Bolivar therefore has the historic responsibility to settle the existence of Venezuela as a colony. This is the fundamental task of principle but goes further, saying: "I am from Granada, a son of the unfortunate Caracas, miraculously escaped from the midst of their physical and political ruin ... New Granada has been succumbing to Venezuela, therefore, must avoid the pitfalls that have destroyed the former. To this end present as an essential measure for the safety the reconquest of New Granada, Caracas. "
Apart from the commitment win freedom for Venezuela as a revolutionary prevents you and other unavoidable obligations, as is to defend freedom of also of New Granada, to do so in This document raises the critical line and governs cultural and ideological cause, began his broadcasting and makes it not only from a revolutionary, but human.
The reality is that this document initially reaching only the consciences of fighters who receive it in the lining of Barrancas, see it as a great project, but they are in a situation of lack of resources, disorder and indiscipline abandoned, deprived of all weapons logistics. Bolivar devoted extraordinary energy to its preparation and training. Barrancas with its narrow streets, stalled, with their humble thatched huts, seen as all its inhabitants are put under the command of Colonel Bolívar, rather than maintain a position ready for unimportant as Labatud orders, everyone prepared for a dangerous campaign.
is the month of December, and are better fighters, Bolivar and start making decisions to take the decisive step of his life, the conquest of Caracas is the horizon, so that disobeying orders Labatud, takes charge of 200 men trained as fighters, all of the garrison and the town of Barrancas. Salen
away by the river in the direction of the nearest enemy position , Tenerife, its purpose is to expel the English from the Alto Magdalena, this action communicates directly to the government of Cartagena, but his strategy is of their way to the provinces bordering Grenadines Venezuela. This company was not only risky, the outnumbered troops against the enemy throughout the Magdalena, but involve grave disobedience of superior orders, which would lead to more severe sanctions if the victory did not accompany him on his dangerous adventure.
Practitioner Bolívar, does not stay in the sake of talking, but the action begins, human praxis begins its embryonic form of ideological and social awareness through which early man knows how to reach you at this point represents a part of the world and lives in he teaches him how important it is to defend freedom and justice. His scientific theory is put into practice, begin to mature their thinking rationally.
A calving now begin military action Bolivar, with a quiet foreboding filled the days went by until the boat touched the pier of the small town of Salamis, where its fighters had to stock up again, rest from the burning rays of the sun burning in the area. When the people of the town dock was crowded full of curiosity to contemplate. Bolivar with his officers investigated over the enemy and led his people who made him the observation that the enemy was stationed in the town of Tenerife.
Bolivar and his troops set sail for the river and through several villages, on December 23 will arrive in Tenerife and proposed the surrender, which is rejected by the enemy, then the colonel gives orders to his fighters to land and places them at various points, ordered the attack simultaneously with In order to demonstrate superiority to the enemy and force them to a defense that would weaken the resistance of the besieged. The battle was fought and bloody, after several hours of fighting the royalist troops, are afraid of getting locked into the plaza and escape into the interior, leaving artillery and small naval vessels moored in the harbor. Bolivar
draw a new strategy that completely baffled the enemy and that facilitates its rapid destruction. The colonel does not underestimate its officers, despite knowing that they know the American War of Independence could not conduct his win total, until not removed the nuclei of the English cause stationed in key sectors of the continent and that is why from now starts the race in succession of partial campaigns among provinces. With this method stabilizes an equilibrium of mutual surveillance, possible from any military activity critical to their cause.
So when the English hoped Bolívar be devoted to consolidating the positions won in Magdalena, it leaves its banks and goes into the province enemy of the river Caesar to fall suddenly, on 1 January 1813, on Chiriguaná. He then returned to Magdalena, appeared before Tamalameque, I gave up and moved on domestic port, which was given after an intense struggle. These victories shocked the government of Cartagena, in the midst of which were drowned Labatud protest and was frustrated his efforts to subdue the revolutionary court-martial for disobedience.
