Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada

Quick Facts: Who was Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada?

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Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada

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Bolívar's 1819 campaign was a decisive military effort to liberate New Granada from Spanish rule.

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Origins & Early Life

Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada, also known as the Liberation Campaign of 1819, was part of the Colombian and Venezuelan wars of independence and was one of the many military campaigns fought by Simón Bolívar. In 1819 Bolívar led a combined New Granadan and Venezuelan Army in a campaign to liberate New Granada which had been under Spanish control since 1816. Bolívar marched his army through the flooded plains from Venezuela and entered the Casanare Province with his army in June 1819, combining his forces with those of Francisco de Paula Santander at Tame, Arauca, on 11 June. The combined Patriot force reached the Eastern Range of the Andes on 22 June and began a grueling crossing. On 6 July, the Patriots descended from the Andes arriving at Socha and into the valleys of central New Granada.

Career & Major Achievements

After a brief convalescence, the Patriots fought a series of battles against the III Division of the Royalist army of Spanish colonel José María Barreiro Manjón, with the campaign culminating at the decisive Battle of Boyacá, where Bolivar's forces routed and dismantled the Royalist Army entering Santa Fe de Bogotá triumphantly 3 days later. Bolivar's victory in New Granada (today: Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama) secured the eventual independence of northern South America. It provided Bolívar with the economic and human resources to complete his victory over the Spanish in Venezuela and Colombia. Bolívar's New Granada campaign is considered one of the most daring in military history, compared by contemporaries and some historians to Hannibal's or Napoleon's crossing of the Alps in 1800 and José San Martín's Crossing of the Andes in 1817. During the years 1815 and 1816, Spain had reconquered most of New Granada, after having deployed the Expeditionary Army of Costa Firme under the command of General Pablo Morillo from Spain in early 1815.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

This effort was also aided by General Juan de Sámano and his royalist forces in the south of New Granada. After five years of de facto and official independence, Morillo reestablished Royalist government in Santa Fe, leaving Juan de Sámano as Viceroy, and returned to Venezuela with the bulk of his army in late 1816. By 1817, Bolívar had set up his headquarters in the Orinoco region in southern Venezuela. It was an area from which the Spaniards could not easily oust him. There he engaged the services of several thousand foreign soldiers and officers, mostly British and Irish, set up his capital at Angostura (now Ciudad Bolívar) and established liaisons with the revolutionary forces of the Llanos.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1800: 1800 Milestone — Bolívar's New Granada campaign is considered one of the most daring in military history, compared by contemporaries and some historians to Hannibal's or Napoleon's crossing of the Alps in 1800 and José San Martín's Crossing of the Andes in 1817.
2. 1815: 1815 Milestone — During the years 1815 and 1816, Spain had reconquered most of New Granada, after having deployed the Expeditionary Army of Costa Firme under the command of General Pablo Morillo from Spain in early 1815.
3. 1816: 1816 Milestone — After five years of de facto and official independence, Morillo reestablished Royalist government in Santa Fe, leaving Juan de Sámano as Viceroy, and returned to Venezuela with the bulk of his army in late 1816.
4. 1817: 1817 Milestone — By 1817, Bolívar had set up his headquarters in the Orinoco region in southern Venezuela.
5. 1819: 1819 Milestone — Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada, also known as the Liberation Campaign of 1819, was part of the Colombian and Venezuelan wars of independence and was one of the many military campaigns fought by Simón Bolívar.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada

True or False: “The Battle of Boyacá occurred in the same year as Bolívar's initial proclamation of intent to liberate New Granada.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Bolívar proclaimed his intention on August 15, 1818, but the decisive Battle of Boyacá took place later in the campaign.

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