the valleys he arranged a truce with them which they made use of to surprise his camp killing 200 men and making 400 prisoners he himself being among these latter with Caithedo the late commandant of Pasto these valleys of Pasto and Patia were the vendae of the revolution of New Granada the reaction was now their triumphant Don Pedro Montufar in the capacity of commissioner from the regency of Cadiz had reached Bogota after the pacific triumph of the revolution in that city he had acceded to the new state of affairs and had afterwards gone on to Quito where he was received with enthusiasm under his auspices a junta was there installed on the 19th of September 1810 under the presidency of Ruiz de Castillo the late captain general but the authority of this junta was not recognized by the southern provinces where Peruvian influence was supreme the junta then raised an army of 2000 men which it placed under the command of Montufar with orders to reduce these provinces to submission at the same time Molina who had been appointed by the viceroy of Peru captain general of Quito in place of Ruiz de Castillo where he raised an army for the defense of these provinces neither Molina nor Montufar had much confidence in their troops and confined their operations to desultory skirmishes until on the 11th of December the citizens of Quito deposed Ruiz de Castillo from his post as president of the junta summoned the congress and declared Quito to be an independent state Ruiz retired to a convent from which he was dragged by a mob and brutally murdered in the following year Marshal Montes arrived from Peru to take command of the royalist forces and on the 2nd of September 1812 defeated the patriots at Mocha giving no quarter Montufar raised a new army and took up a position on some precipices which covered the road to the capital but Montes marching for nine days by a circuitous road over the rugged slopes of Chimborazo gained his rear and obliged him to retreat the patriots then fortified the city of Quito and declared they would hold out to the last extremity but it was taken by assault on the 3rd of November Montufar retired northwards with the remnants of his force but was pursued by Colonel Samano who beat him twice and captured all his guns Samano following out his instructions shot all superior officers who fell into his hands and going on to Pasto where the prisoners of Papayan were confined he shot one in every five of the officers and one in every ten of the soldiers the victims being chosen by lot Caithedo and Macaulay were among them thus was crushed the second revolution in Quito while the reaction closed in upon new Granada the interior of the country was a prey to anarchy federalism struggled against centralization against the provinces Narinio against congress till all was chaos Narinio pursued his policy of centralization by sending troops into the districts around the capital and annexing them to what he called quote the legal province congress protested from its retreat at Ibaghe Baraya with the district of Tunja pronounced in favor of congress and defeated a force sent by Narinio to reduce the province of Socorro Narinio was forced to come to terms and resigned but was reinstated by the citizens of the capital who on the 11th of September again proclaimed him dictator with absolute powers congress with 11 deputies who represented 7 provinces met soon after at Leyva and named Dr. Torres president Torres who was an enemy of Narinio soon found a pretext for an open rupture with him civil war broke out Baraya in command of the federal troops defeated Narinio and laid siege to Bogota but was repulsed and totally defeated in an ill-plant attack upon the city at this time Marshal Montalvo a Cuban by birth arrived as viceroy in place of Pereth patriotism innervated by civil strife revived on the 16th of July 1813 Kundinabarca declared itself an independent state and the province of Antiochia followed the example Narinio came to an arrangement with congress and offered troops to reinforce the army which was sent against the royalists now advancing from the south General Samano had occupied the city of Papayan with 2000 men and now menaced the province of Antiochia Congress placed the federal army under the command of Narinio giving him the rank of lieutenant general Narinio then abdicated the dictatorship and marched against the enemy his first operations were successful he defeated the main body under Samano, occupied Papayan on the 31st of December and on the 13th of January 1813 again defeated the royalist army which fled to Pasto but he made no attempt to follow up his victories General Eimerich, who then replaced Samano in command was allowed two months in which to reorganize his scattered forces then Narinio again advanced with 1400 men and made his way through the Galeas who swarmed in the valley of Patia to the Juanambu river where he found that the forts were defended by batteries he forced the passage by one fort but was driven back by Eimerich who afterwards retreated this river Juanambu is an impetuous torrent rushing westward between precipitous cliffs from the slopes of the eastern Cordillera the few forts are only occasionally passable and the river is generally crossed by means of baskets or traps of raw hides slung upon cables stretched from bank to bank which are called Taravitas the Patriot army was delayed 20 days in crossing by means of Taravitas established by themselves and then advancing again encountered the enemy strongly posted on the hills of Ciacabamba the position was carried with heavy loss after 4 hours of desperate fighting again the royalist army retreated by the country people rose en masse in the feet of their homes and drove