742:
great havoc from the fortifications where they were pre-loaded to make their shots. It was around noon that the column of royalist guerrillas attacked the republicans from behind. Sámano took advantage of this moment to launch a counterattack and ordered his troops out of the entrenchments and to attack the
Republicans. As a result the republicans became surrounded on all sides and order disintegrated, of which Espinosa commented “It was no longer possible to work in concert, everyone did what they could and we fought desperately; but it was impossible to regroup, or even resist the torrent of enemies who, coming out of their parapets, surrounded us and squeezed us until we had to surrender. We succumb but with glory.”
163:
134:
714:
arrangements on the ridge. For this, he deployed on the afternoon of the 28th a column of 200 men under the command of the royalist guerrilla leader Simón Muñoz so that divided into two groups, they would delay the advance of the republicans, jumping from mound to mound, holding one group while the other withdrew to a new position, and repeating the same successively until reaching the town of Tambo. In the town of Tambo there was a royalist guard under the command of Major
Francisco Jiménez, protecting the hospital that had been established there. Sámano ordered Jiménez to withdraw and to place the hospital one days march behind the main position, which he executed without difficulty.
152:
123:
37:
722:
passing through the town and the other to the right of the ridge. To further delay the republicans’ march, Sámano returned to the fortified positions and ordered that a column of the militias of Pasto, around 200 men, under the orders of Ramón
Zambrano, go out to meet the enemy and offer some resistance, in the same form of as the successive jumps that Muñoz’s guerrillas were conducting.
730:
assault be given by the
Commander-in-chief, who was marching on the side of the Tambo. Verified this, the signal was given, to which we attacked violently the enemy fortifications, where we were greeted with a deadly fire of artillery and musketry; but that’s not why we stopped fixing our flags at the very foot of their entrenchments.”
734:
to advance. Our soldiers threw themselves with the greatest courage and reached the foot of the entrenchments, but seeing that we suffered many casualties and began to give way, we were reinforced with the
Antioquia battalion, the combat became widespread, as we committed to the attack of the fortifications almost all our troops.”
733:
The standard-bearer of the
Granaderos de Cundinamarca battalion, Ensign JosĂ© MarĂa Espinosa, noted for his part “Our fire was generalized there, and as it had already lasted more than an hour without result, and our ammunition being scarce, the Granaderos de Cundinamarca battalion was given the order
729:
One of the republican troops José Hilario López noted in his
Memoirs that “Our column reached the last mamelon which was at a distance of half-range of musket fire from the enemy encampment, and there we placed our two cannons, and awaited for the first section to approach, and that the order for the
593:
The
Spanish then took Popayán shortly after, Colonel Mejia and the last remnants of the army of the union would be defeated days later at the Battle of La Plata marking the end of the first republic and the completion of the Spanish Reconquest of New Granada. The following months would see the arrest
717:
On June 29, 1816 at 6 in the morning, the republicans approached the royalist positions, they divided their forces into two equal sections: the first section which had the cavalry, took the royal road towards the town of Tambo; the second section who had the artillery went parallel to them and would
745:
The republicans were surrounded and were either killed or captured marking the end of the battle. The courage and boldness of the republican troops in the face of overwhelming odds was even recognized by Sámano himself who wrote “It cannot be denied that they wicked people committed themselves with
737:
The
Republican cavalry armed with carbines was placed on the left flank. When the time came, they attacked the royalist cavalry, who were armed with lances, and forced them to retreat to the site called “Los Aguacates”, where they were able regroup, as the Republicans did not continue their attack,
713:
The defensive strategy adopted by Sámano aimed at not only to repelling the
Republican attack but also to cause as much damage to them before their arrival at the position, with the purpose of gaining time to withdraw the field hospital established in the town of Tambo and to complete the defensive
