This section covers the actions involving Creole Liberation forces in the northern part of South America. The Creole or Patriot forces were under the nominal or direct control of Simon Bolivar. Operations were directed against Royalist, Loyalist and Caudillo forces in Columbia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Many minor skirmishes or short-term sieges are not listed. Some dates are not exact.

13 August 1811. Valencia. Creole troops defeat Loyalists & temporarily control the town 23 December 1812. Tenerife.

26 February 1813. Battle of CUCUTA. Creole troops under Bolivar defeat the Royalist forces (1,000) under Correa.

May-August 1813. Bolivar with about 700 troops conduct several raids and capture the towns of Merida (23 May), Trujillo (13 June), Barquisimeto and Valencia. Most attacks were skirmishes or limited engagements. The main Royalist commander is Monteverde.

19 May 1813. Battle of Agua Obispo ??? 1813. The anti-Royalist Caudillo Marino captures Cumana.

1 July 1813. Battle of NIQUITAO. Creole forces under Bolivar inflict the first significant defeat on Royalist forces. Ribas commands 400 Creoles who defeat 800 Royalist.

22 July 1813. Battle of Los Harrcones.(Aka San Carlos) A detachment of 400 Creoles under Ribas defeats a Royalist force (1200)

31 July 1813. Battle of Sabona de Taguanes.

26 Aug – 22 Sept. Siege of Puerto Cabello. Creoles fail to capture the main Royalist base. Nov or Dec 1813. Barquismeto. Creole forces on the verge of victory begin to retreat.

5 December 1813. Plains of Apuri. Creole forces (4,800) under Bolivar defeat the combined Royalist forces of Ceballos and Yanez. The Creoles fail to follow up with a pursuit . As a result both forces are able to regroup and remain a threat throughout 1814.

3 February 1814. Battle of LA PUERTA I.

??? 1814. Battle of Santa Catalina Canyon. Royalist Llaneros under Boves defeat a Creole Cavalry Column under Padron. All Creole troops are killed.

??? 1814. Battle of Mosquiteros. A Creole force (1000) under Elia defeat a larger Royalist force (4,000) under Boves but fail to destroy the force.

20 Feb-31 Mar 1814. Siege of San Mateo. Creoles (1500 inf + 600 Cav + 6 guns) under Bolivar establish strong positions. Royalist (4,000) under Boves attempt several mounted assaults but are repulsed. Boves breaks contact to engage a relieving force.

March 1814. Battle of Los Pilones. A Creole relief force under Marino defeats a Royalist force under Rosete. April 1814. Bolachia. Boves Royalists fail to block the Creole relief force under Marino.

April 1814. Engagement at Aroa. After relieving San Mateo, Marino moves to defeat the Royalist under Cagical. The Royalists defeat the Creole force.

11 May 1814. In Pastro Columbia, Loyalist troops drive out Creole forces.

15 June 1814. Battle of LA PUERTA II. The Ilaneros forces of the Caudillo Boves defeat Creole forces under Bolivar and Marino. Boves forces nominally Loyalist were mainly mounted Gaucho lancers and killed at 1000 Patriot troops. Late 1814. Barcelona. Creoles (3,000) attempt to block Royalist forces (8,000) under Bove’s aide Morales. Savage street fighting occurs before the Creoles are driven out.

5 December 1814. Urica Creole forces are defeated by the Loyalist troops of Caudillo Boves. Boves is killed but the Creole forces are defeated

12-15 December 1814. BOGOTA. Bolivar leads survivors of his Venezuela forces in an attack on Bogota. It was controlled by Loyalists with Royalist support under Alvarez. After three days of street fighting, the Creoles gained control of the town.

1815. In Cartagena Creole factions battle each other. Pro-Castillo troops drive out Pro-Bolivar supporters.

1815. Spain reinforces its Royalist garrisons with 10,000 to 15,000 veteran troops with eighteen Man-o-war ships under Morillo.

Oct-Dec 1815. Fresh Royalist troops under Morillo lay siege to Cartagena for 106 days before it surrenders. It was defended by the depleted Creole Castillo faction.

21-22 Feburary 1816. Battle of Cochiri. May 1816. The Royalist forces under Morillo overwhelm the Creole defender in Bogota.

Jan ?, 1817. Barcelona. Bolivar’s small force (body guards + Zaraza faction) was fighting a larger Royalist force in three days of house to house fighting. The Creoles were losing until reinforced by troops of Marino’s faction under Bermudez. The Royalists were driven out but Bolivar also retreated leaving a garrison (400). The Royalist attacked again and captured the town.

March 1817. Near Angostura. The Creoles under Piar (2000) with only 500 muskets and including troops with spears and Indians armed with bows defeat a veteran Royalist force (1600) under La Torre. Creole forces then siege Royalist troops at Angostura & Guayana.

1817 Llaneros troops under caudillo Paez attacks Royalist bases.

1817 Mate de Miel. Llaneros (500) under Paez launch a night attack on Royalist troops (3,000 including Cav + guns) under La Torre. The Royalist are routed losing 900 troops.

