Battle of Cachirí

The Battle of Cachirí took place on February 21–22, 1816, during the Spanish Reconquest of New Granada as part of the Colombian War of Independence. The battle is named after the Paramo de Cachirí, which is located in the Santander Department in present-day Colombia. It was fought 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 Spanish colonel Sebastian de la Calzada, who was part of general Pablo Morillo's campaign to reconquer New Granada. Rovira went on the offensive on February 8, forcing Calzada to retreat from Pamplona to Ocaña. Whilst there, 300 cazadores under the command of Captain Silvestre Llorente were incorporated into his division. With these reinforcements, he swiftly countermarched south and met the republicans at the Paramo Cachiri.

Between February 21 and 22, 1816, fierce fighting occurred. On the first day, the Republicans managed to control the situation and put up a stiff defense thanks to the fortifications they had built days prior. The next day the fight resumed with greater fury, and the Spanish through a flanking maneuver supported by artillery were able to break the republican line and to cause havoc amongst their ranks, after which they deployed their cavalry which dispersed the republican troops causing them to flee.

Republican troops who were not killed or taken prisoner, dispersed in various directions, abandoning their supply train and weapons which fell into the hands of the Spanish. Calzada's decisive victory meant that entire northern line of defense had collapsed landscape, as well as clearing the path for his advance to the republican capital at Santa Fe.

The battle led to the virtual destruction of the Army of the North. Rovira was sacked from his command and replaced by French Colonel Manuel Roergas de Serviez. Calzada halted his advance until Brigadier Miguel de la Torre's expeditionary troops joined up with his, the two then captured the capital, Santafé, on May 6, 1816.

This battle along with the battles of Cuchilla del Tambo and La Plata fought in June and July 1816 would mark the end of the first Neogranadine republic and the return of Spanish control over New Granada until 1819.