709:
On 27 June 1816, Lt. Colonel Liborio MejĂa and the southern army of the union set out in search of the enemy. The next day, June 28, they arrived at the village of Pingua where they were sighted by some advanced royal troops, who then received orders from Brigadier Juan de Sámano to retreat towards
741:
For three hours from 7am to 10am the republicans fought fiercely to take the royalist fortifications but lacking the equipment to climb them and couple with the limited supply of ammunition they had were unable to take the fortifications. As described before, the royalist artillery pieces wreaked
587:
On June 27, 1816, Lieutenant Colonel Liborio Mejia and his 680 troops of the southern army of the army of the union left Popayan in the direction of Tambo to meet their enemy. On June 29 they found the Spanish troops who were numerically superior and positioned high up on the ridge of the Cuchilla
725:
The royalist column commanded by Muñoz, did not withdraw back the position, but instead placed themselves in a position to the left of the town of Tambo, with the purpose of conducting an attack behind the backs of the republicans, when they would attempt to scale the ridge. Reinforced Zambrano’s
721:
When the Republicans approached the town of Tambo, Sámano advanced beyond the town, in order to carry out a reconnaissance mission that would allow him to observe the movements adopted by the republicans. Thanks to this, he found that the Republicans had divided themselves into two columns; one
588:
del Tambo, which they had fortified and was protected by artillery. The Republican troops fought fiercely for 3 hours but were kept at bay by enemy fire. They were finally surrounded and forced to surrender, with only MejĂa and a few men managing to escape.
746:
all their spite, reaching less than a block of the entrenchments. but everything was in vain” these derogatory words were the best praise that the Spanish commander could give as these handful troops heroically sacrificed themselves for their homeland.
594:
and executions of many of the Neogranadine patriots who had spearheaded the revolution in 1810 as well military officers and their supporters by orders of Generals Pablo Morillo and Juan de Sámano and what is known as the Regime of Terror.
777:. It all ended on 10 July, when the Royalist commander Carlos Tolrá attacked the Patriot positions at La Plata and captured President MejĂa. He was transferred to Bogotá, where on 3 September 1816, MejĂa was executed for treason.
440:
509:
504:
568:, fought between the Republican troops of New Granada and the expeditionary force of the Spanish crown who came to reconquer its former colony. It took place on 29 June 1816, at a place called
343:
693:
In May 1816, Sámano left Pasto towards Popayán and camped with 1,400 men on the cuchilla del Tambo. During this time, the Republican troops were based in Popayán under the command of General
224:
475:
726:
column with two more companies, he undertook a dilatory combat until he received orders from Sámano to retreat, in order to attract the already fatigued enemy to the entrenchments.
387:
421:
606:
had declared its independence from Spain in 1811, and by 1815 controlled large parts of present-day Colombia. But in 1815, after the defeat of Napoleon, the restored King
270:
687:
628:
465:
455:
353:
260:
460:
315:
362:
72:
544:
372:
217:
265:
590:
At the end of the fighting, the battlefield was littered with 250 dead Patriots, while Sámano took 300 prisoners and recovered all the Patriots' war material.
480:
539:
534:
514:
377:
529:
450:
416:
382:
285:
275:
305:
392:
210:
947:
524:
411:
401:
982:
701:
for being over-cautious. The new commander of the Patriot troops now took the bold decision to attack the Royalist forces rather than surrender.
1002:
576:(in the south of the present-day Colombia). The Republican troops were completely defeated by the Royalist army. This triumph ended the
914:
Davis, Robert H. (1993). Cuchilla del Tambo, Battle of en Historical Dictionary of Colombia. Metuchen: The Scarecrow Press, pág. 180.
997:
927:
JesĂşs MarĂa y Arrubla Gerardo Henao, Historia de Colombia Para la Enseñanza Secundaria, Bogota, Voluntad, 1952, p. 342-344
837:
1007:
930:
931:
Córdova : gloria y asesinato del héroe. Tomo I / Armando Barona Mesa ; prólogo del académico Antonio Cacua Prada
1012:
967:
784:
named him General commander of New Granada, with as capital Santafé de Bogotá. Sámano arrived there on 23 October 1816.