back the Patriot vanguard which was led by Narinio in person fugitives from this skirmish reported that he was taken prisoner the main body was seized with panic spiked with guns and fled precipitately only 900 reached Vopayan Narinio returning with 13 men to his encampment found himself without an army deserted by his men he was alone for some days on the mountains living on such wild fruits as he could find then giving himself up he was sent in irons to Spain Bolivar after leaving Caracas resided for some time at Curacao and then offered his services to the independent government of Cartagena he was appointed military commandant of the district of Barrancas on the Upper Magdalena and resolved to make a campaign of his own against the royalist of Santa Marta who obstructed the navigation of the river here the future liberator first showed his genius for enterprise at the head of a small party of militia he attacked the fortified town of Tenerife drove out the carison capturing their guns and boats and then took the town of Montpox Labatou who commanded the Patriot Flotilla acting against Santa Marta complained of this to the dictator as an intrusion to the sphere of operations but Torítez reinforced Bolivar with some regular troops and 15 armed boats with which he ascended the river and after sundry successful skirmishes entered the city of Ocania in triumph in January 1813 in March Labatou was driven from Santa Marta and the coastline was occupied by the royalists Torítez himself then led an expedition against them by sea but was defeated by the loss of his artillery on the 13th of May Colnel Chatillon who commanded the infantry being killed the royalists being reinforced from Venezuela then collected an army of 2,600 men in the province of Barinas under command of a naval officer named Tizcar sent Colnel Correa with 1,000 men against Pamplona and 700 men by another route to cooperate with him Colnel Castillorada who was raising troops in the province of Pamplona applied to Bolivar for help Bolivar then conceived the daring plan of attempting the reconquest of Venezuela and wrote to Torítez and to Dr. Torres showing them the advisability of carrying the war into the enemy's territory without waiting for an answer from either of them he marched with 1,400 men by a stony pass across the mountain range in front of Ocania drove in the outposts of the enemy and spreading the report that he was followed by a large army crossed the River Thulia in one canoe and on the 28th of February fell upon Correa after four hours sharp fighting the fight was decided by a furious charge with the bayonet the royalists were totally defeated with the loss of older artillery and Bolivar was soon after joined by Castillorada who was raised in Pamplona Bolivar's idea of reconquering Venezuela was looked upon as folly just as Saint Martin's idea of reconquering Chile was when he first broached it happily Bolivar also found a way red on to believe in him he had published a memorial which produced a profound sensation in New Granada in it he disclosed for the first time his peculiar ideas on the organization of a republican government and on the proper mode of conducting the war explaining the causes of the fall of the Republic of Venezuela he said our rulers did not consult codes which would teach them the practical science of government but don'ts drawn up by dreamers who built republics in the air on the basis of the perfect ability of human nature we had philosophers as leaders philanthropy for legislation arguments instead of tactics and sophists for soldiers end quote he also denounced the federal form of government as contrary to the interests of young societies in face of a foreign war and the folly of placing trust in raw levies in place of devoting older energy to the organization of regular troops and wound up in insisting that the safety of New Granada lay in the reconquest of Venezuela President Torres read this memorial with great attention and though it clashed with his ideas as a federal he saw that it was the work of a deep thinker who was also a man of action and the language used appealed both to his reason and to his heart the successes achieved by Bolivar in his first daring attempt decided him he resolved upon the reconquest of Venezuela end of chapter 37 chapter 38 part 1 of the emancipation of South America by Bartolome Mitre translated by William Pilling this Librivox recording is in the public domain recording by Pietronater the reconquest of Venezuela 1813 part 1 by the surrender of Miranda Monteverde was left unopposed in Venezuela and was made captain general with the title of pacificator he commenced his work of pacification by deeds from which the warmest partisans of Spain now turn away from their eyes in horror he violated the capitulation by imprisoning so many citizens that the jails could not hold them many died of hunger and suffocation in filthy dungeons in the provinces his reign of terror assumed forms still more barbarous the whole country seemed given up to hordes of banditi Colmel Cerveris proconsul of Cumana acted with such inhumanity as even disgusted the hard hearts of his superiors who replaced him by Antonianzas and the Autientia complained of his misconduct to the home government all this was but the prelude to a war of extermination which was provoked by the royalists by murders, by mutilations and by torture the people cowed in spirit by their sufferings, by their political calamities and by the natural catastrophes which had befallen them were only too anxious for rest on any terms under the domination of the colonial system clemency would have kept them peaceful but the reign of terror drove superstitious fears from their minds and