Bolivar is informed that the revolutionaries of the city of Ocaña is excited about his success and to expect, but the fighter has in mind something more than that, since this is a necessary path to Venezuela, then decide to leave part of its troops in the Magdalena and the other party observation tour of the mountainous region of east, heading to this city. Villages, hamlets, villages, bedecked with honors receiving the winner. Bolivar
develops his character aware of leader, it is engaging and convincing the masses with facts, such as fighting, so he comes to the city of Ocaña, where it made a triumphal entry with which the peoples of later Americans would reward the victories of Simón Bolívar.
According to plans set up his headquarters is this population that works with your body to obtain intelligence information on enemy positions in the province of Cúcuta. Dedicated to these tasks, including 19 and January 23 we hear reports of the Congress of Tunja, announcing that the troops advanced on the border Monteverde Granada, commanded by Colonel Correa, began their march in the direction of Pamplona.
This news caused deep embarrassment and fear of Granada, but Bolívar are received with enthusiasm, because it is easy warned that the threat of Correa, the various political authorities of New Granada would not delay in getting agreed to entrust the defense of threatened border, thus providing the design and the opportunity to invade Venezuela.
But other barriers to enclose it would come from this time whereas others huge problems, should start work on revolutionary, a long and tough fight with Republican officials, that channel in other positions, not understand and do not want to understand the strategies of what a real war of independence in these lands, are compared simply as "idealists" "militaristic" as it is in the old pigeonhole Mirandinos defensive tactics and lack of courage and aspirations Continental comply with such small local victories and do not consider prudent or necessary to collaborate in defense of the Republican cause with their neighbors. The first of these conflicts was presented to Colonel Cartagenero Bolivar Manuel Castillo, under whose command were military posts bordering the province of Tunja, to which Correa moved with overwhelming momentum.
Bolivar plans sound contradictory to the Colonel, as they involve the joint attack on Cucuta, where there was heavy because of the royalist forces, there could wage a decisive battle and placed near San Antonio Road obviously to prepare for the invasion of Venezuela, Castillo, it looked different, he preferred immobilize troops in a defensive line that simply protect the Nueva Granada of the realistic threat. The Castillo draft the meeting with Correa only happen if the progress of Pamplona, \u200b\u200ba fact that set him apart from Bolivar, whose tactic was to destroy the territory of Venezuela the same forces that from Caracas to Merida was preparing Monteverde to start the season on New Granada, and the quotas which were simple advanced Correa.
-The fate of New Granada, "said the revolutionary, is closely linked with that of Venezuela: if it remains in chains, the first will take them also, because slavery is a gangrene that begins with a party and, if not cut, is communicated to all and it seems the entire body. Bolivar
understood from the outset the difficulties of a deal and worrying about Castillo's objections, he divided the army into two bodies and looking the valley of Cucuta began to climb the Andes mountain range that separates the basin of the Magdalena river systems whose channels are directed into the lake of Maracaibo. Beat the first enemy resistance on 22 January at the Alto de la Aguada, advanced on positions English River Zulia, occupations, and prepared to begin the most difficult part of the campaign: the invasion of the valley of San José de Cúcuta, where it is headed toward two days later. On February 28, from the heights that dominate it, he beheld the hurried movements of troops ordered by Colonel strap a decisive battle fought there
When he entered the valley, the royalist forces were launched to a movement that sought to be bound, but only managed to produce dispersion thrust to the formidable Republican Army. Correa change of tactics and to stop in its Bolivar rapid progress towards Cúcuta, ordered his troops to seize the heights on the left side of the patriots, from which seemed easy enough to threaten seriously. Then jammed a large firefight for several hours, favorable to the realistic thanks to the positions. To prevent its devastating effects, Bolívar sent the center of his forces under the command of Colonel José Félix Ribas to take the heights, the colonel in a glorious charge bayonet, dislodge the English, causing a general rout, handing Cucuta to revolutionary door opened the border in Venezuela.
strategic scientific analysis of Bolivar was right, opened the horizon of freedom for their cause.
(continued ...)