942:
581:
324:
1017:
470:
780:
The victory of the Cuchilla del Tambo was decisive for the career of Juan de Sámano. As a reward for his victory,
300:
603:
126:
138:
788:
577:
565:
250:
234:
28:
796:
826:
754:
On 1 July 1816, Sámano's army took possession of Popayán. Among the prisoners made there was the soldier
631:
and his 5th Division was sent south and, after defeating the Patriot troops at the battles of Bálaga and
992:
66:
987:
977:
791:. The Spanish Reconquest of New Granada was then completed, with the exception of a few areas in the
618:
333:
738:
as they had to secure the main road, the only one that the enemy could take in case of withdrawal.
972:
827:
JesĂşs MarĂa Henao and Gerardo Arrubla: Historia de Colombia para la enseñanza secundaria. P.343-344
310:
905:
Gilberto Vargas Motta, Breviario del Huila y otros escritos, Ediciones Los Cámbulos, 1987, p. 148
755:
519:
636:
607:
426:
767:
759:
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763:
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499:
338:
8:
671:
622:
683:
290:
280:
792:
659:
667:
167:
431:
36:
787:
The rout of the Republicans at the Cuchilla del Tambo put a definitive end to the
698:
155:
151:
122:
774:
62:
202:
489:
961:
781:
758:, who is condemned to death but was providentially saved. Lopez would become
675:
611:
87:
74:
952:
663:
643:
573:
762:
between 1849 and 1853. The forerunner to the independence of Ecuador
894:
Campaña de Invasión del Teniente General Don Pablo Morillo 1815-1816
881:
Campaña de Invasión del Teniente General Don Pablo Morillo 1815-1816
868:
Campaña de Invasión del Teniente General Don Pablo Morillo 1815-1816
682:
and the center of the country were occupied by the Spanish generals
678:
advanced south at the head of his expeditionary force. To the east,
670:, who established his headquarters in Pasto. At the same time, from
642:
The Republicans now only controlled the area around the cities of
679:
651:
162:
133:
41:
Painting of the battle by JosĂ© MarĂa Espinosa Prieto (1850).
795:
which remained under the control of the Republicans led by
655:
647:
614:
to restore order in the colonies and destroy the Republic.
766:
was not so lucky: he was captured, sentenced to death in
572:(the ridge of El Tambo), in the vicinity of the town of
718:
attempt to assault the right of the fortified ridge.
232:
959:
218:
697:, but he is replaced by Lieutenant-Colonel
225:
211:
16:Part of the Colombian War of Independence
610:had sent a large fleet under command of
822:
820:
818:
816:
814:
812:
773:MejĂa fled with his last supporters to
650:, but were attacked from 3 sides. From
983:1816 in the Viceroyalty of New Granada
960:
710:the fortified positions on the ridge.
625:between 26 August and 6 December 1815.
1003:Spanish American wars of independence
658:, Royalist forces were sent north to
619:besieged and straved in to submission
617:Pablo Morillo and his veteran troops
206:
809:
666:. They were commanded by Brigadier
13:
14:
1029:
896:. Bogotá. Editorial Iris. p. 221.
883:. Bogotá. Editorial Iris. p. 218.
870:. Bogotá. Editorial Iris. p. 217.
582:Spanish reconquest of New Granada
161:
150:
132:
121:
35:
749:
604:United Provinces of New Granada
562:Battle of La Cuchilla del Tambo
127:United Provinces of New Granada
908:
899:
886:
873:
860:
851:
842:
831:
662:for a major offensive against
1:
998:Colombian War of Independence
802:
789:First Republic of New Granada
704:
597:
578:First Republic of New Granada
566:Colombian War of Independence
251:First Republic of New Granada
236:Colombian War of Independence
29:Colombian War of Independence
1008:Military history of Colombia
797:Francisco de Paula Santander
770:and executed shortly after.
325:Spanish reconquest (1815-16)
22:Battle of Cuchilla del Tambo
7:
10:
1034:
1013:Battles involving Colombia
968:Viceroyalty of New Granada
948:Radio Nacional de Colombia
921:
67:Viceroyalty of New Granada
857:Cordova : p.106-107.