changed weakness into strength they fled from their persecutors into woods and mountains the leaders emigrated misery and despair created a desire for vengeance in the breasts of the most timid a handful of exiles gave the signal from a rock in the Antilles and the whole of the eastern part of the country rose in rebellion famous in the history of the new world is the gulf called Triste discovered by Columbus on his third voyage when he, without knowing it landed for the first time on the continent of which he was in search at its mouth between the eastern extremity of the peninsula of Paria and the island of Trinidad there lies a smaller island called Chacachacare on it the fugitives from Cumaná though only 45 in number they resolved to renew the war and to raise the country against the Spaniards a gallant youth of good family from the island of Margarita Santiago Marinho by name put himself at their head Manuel Piar, a handsome mulatto two brothers, Jose Francisco and Bernardo Bermudez and the engineer Ascué formed his staff with no other arms than six muskets and some pistols they landed on the coast on the 13th of March 1813 surprised a guard, captured 23 muskets and marched resolutely on the fortified town of Guiria the charism, who were all natives joined them on the 16th of March they had 200 well armed men with 75 men Bernardo Bermudez took the town of Maturín where there was a deposit of military stores his brother fortified Irapa on the gulf and Antonio made displays his headquarters Ferveris had a small fatilla on the gulf and 400 men but did not dare to act on the offensive until, being reinforced by a basque named Suathola with 300 men he sent him to retake Maturín Suathola easily overcame a small patriot force which opposed his march slaughtered them without mercy and sent boxes full of human ears to Cumaná as trophies of his victory he then tried to induce those of the country people who had fled to the woods to return to their homes by giving them assurances of safety but all who presented themselves were either killed or mutilated men, women and children some were flayed alive some were tied two and two together by the shoulders and thrown to a lake Colonel Fernando de la Oth governor of Barcelona having joined Suathola with 1500 men in the absence of Bermudez Pierre was in command and had 500 men with him by a sudden attack upon them with his cavalry he threw the royalists into such disorder that they were forced to retreat in April they again advanced and were this time completely routed Monteverde who had looked upon the invasion as the escapade of a wild boy now became alarmed and marched on Maturín with 2000 men but his troops were thrown into disorder by the heavy fire of cannon and musketry which was poured upon them from the town and the charge of cavalry led by Pierre completed the rout Monteverde escaped with difficulty leaving 400 dead upon the field and lost all his guns and baggage Marshal Cajical who was now placed in command of the district remained strictly on the defensive at Barcelona while the Patriots threatened Cumaná the island of Margarita lies in the Caribbean Sea of the mouth of the Gulf of Carriaco on which the city of Cumaná is situated and is about 35 miles from the mainland it is divided by a range of mountains which run down the center from east to west the north and south coasts are thus completely separate the only communication between them being by a narrow defile easy of defense Asuncion, the capital, lies inland on the south side and is dominated by the fortress of Santa Rosa but has a port on the coast which is defended by the castle of Pampatar the north side of the island is known as the district of Juan Griego and has a good port on the Caribbean Sea which is defended by a block house the possession of Margarita was of great importance to both parties not only by reason of its situation but also because the inhabitants being mostly sailors and fishermen would be of great assistance in naval operations along the coast at that time Col. Pascual-Martinez a petty tyrant of the Cerveris type was governor of Margarita the Audiencia reproved him for his conduct and ordered certain prisoners on the mainland who had been accused by him to be set at liberty Furious at this, he declared that if any one of these men set foot on the island he would shoot him among the prisoners, so said at liberty was a man of mixed race who, from being a fisherman had risen to be one of the largest proprietors on the island this man, Juan Bautista Ismendi by name, was a sort of chieftain among his fellows a rude hero of the people a man of vehement passions combined with inert sagacity and of an adventurous spirit on the fall of Miranda he was accused of treason by himself Governor Martinez seized his wife and children and threatened to shoot them if they did not disclose his hiding place Ismendi gave himself up his property was confiscated his family reduced to poverty and he himself was sent as a prisoner to La Guaira his war vengeance being released he returned to the island and was thrown into a dungeon the populace rose en masse he showed up with a garrison in the castle of Pampatar but was forced to surrender Ismendi was made governor and kept his vow of vengeance Martinez and 29 Spaniards who were with him were shot Ismendi immediately opened communications with Marinho offering to assist him in any way in his power Marinho, who was now besieging Cumana asked for a flotilla to blockade the place Ismendi sent him armed schooners and 11 boats under an Italian named Bianchi with a supply of arms and ammunition for the patriot forces Cumana was thus speedily invested both by land and sea Cumana was well fortified and was defended