Battle of Carabobo

Battle of Carabobo
Part of the Venezuelan War of Independence
Detail of La Batalla de Carabobo by Martín Tovar y Tovar. Oil on canvas.
Date 24 June 1821 Location Carabobo, Venezuela Result Decisive Patriot victory
Belligerents
Patriots Foreign volunteers British Legions	Royalists
Commanders and leaders
Simón Bolívar	Miguel de la Torre
Strength
6,500-8,000 Total 4,000 infantry 900-1,200 British 2,500 cavalry	4,000-5,000 Total No cavalry fought
Casualties and losses
200 dead	2,908 captured, wounded or dead.

The Battle of Carabobo, 24 June 1821, was fought between independence fighters, led by Simón Bolívar, and the Royalist forces, led by Spanish Field Marshal Miguel de la Torre. Bolívar's decisive victory at Carabobo led to the independence of Venezuela.

Order of battle

Army of Gran Colombia

• Commander in Chief: Gen. Simon Bolivar
• 1st Army Division (Commander: Gen. Jose Antonio Paez)
  • 1st Infantry Brigade
    • Apure Braves
    • British Legions
  • 1st Cavalry
    • Honor, Paez's Own Lancers
    • Honored Lancers, The Death
    • Valiant Horse Rifles, The Vengeance
• 2nd Army Division (Commander: Gen. Manuel Cedeno)
  • 2nd Infantry Brigade
    • Vargas
    • Boyaca
    • Tiralleurs Battalion
  • Sacred Cavalry Squadron
• 3rd Army Division (Commander: Gen. Ambrocio Plaza)
  • 3rd Infantry Brigade
    • • Victors of Boyaca Battalion
      • Foot Grenadiers
      • Rifle Regiment
      • Anzoátegui Regiment
  • 2nd Cavalry
    • Dragoons
    • Hussars
    • Horse Guards

Royalist Army

Commander in Chief of the Royal Armies: General en Chief Juan Miguel de la Torre

• Division Commanders: Gen. Morales, Cols. Herrera and Garcia
• Infantry Battalions attached under the three divisions:

Garcia Division: 1st Infantry Brigade

4th Division: The Prince's Own Foot

Morales Division: Morales Combined Brigade

• • 2nd Valencay Infantry
  • Barbastro Regiment
  • Burgos Regiment
  • Hostalrich Foot
  • Infante Don Francisco
  • Principe
• Cavalry Brigade
  • General's Bodyguards
  • Loyal Dragoons
  • HM King Ferdinand VII's Own Hussars
  • King's Own Lancers
• 2 artillery pieces, each attached to the Garcia and the 4th Divisions

History

Painting by Martín Tovar y Tovar

The Royalists occupied the road leading from Valencia to Puerto Cabello. As Bolívar's force of 6,500 approached the Royalist position, Bolívar divided his force and sent half on a flanking maneuver through rough terrain and dense foliage. De la Torre likewise split his force and sent half to deal with this flank attack. Hitting the Patriots with musket fire, the Royalists held back the attack for a while. The Venezuelan infantry failed and retreated, but the men of the "British Legions", among them many members of the former King's German Legion, fought hard and took the hills. They sustained about 50% of Bolívar's casualties. The Patriots eventually broke through the Royalist lines on the flank and marched towards the rear of de La Torre's force. The Spanish infantry formed squares and fought to the end under the attack of the Patriot cavalry. The rout was so bad that only some 400 of one infantry regiment managed to reach safety at Puerto Cabello. With the main Royalist force in Venezuela crushed, independence was ensured. Subsequent battles included a key naval victory for the independence forces on 24 July 1823 at the Battle of Lake Maracaibo and in November 1823 José Antonio Páez occupied Puerto Cabello, the last Royalist stronghold in Venezuela.

Commemoration

Painting by Martín Tovar y Tovar

24 June is celebrated as Battle of Carabobo Day .This day is also called "Army Day" in Venezuela.

See also

• Ambrosio Plaza
• Nevado, Bolivar's dog, who died in the Battle of Carabobo

External links

Animated Demo

• http://www.prodi.com.ve/home/presentacion1.htm (in Spanish language)

General

• Venezuela on Encyclopedia of Days
• Carabobo 1821 on Prodiseño Escuela de Comunicación Visual y Diseño
• Bolivar's British Legion by Ian Fletcher from Ian Fletcher Battlefield Tours
• Pages of Glory on Simón Bolívar, The Southamerican Washington from Don Mabry's Historical Text Archive.