Battle of Cachirí
Part of the Colombian War of Independence / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Battle of Cachirí took place during the Colombian War of Independence as part of the Spanish Reconquest of New Granada, fought on 22 February 1816 in the Páramo de Cachirí, located in the Santander Department in present-day Colombia, between the Army of the North of the United Provinces of New Granada and the V Division of Spanish Expeditionary Army. The battle came about as an attempt by brigadier general Custodio Garcia Rovira to defend the Socorro Province as well as the interior of the country from the invasion force led by colonel Sebastian de la Calzada’s who was part of general Pablo Morillo’s campaign to reconquer New Granada. The battle was a complete victory for the Spanish and would lead to the virtual destruction of the Army of the North, as well as allowing the Spanish to take the capital by May of 1816. This battle along with the Battle of Cuchilla del Tambo would mark the end of the first republic and the return of Spanish control over New Granada until 1819.
Battle of Cachirí | |||||||
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Part of the Colombian War of Independence | |||||||
Church built on the battlefield in commemoration. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United Provinces of New Granada | Kingdom of Spain | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Custodio García Rovira Francisco de Paula Santander | Sebastián de la Calzada | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
2,500 | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
2,000 killed or captured | 150 killed or wounded |