View source for Admirable Campaign

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Short description |1813 military campaign by Simón Bolívar to end the Spanish occupation of Venezuela}}
{{Infobox military conflict|
| colour_scheme     = background:#eeddbb
| image             = Campanna Admirable.png
| image_size        = 300px
| caption           = Route of the Admirable Campaign
| partof            = the [[Venezuelan War of Independence]] and the [[Colombian War of Independence]]
| campaign          = 
| date              = 14 May 1813 – 6 August 1813
| place             = Today Venezuelan states of [[Táchira (state)|Tachira]], [[Mérida (state)|Mérida]], [[Barinas (state)|Barinas]], [[Trujillo (state)|Trujillo]], [[Portuguesa (state)|Portuguesa]], [[Cojedes (state)|Cojedes]], [[Carabobo]], [[Aragua (state)|Aragua]], and the city of [[Caracas]]
| result            = Patriot victory
| combatant1        = {{flagicon image|Flag of New Granada (1811-1814).svg}} [[United Provinces of New Granada]]<br/>{{flagicon image|Bandera de la Guerra a Muerte.svg}} [[Second Republic of Venezuela]]
| combatant2        = [[Royalist (Spanish American Revolution)|Royalists]]
| commander1        = [[Simón Bolívar]]<br/>[[Jose Felix Ribas]]<br/>[[Rafael Urdaneta]]<hr/>[[Santiago Mariño]]
| commander2        = [[Juan Domingo de Monteverde|Domingo de Monteverde]]
| strength1         = 
| strength2         = 
| casualties1       = 
| casualties2       = 
| campaignbox       = {{campaignbox Admirable Campaign}}
| conflict          = Admirable Campaign
}}
{{Campaignbox Venezuelan War of Independence}}
{{Campaignbox Colombian War of Independence}}
The '''Admirable Campaign''' ({{Langx|es|Campaña Admirable}}) was a military action led by [[Simón Bolívar]] in which the provinces of Mérida, Barinas, Trujillo and Caracas were conquered by the [[Patriot Governments (Spanish American independence)|Patriots]].<ref name=Arana>Arana, M., 2013, Bolivar, New York: Simon & Schuster, {{ISBN|9781439110195}}</ref>{{rp|146}} Its objective was to free [[Venezuela]] from Spanish control, which was accomplished in conjunction with [[Santiago Mariño]]'s simultaneous campaign in the east.

==Overview==
After the loss of the [[First Republic of Venezuela]], Bolívar had gone to New Granada where he joined the army of the [[United Provinces of New Granada|United Provinces]], which was in the process of fighting with cities that did not recognize its authority. On January 28, 1813, Bolívar captured [[Ocaña, Norte de Santander|Ocaña]], a city which was on the main roads to Venezuela. The expedition was formed by two divisions, a vanguard led by Colonel [[Atanasio Girardot]] and a rear under Colonel [[José Félix Ribas]]. At the same time [[Juan Domingo de Monteverde|Domingo de Monteverde]] was moving troops to western Venezuela in preparation for an invasion of New Granada, threatening the newly independent states there.

From Ocaña Bolívar moved against royalist areas of New Granada, taking the border city of Cúcuta in the [[Battle of Cúcuta]] on February 28. Here, Bolivar asked United Provinces for aid and permission to enter Venezuela through a document named the "[[Cartagena Manifesto]]" ({{Langx|es|Manifiesto de Cartagena}}). The United Provinces regarded his petition favourably taking into consideration the numerous actions that he executed for the Neogranadan government. As soon as government authorization was given, the campaign started its march into Venezuela on February 16. The expedition marched through [[San Cristóbal, Táchira|San Cristóbal]], [[La Grita]], [[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]] and [[Trujillo, Trujillo|Trujillo]]. It is from this city that Bolívar issued his "[[Decree of War to the Death]]." In the Decree Bolivar announced that the patriot army will treat [[Peninsulares|Spaniards]] and [[Criollo (people)|Criollos]] differently: "Spaniards and [[Canary Islands|Canarians]], you can expect death, even if uninvolved, if you do not actively work in favor of the independence of America. Americans, count on life, even if guilty." The Decree would remain in force, technically, until the treaty signed with [[Pablo Morillo]] at [[Trujillo, Trujillo|Santa Ana de Trujillo]] on November 26, 1820, regularized the rules of engagement.

The last major engagement of the campaign was the [[Battle of Los Horcones]] on July 22. After that the expedition occupied the cities of [[Valencia, Carabobo|Valencia]] and [[La Victoria, Aragua|La Victoria]] in early August. Losing on two fronts, the royalist government surrendered on August 4. 

Bolívar's forces had a triumphal entrance into the city of [[Caracas]] on August 6, bringing an end to the campaign and reestablishing the [[Second Republic of Venezuela|Venezuelan republic]].

==See also==
{{Portal|Spain|Latin America}}
* [[Nevado]], the [[mucuchies]] puppy gift to [[Simon Bolivar]], from the Admirable Campaign.
* [[Military career of Simón Bolívar]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071217215225/http://www.simon-bolivar.org/bolivar/campana_admirable.html Simón-Bolívar.org - Admirable Campaign (1813)] {{in lang|es}}
* [http://www.venezuelatuya.com/historia/campana_admirable.htm Venezuela Tuya - Admirable Campaign (1813)] {{in lang|es}}

{{Gran Colombia independence|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:Colombian War of Independence]]
[[Category:Campaigns of the Venezuelan War of Independence]]
[[Category:Simón Bolívar]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1813]]
[[Category:1813 in Venezuela]]
[[Category:1813 in the Viceroyalty of New Granada]]
[[Category:June 1813]]