by a garrison of 800 men with 40 guns under command of Governor Antonianzas the Patriots dared not attempt an assault but their blockade soon reduced the intensity to extremities Antonianzas taking advantage of the careless watch kept by the Patriot flotilla shipped a portion of his force on some small craft and sailed away as he said in search of help leaving the fortress in charge of a subordinate officer this officer seeing his position hopeless entered into arrangements for a capitulation but while the negotiation was in progress spiked his guns embarked hit the remainder of the garrison in such boats as they could lay hold of and followed Antonianzas who had not succeeded in escaping from the gulf after rejoining him a fresh breeze sprang up and the fugitives again set sail in eight small vessels but were attacked by Bianchi as they left the gulf only three vessels escaped on one of which was Antonianzas who soon after died of a wound received in the action the majority was occupied by the Patriots and 25 prisoners of distinction were shot at the instigation of Jose Bermudez Marinho then marched against Cerveris who retreated after shooting Bernardo Bermudez who was lying in a hospital dangerously wounded Piar with a strong column occupied Barcelona which was evacuated on his approach by Cajiral who retired to Guayana when he reached Dorinoco a man named Jose Tomas Boves who had served under Antonianzas and Suasola and a canarian named Morales asked to be left behind in order that they might rise the Llaneros against the Patriots Cajiral gave them permission to make the attempt and also left with them 100 men and some supplies this small force became the nucleus of a powerful army which was destined to crash the Republic of Venezuela for the second time Jose Bermudez with another column captured several towns on the coast of the Gulf of Paria and furious at the death of his brother killed every royalist who fell into his hands in 8 months all the eastern part of Venezuela was thus reconquered by the Patriots who named Marinho dictator of the provinces of the Cumaná and Barcelona and of the island of Margarita with Piar as his second in command at the same time that Bolivar entered Caracas in triumph and was acclaimed dictator of the south after one of the most extraordinary campaigns of the epoch which in some aspects resembled the first campaign of Buonaparte in Italy while Bolivar after his victory over Correa was awaiting due authorization from the government of New Granada to proceed with his scheme of reconquest a young lawyer named Brithenio who had been a member of the Congress of Caracas and at the excesses of the Monteverde presented to him a plan he had published in Cartagena which he with others had sworn to carry out his design was to make a general massacre of the cursed race of European Spaniards and of the Canarians Bolivar and Castillorada who shared the command with him assented to it with the proviso those found with arms in their hands end quote Brithenio started off on his campaign of murder with 140 sworn assassins and a few days after sent back two heads as a trophy a present which excited the horror of the two commanders Brithenio was soon after defeated and made prisoner by a very superior force and was shot at Barinas which execution was afterwards used by Bolivar as a pretext for cruel reprisals the government of New Granada adopted the idea of Bolivar the Republic of Venezuela should be restored under its auspices and the federal form of government should be re-established under the previous authorities the invading army was to be a liberating army only and should take no part in the internal affairs of its sister republic which should be called upon to pay the expenses of the expedition Bolivar accepted these conditions and swore to carry them out faithfully his first step was to detach Castillo Rada with 800 men against Correa Castillo defeated the royalist army in a sharply contested action and drove it back to Trujillo but then withdrew his forces and resigned his command through jealousy of Bolivar thinking that his fellow countrymen would prefer him as a leader to Venezuela did not hesitate he chose Bolivar to command the Granadian contingent conferred the rank of Brigadier upon him and ordered him at once to drive the royalists out of the provinces of Berida and Trujillo after which he was to await instructions which would be conveyed to him by commissioners from Congress who would accompany him in all his future operations as those of the convention accompanied the armies of revolutionary France Bolivar had barely 600 men while he was opposed by 6000 who were so posted that wherever he attacked them they were always 2 to 1 the first invasion of Bolivar along the western slopes of the eastern range of the Cordillera which crosses the territory of Venezuela was a series of flashes of lightning which ended in a thunderbolt on the 30th of May he took Merida unopposed the city raised a battalion of 500 infantry and a squadron of cavalry to reinforce his army his vanguard under Hierardo then occupied Trujillo and a strong detachment under the Luyar forced Correa to take refuge in Maracaibo the garrison of Trujillo retreated to Carrache a town devoted to the royalist cause but were driven out by Hierardo who shot all the Spaniards who were taken prisoners and the town was declared quote infamous and quote by Bolivar in a proclamation in 50 days there was not an enemy left in either province from this time Bolivar assumed a new attitude as the independent representative of the Republic of Venezuela and became a sort of dictator in contravention of the express orders of the government of New Granada he on the 15th of June