Part of the Colombian War of Independence
The
Siege of Cartagena (1820-1821)
(
Spanish
:
Asedio de Cartagena de Indias (1820-1821)
) was a military confrontation fought in the context of the
Colombian War of Independence
between Patriots and Royalists, with the victory of the former. It was the longest siege experienced by the city in its history.
Background
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The
United Provinces of New Granada
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
Ferdinand VII of Spain
had sent a large fleet under command of
Pablo Morillo
to restore order in the colonies and destroy the Republic.
Pablo Morillo and his veteran troops
besieged and straved in to submission
the city of
Cartagena de Indias
between 26 August and 6 December 1815.
[7]
[8]
But in 1819, Simon Bolivar launched his
campaign to liberate New Granada
and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Royalists at the
Battle of Boyaca
. After the victory of Boyaca, the army of Bolivar advanced along the
Magdalena River
from
Santafe de Bogota
towards the Colombian Caribbean, seizing several strongholds until only Cartagena was left in Royalist hands, with a solidly entrenched garrison.
[2]
The Siege
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The siege began on 14 July 1820, when the Venezuelan colonel
Mariano Montilla
surrounded the city. The garrison was led by the Spanish governor and brigadier, Gabriel Ceferino de Torres y Velasco. Also present were
Viceroy of New Granada
Juan de Samano
and colonel Francisco de Paula Warleta y Franco. The Spanish were still connected by sea and were supported by the surrounding towns, so there were initially no problems when it came to access to supplies.
[9]
The fleet of Patriot Admiral Jose Prudencio Padilla was required, but it was occupied conquering
Riohacha
and
Santa Marta
.
In the meantime, the divisions commanded by
Cordova
and Maza arrived to reinforce the pressure on the Royalists, after their victories and pacification of
Antioquia
and
Magdalena
, and with the mission of preventing the Royalists from supplying themselves with food and supplies from
Corozal
. Brigadier Torres y Velasco now wanted to negotiate, but Montilla rejected the request to meet with him. Torres later wrote to Bolivar, but he also refused to talk.
In January 1821, Padilla's fleet arrived at Cartagena, blocking the port with 40 ships.
On 24 June 1821 at night, Padilla assaulted the Royalist in Animas Bay, near the current Los Pegasos dock, capturing 11 enemy ships and their weapons.
[1]
After this, the fate of the garrison was sealed. Viceroy Samano managed to escape by sea to Panama, which would remain in Spanish hands until November. Torres y Velasco was forced to capitulate to General Montilla on 10 October, bringing the last Royalist fortress in the Colombian Caribbean definitively under Patriot control.
Torres y Velasco and his troops were sent to Cuba, where Torres y Velasco was tried and acquitted for losing the city.
References
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- ^
a
b
c
d
Marley, 2005: 756
- ^
a
b
Restrepo, 1858: 11
- ^
Mitre, 2003: 423
- ^
Viloria de la Hoz, 2005: 16
- ^
Henao, 1920: 395; Larrazabal, 1883: 29; Restrepo, 1858: 11
- ^
Galvis, 1970: 133
- ^
Cartagena Explorer
- ^
Cordova : p.95-96.
- ^
Palacios, 2002: 222
Sources
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- Marley, David (2005). Historic Cities of the Americas: The Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-57607-027-7.
- Restrepo, Juan Manuel (1858). Historia de la revolucion de la Republica de Colombia en la America Meridional. Tomo III. Besanzon: Imprenta de Jose Jacquin.
- Mitre, Bartolome (2003). The Emancipation of South America. A condensed translation of History of San Martin by General Don Bartolome Mitre. Translated to English by William Pilling. Buenos Aires: Stockcero. ISBN 978-9-87205-060-3.
- Viloria de la Hoz, Joaquin (2005). "De la Patria Boba a la Gran Colombia". En Federico Tomas Adlercreutz, 1793-1852: vicisitudes militares, economicas y sociales de un conde sueco en America. Comite de Publicaciones de la Facultad de Administracion de la Universidad de Los Andes. ISSN 0121-7062.
- Henao, Jesus Maria & Gerardo Arrubla (1920). Historia de Colombia para la ensenanza secundaria. Tomo II. Bogota: Libreria Colombiana.
- Galvis Madero, Luis (1970). La Gran Colombia, 1819?1830. Lerner.
- Cartagena Explorer: The Siege of Cartagena ? La Heroica Bravely Resists the Spanish Reconquest
- Cordova : gloria y asesinato del heroe. Tomo I / Armando Barona Mesa ; prologo del academico Antonio Cacua Prada
- Palacios, Marcos & Frank Safford (2002). Colombia: pais fragmentado, sociedad dividida: su historia. Bogota: Norma. ISBN 978-9-58046-509-6.
Links
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