Battle of Vargas Swamp

Overview

The Battle of Vargas Swamp fought on July 25, 1819, was an engagement of Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada. The battle involved a joint Venezuelan and Neogranadine army commanded by General Simón Bolívar against the III Division of the Spanish Royalist Army commanded by Colonel José María Barreiro. The Battle of Vargas Swamp is considered one of the most important battles of the Colombian War of Independence, as it cleared the path for the Patriot army to advance towards Santafé de Bogotá, while also demoralizing the Royalist troops. Vargas Swamp was also the bloodiest battle of the 1819 New Granadan liberation campaign.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Vargas Swamp on July 25, 1819, was a critical engagement in Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada from Spanish Royalist control. A joint Venezuelan and Neogranadine army under Bolívar faced the III Division of the Spanish Royalist Army under Colonel José María Barreiro. The outcome cleared the path for the Patriot army to advance toward Santafé de Bogotá, the colonial capital, while simultaneously demoralizing Royalist forces. As the bloodiest battle of the 1819 New Granadan liberation campaign, with combined casualties ranging from several hundred on each side, Vargas Swamp marked a decisive shift in momentum. It is regarded as one of the most important engagements of the broader Colombian War of Independence, directly enabling the Patriot push that would culminate in the campaign's decisive conclusion.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (6)