244:
186:
173:
144:
115:
45:
34:
26:
21:
936:
441:River and naval campaign
1018:Battles involving Spain
848:Cordova : p.95-96.
635:, occupied the capital
629:Sebastián de la Calzada
621:the major port city of
608:Ferdinand VII of Spain
564:was fought during the
363:New Granada resistance
145:Commanders and leaders
760:President of Colombia
570:La cuchilla del Tambo
187:Casualties and losses
892:Mercado, J. (1963).
879:Mercado, J. (1963).
866:Mercado, J. (1963).
672:Cartagena de Indias
623:Cartagena de Indias
471:Cartagena (1820–21)
88:2.45417°N 76.8178°W
84: /
838:Cartagena Explorer
764:Carlos de MontĂşfar
756:José Hilario López
627:Spanish Brigadier
580:and completed the
402:BolĂvar's campaign
349:Cuchilla del Tambo
281:Magdalena campaign
993:Colonial Colombia
793:Casanare Province
637:Santafé de Bogotá
557:
556:
552:
551:
422:Gameza and Topaga
301:Nariño's Campaign
201:
200:
111:
110:
93:2.45417; -76.8178
1025:
988:June 1816 events
978:1816 in Colombia
915:
912:
906:
903:
897:
890:
884:
877:
871:
864:
858:
855:
849:
846:
840:
835:
829:
824:
695:JosĂ© MarĂa Cabal
334:Cartagena (1815)
247:
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139:Kingdom of Spain
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47:
46:
39:
19:
18:
1033:
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1028:
1027:
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1024:
1023:
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973:Battles in 1816
958:
957:
939:
924:
919:
918:
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909:
904:
900:
891:
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878:
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843:
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832:
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639:on 6 May 1816.
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600:
589:
558:
553:
510:Second Taindalá
456:Chorros Blancos
240:
235:
233:
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193:
160:
131:
107:Spanish victory
92:
90:
86:
83:
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63:El Tambo, Cauca
40:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1005:
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668:Juan de Sámano
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596:
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547:
542:
537:
532:
527:
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505:First Taindalá
502:
494:
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490:Pasto Campaign
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168:Juan de Sámano
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782:Pablo Morillo
778:
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699:Liborio MejĂa
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676:Pablo Morillo
673:
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612:Pablo Morillo
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461:Laguna Salada
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194:300 prisoners
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156:Liborio MejĂa
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25:
20:
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901:
893:
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750:Consequences
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732:
728:
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720:
716:
712:
708:
692:
641:
616:
601:
592:
586:
569:
561:
559:
427:Vargas Swamp
348:
116:Belligerents
53:29 June 1816
27:Part of the
492:(1822-1825)
443:(1819-1821)
373:Guasdualito
365:(1816-1819)
261:Bajo Palacé
253:(1810-1816)
192:250 killed,
91: /
962:Categories
803:References
705:The Battle
598:Background
311:Palo River
79:76°49′04″W
953:Venelogia
545:SucumbĂos
540:Barbacoas
535:Mapachico
515:Catambuco
476:FundaciĂłn
378:El Yagual
296:Civil War
291:Admirable
271:La Ladera
182:1,400 men
76:2°27′15″N
775:La Plata
684:La Torre
530:Calvario
466:Tenerife
451:Riohacha
417:Corrales
388:Chocontá
383:Achaguas
354:La Plata
286:Carrillo
266:Iscuandé
174:Strength
58:Location
943:El Pais
922:Sources
688:Calzada
664:Popayán
644:Popayán
633:CachirĂ
574:Popayán
500:Bomboná
481:Ciénaga
339:CachirĂ
306:Enmedio
276:Sabanas
179:770 men
680:Bogota
520:Ibarra
432:Boyaca
404:(1819)
393:Pienta
344:Cancán
104:Result
937:Links
660:Pasto
652:Quito
525:Pasto
197:light
768:Buga
686:and
656:Peru
654:and
648:Cali
646:and
602:The
560:The
412:Paya
316:TolĂş
50:Date
964::
811:^
799:.
690:.
674:,
584:.
65:,
226:e
219:t
212:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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