Battle of Vargas Swamp
Pantano de Vargas, near Paipa, Boyacá, Colombia
What happened
Simón Bolívar's patriot army, with lancers led by Lieutenant Colonel Juan José Rondón, fought a Spanish royalist army under Colonel José María Barreiro. In the war for the independence of New Granada (today's Colombia), Bolívar's army met royalist troops holding hills near Paipa. By late afternoon the patriots were being pushed back and seemed close to defeat. Rondón's horsemen then charged uphill with lances, broke the royalist line, and turned the battle before a storm ended the fighting.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was a narrow patriot victory that kept their campaign alive. It opened the way toward Bogotá and weakened royalist morale.
What came next
Two weeks later, on 7 August 1819, Bolívar won the decisive Battle of Boyacá. That victory helped secure New Granada's independence.
Did you know?
A huge monument to the 14 lancers, by the sculptor Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt, stands on the battlefield.
Timeline
- 25 July 1819The patriots win at Vargas Swamp.
- 3 August 1819The armies move again.
- 7 August 1819Bolívar wins at Boyacá.
- 1970The Lancers monument is completed.