1817. Murcuritas. Paez Llaneros (1,100) use a night attack combined with dust and fire to disrupt the Royalist (3,000 inf + 1,500 Cav) lines. The Royalist break after a hard fight. San Fernando. Royalist winning but unable to scatter Llaneros forces.

1817. Battle of Carupano and Guira. The main Royalist army (6,000+) under Morillo defeats the Marino’s Creole army in two battles. This shatters the independent Creole army under Marino. Remnant groups move to join with Bolivar.

21 November 1817. Royalist troops defeat the small force (250) under caudillo Almeydas. In Columbia’s rural interior.

Dec 1817. La Hogaza. Llanero troops under Zaraza launch an attack on the Royalists under La Torre. The Royalist win and inflict over 1,000 casualties

12 February 1818. Battle of Calabezo Royalist cavalry squadrons from the garrison attempted to encircle the advancing Creole troops. The Royalist were overwhelmed by the more numerous Llaneros and destroyed virtually to a man. The main garrison withdrew to a more defensible wooded area. The Creoles withdrew rather than attack it.

16 March 1818. Battle of SEMEN , Aka La Puerta III. Royalist under Morillo with reinforcements under La Torre. Prior to the main battle a rearguard action at the El Semen ford by the Creoles halt Morillo for six hours. Creole forces are defeated with losses of over 1000 men

March or April 1818. Llaneros under Paez defeat Royalist column at Ortiz 1818. Calabozo. Royalist llaneros under Morales defeat Patriot llaneros under Zaraza.

2 May 1818. Battle of Cojedes. Llaneros forces under Paez are defeated by the Royalist.

? August 1818. Barinoas, San Carlos. Several engagements are fought in the Apure region between Llaneros under Paez and Royalist troops under Morillo.

22 March 1819. Achaguas. Llaneros under Paez defeat Royalist under Morillo. Royalist lose over 500 men.

? Aka Battle of GAMMORRA.

May 1819. Creole troops under Santander defeat the Royalist at Casanare.

5 July 1819. Topaga. Royalist forces defeat a Creole foraging force. At the same time a Creole cavalry force destroys a Royalist patrol (300) in Sogamoso valley.

20 ? July 1819. Paso la Balsa. A furious battle where the Creoles barely avoided annihilation. Royalist forces occupied high ground overlooking a narrow road. The far side of the road was a vast swamp that forced the Creoles to use the road. Heavy fighting lasted for hours before the Creoles captured a few key positions and dashed down the road past the Royalists.

7 August 1819. Battle of BOYACA. Creole victory liberated Columbia.. Creole forces include 1300 infantry and 800 cavalry.

???????? 1819. Battle of Cumana. Royalist forces defeat Creole forces. The British Legion suffers heavy losses including its commander

??? 1820. Border skirmishes between Creole and Royalist forces.

??? 1820 Cuenta, Bailadores, Lagrita. Several minor battles with no significant results.

9 October 1820. The battle of Quayquil

2 November 1820. The battle of Camino Real

10 November 1820. Assault on Santa Marta. Royalist forces (~600) anchor their defense at Fort Cienga. Royalists launch several sorties but fail to break the siege. The fort falls in a furious assault by 800 Creole troops including the British Legion Rifles (170).

22 November 1820. First battle of Huachi.

3 January 1821. The battle of Tanizagua

Early 1821. Casiglia, El Guapo, Coro, Several minor engagements where the Creole troops defeated the Royalists.

24 June 1821. BATTLE OF CARABORO. A major battle won by the Creoles under Bolivar, Marino and Paez that forced the Royalist to surrender Caracas, the capital of New Granada. Venezuela is liberated.

19 August 1821. Battle of Yaguachi.

12 September 1821. Second battle of Huachi. November 1821. Creole troops capture isolated Royalist bases at Puerto Cabello, Coro, Maracaibo and Cumana.

1821-1823 The Expedition to Liberate Ecuador

August-Nov 1821. Guayaquil Ecuador. Creole forces under Sucre conduct frequent sorties against the Royalist troops surrounding the port.

21 April 1822. Battle of Tapi.

22 April (or 7 April ?) 1822. Battle of Bombona. Creole forces launch an expedition to free Ecuador. Creole troops (2500) attack Royalist troops (2300) who are entrenched and on the other side of a steep gorge. Creole forces tried to use a narrow bridge but failed to gain a foothold. A force of British Legion Rifles succeeded in climbing the cliff at an undefended location and attacking the Royalist from the rear.

24 May 1822. BATTLE OF PICHINCHA. Part of the Ecuador liberation campaign. Creole forces under Sucre defeat Royalist forces to secure freedom for Ecuador. See Order of Battle section for a list of units involved.

Latin American Wars of Independence

Background Data
Key Terms and Definitions
Organization and Character of the Armies
Operations in Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Operations in Upper Peru (Bolivia) and Argentina
Operations in Chile and Peru
Key Leaders
Bibliographic Appendix