Battle of Boyaca Date: August 7
Colombia celebrates Battle of Boyaca as a public holiday.
The Battle of Boyaca Day is celebrated in Colombia on August 7 every year to commemorate the defeat of the Spanish Monarchy and Achievement of definitive Independence by the people of Colombia from the Spanish rule. Although the freedom struggle continued for years, the Battle of Boyaca was the decisive one for the achievement of independence. The main people credited for the victory in the battle were Brigadier Generals José Antonio Anzoátegui and Francisco de Paula Santander. They along with an army of Colombia and Venezuela along with a British legion defeated the Spanish Royalist Venezuelan-Colombian forces led by Spanish Colonels José María Barreiro and Francisco Jiménez in merely 2 hours.
Colombia Battle of Boyaca History
The day was August 7, 1819. Both the Spanish and the patriots moved towards Bagota which was easy to capture since it was lightly defended. The Spanish army split into two the vanguard reached Casa de Teja and the rearguard stopped a kilometer behind to take some rest. The Patriot forces spotted the Vanguard. The Spanish mistook them to be a small observational force and ordered to follow and shoot. The Spanish Vanguard moved to a strategic bridge over the Teatinos River and took attack positions there. Since the Spanish rearguard was a large distance behind General Anzoátegui’s forces blocked the way between the vanguard and rearguard of the Spanish. The rearguard took positions on a small hill close to Casa de Piedra.
Simon Bolivar’s forces made a flanked attack on the Spanish rearguard which began to split, due to which the patriots attacked the center of the Spanish rearguard positions with fire lances. The Spanish General Bareiro attempted to unite with the vanguard but due to heavy firing he had to surrender.
The vanguard on the other hand managed to cross the river and the patriots split into two parts, the vanguard of the patriot forces attacked the vanguard of the Spanish forces from the front and the rearguard of the patriot forces marched towards the Spanish Vanguard and attacked them with bayonets. Ultimately the Spanish Forces fled and the Colonel Juan Taira was abandoned. He was captured by the patriots. The battle was over in just two hours with the patriot forces victorious. The independence of Colombia (New Granada at that time) was almost assured and ultimately the army captured Bagota. Around 1600 troops along with Spanish Generals including Barreiro were captured.
The Bridge in no longer in use but is kept as a symbol of independence of Colombia from Spanish Monarchy.
Colombia Battle of Boyaca Traditions and Activities
The holiday is celebrated on the 7th Day of August i.e. the day of the battle, in Colombia and Venezuela. Every 4 years this date is chosen for the proclamation of the President of Colombia in the Casa de Narino. Also the date is just the next day after the birth of the capital city (the date of the birth of the city is 6th August 1538) of Colombia ‘Bagota’, hence the celebrations for the day in Bagota starts right from the 6th day of August. The whole city is decorated and then celebrations take over the whole city.
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