Independence 101: Jose Vicente Camargo, a patriot guerrilla from Cinti

Jose A. Diez de Medina writes in El Diario:

Jose Vicente Camargo, a patriot guerrilla from Cinti

Jose Alberto Diez de MedinaIt would seem that the Upper Peruvian guerrillas, known for their wins against the disciplined and brave Spanish armies, had been located strategically in their hubs,

The priest Ildefonso de Las Muñecas, from his stronghold [republiqueta is a term used to describe a region, hometown of the guerrillas at the time of the independece war] of Larecaja moved across the plateau, occupying the Yungas, almost reaching Sipe Sipe; Ignacio Warnes was in Santa Cruz, Alvarez de Arenales, from Mizque and Vallegrande; Jose Miguel Lanza by buttresses of the Ayopaya mountains; Padilla were established between the Pilcomayo and Grande rivers with his center in Laguna; south, were Rojas, Uriona and Mendez, and the republic of Cinti, with Jose Vicente Camargo, who was a constant threat to the Cotagaita fort, forced passage of the Spanish armies.

Jose Vicente Camargo was a danger to the strength of Cotagaita, and occupation meant having open the doors to the entry of Argentine auxiliary armies, as it was imperative to eliminate the Camargo forces [montoneras, an expresion to describe an army force, a group of guerrilla ].

The royalist general Pezuela ordered several small raids to Cinti, to gather information on the position of Vicente Camargo’s patriots.

In January 1816, the royalist brigadier Antonio Alvarez launched with 500 men on Cinti, was near the Argentine Araoz de la Madrid, who collaborated for the bare, tanned men of Vicente Camargo to fell upon the enemy, defeating them with just slingshots, stones and long knives.

Such were the actions of the guerrillas of Jose Vicente Camargo, whose value was the basis for the patriots fighters could reach their destinies in the take over of the High Peru.

Constantly persecuted, and most of all by the Spanish generals, like Pezuela and, above all, the redoubtable Pedro Antonio Olañeta, obstructed on several occasions the royalist incursions, from the Cotagaita fort, avoiding in many cases the arrival of the Iberian forces to the populations of Salta and Jujuy.

They were motives more than enough for the head of Camargo to be pursued. Pedro Antonio Olañeta, a Spanish General coming out of Salta, better to say a tradesman form Salta who became General, in his innumerable escapades had the Cotagaita fort as the fundamental core of his military deployments.

Colonel Buenaventura Zenteno was chosen to lead the first step towards Cinti, however these forces met with guerrillas of the now, Colonel Camargo, who inflicted them considerable defeat.

At the request of reinforcements and help fromColonel Zenteno, they came in considerable numbers, and the fighting lasted more than four days.

The battle lasted from March 27 to April 3, 1816, with episodes in which was stressed the courage, for both sides, bloody clashes, bloody encounters.

At dawn on April 3, realists raided a guerrilla camp.

Completely exhausted and wounded, Vicente Camargo was arrested, and at the same time was passed to slaughter.

Jose Vicente Camargo has been registered as one of the highest representatives of the Upper Peruvian guerrillas, being an example of patriotism, courage, civility and glory.

Bolivia Bolivarian Society, founded in 1926.

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