fulminated in a proclamation an order for the extermination of all royalists which he established by decree on the 6th of September as a fundamental law of Venezuela the atrocities committed by Monteverde and his mermidons produced their natural effects quote every Spaniard who does not conspire against tyranny in favor of the just cause in the most active and efficacious manner shall be held to be an enemy shall be punished as a traitor and shall be put to death end quote this was also adopted by him quote third year of independence and first of the war to the death end quote this decree of extermination has found many apologists with the exception of some Spaniards no one has condemned it as an act of personal atrocity only two men have utterly censured it one of them an historian of Venezuela named Gonzalez says quote it created thousands of enemies of the public in the interior and alienated exterior sympathy it was the fury of a storm a stain upon our history the other who condemned it was Bolívar himself who in his last days spoke of it as a quote delirium end quote this struggle did not assume a ferocious character until the indigenous races took part in it the Spanish leaders Míárez, Ceballos and Cajical always acted with humanity and repressed the excesses of their subordinates as also did Cortabárria the agent of the regency nothing that the royalists had yet done could in any way justify this decree as a measure of retaliation end quote Bolívar received orders from the government of New Granada to proceed no further as his ambition was to encircle the brow with the civic crown as liberator of this native land the pause was to endanger the advantage he had already gained from the east came echoes of the success achieved by Marinho and his comrades but he aspired to be the man who should rescue the ruins of Caracas the city of his birth from the enemy they might forestall him on his own responsibility he went on Tizcar, the Spanish general who occupied Barinas with 1300 men had done nothing to prevent capture of Merida and Trujillo but at last determined to cut off the retreat of the invaders and detached Colnel Martí with 700 men for that purpose Bolívar at once crossed the mountains in his front with a strong vanguard after detaching Rivas and Urdaneta with 500 men by a more southerly route in the same direction on the first of July Rivas found himself confronted by the entire column under Martí in a very strong position from which he drove the royalists to another stronger still where he on the next day completely defeated them after 5 hours fighting capturing a gun and 400 prisoners all the Spaniards among whom were at once shot Tizcar retreated on the approach of Bolívar who occupied Barinas on the 6th of July taking 13 guns and a large quantity of military stores while Tizcar was so actively pursued by Gerardo that his men dispersed and he fled to Guayana at Barinas Bolívar raised some new battalions and several squadrons of cavalry and separated this increased force into three divisions under Urdaneta, Gerardo and Rivas which he dispersed in such a manner as must have ensured defeat in the face of an active enemy but his maneuvers imprudent as they were resulted in the most brilliant success. Rivas with 600 men totally defeated 1000 royalists under Col. Oberto on the 22nd of July and then recrossing the mountains for the third time in one month rejoined Bolívar and Gerardo. Bolívar who had now 1500 men marched rapidly against Col. Izquierdo who was encamped on the plain of Taguanes. Izquierdo who had only 1000 men retreated in close column on Valencia hotly pursued by the Patriots. After six hours marching the Patriot cavalry headed the column which was at once charged by the infantry and totally destroyed. Izquierdo himself falling mortally wounded. Monteverde on hearing of the fall of Barinas had gone to Valencia but seemed perfectly bewildered by the rapid movements of Bolívar and did nothing to assist his scattered divisions. Tardily he left Valencia with some infantry and cavalry to support Izquierdo but was met by the news of his defeat and fled to Puerto Cabello while Bolívar entered Valencia unopposed capturing 30 heavy guns and large quantities of military stores. The Garison of Caracas composed of civic guards and volunteers for the most part dispersed and General Fierro who was in command made overtures to Bolívar for a capitulation. Bolívar granted honorable terms guaranteeing the lives and properties of the inhabitants on condition that all the province including the fortress of Puerto Cabello was given up. Fierro without waiting to make a formal surrender fled to La Guaira and escaped but Monteverde refused to ratify the capitulation. If Bolívar with his usual activity had marched on Puerto Cabello he must have captured it and the certifications were dismantled. Instead of this he vain gloriously marched to receive the ovation which awaited him in Caracas and gave Monteverde 20 days in which to prepare for defense. In this campaign Bolívar showed that though he had had no military education he possessed the talents of a great revolutionary leader and the inspiration of genius. At one step he gained a place among the celebrated captains of his time. He drew out his plans quickly and executed them with daring resolution while he lost no time in securing the fruits of his victories. With 600 men in 90 days he had fought 6 battles defeated and dispersed 4500 men captured 50 guns and 3 deposits of war material had reconquered the whole of western Venezuela from the Cordillera to the sea of the Republic. Never with such small means was so much accomplished over so vast an extent of country in so short a time. End of chapter 38 part 1