José María Córdova
Encyclopedia
José María Córdoba also known as the "Hero of Ayacucho", was a General
of the Colombian army during the Latin American War of independence from Spain.
, Antioquia
on September 8, 1799. He died in Santuario
, Antioquia, on October 17, 1829.
in Medellín
. In 1815, Cordoba enrolled in the revolutionary army and was sent to Tunja
, where he fought as a subliutenant and under the French
Colonel Emanuel Roergas Serviez who became his mentor. Cordoba's battalion helped in the victory of the battle of “Río Palo”.
After the counter offensive by the Spanish troops in 1815, Córdoba was named commander in chief of the Army. His battalion was defeated in 1816, and retreated to the Llanos
where his mentor Serviez was assassinated by José Antonio Páez
. In 819He was then given a post to command before Simón Bolívar
's arrival to Venezuela
in 1816. Córdoba was then sent to the Guayana Region
in 1817 and Bolivar later incorporated him in his staff. In the Battle of Ayacucho, Córdoba was given command of the first division of the army and because of his distinguished service he earned the nickname "The Lion of Ayacucho".
In 1819, right after the Battle of Boyacá
, General Bolívar ascends Córdoba to the rank of General and commissions him to spell the Spanish forces from the province of Antioquia. The Spanish army of General Barreiro had been demolished at Boyacá, and Córdoba’s mission was to prevent the regrouping in northern Colombia. Thus, Córdoba with 190 soldiers arrived in Rionegro on August 25 and in Medellín
on August 30.
Córdoba became the Military Chief of Antioquia, while José Manuel Restrepo was named as the Civilian Chief in charge of the public administration. Córdoba organized a small army of 700 volunteers, and on January 12, 1820, he defeated the Spanish army of General Warleta at the “Battle of Chorrosblancos” , in Yarumal
, Antioquia. This victory marked the end of the presence of Spanish troops in Antioquia.
on September 8, 1829. He had clearly expressed his opposition and discontent with General Simón Bolívar
proclamation as Dictator of Colombia and he was under investigation for the conspiracy of the “Noche Septembrina” of September 25, 1828. Thus, Córdoba is set to organize a revolt against Bolívar in Antioquia.
Córdoba died in 1829, after General Bolívar declared himself dictator of the Great Colombia. Córdoba rebelled because that was not the cause they fought for. The ensuing battle took place near Santuario, Antioquia, Córdoba died by the hand of the Irish Commander Rupert Hand. As homage for his actions and in his memory the department of Córdova in Colombia was named after him, the Colombian army's military officer's academy is also named after him.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
of the Colombian army during the Latin American War of independence from Spain.
Biographic data
Córdova was born in ConcepciónConcepción, Antioquia
Concepción is a town and municipality in the Colombian department of Antioquia. Part of the subregion of Eastern Antioquia....
, Antioquia
Antioquia Department
Antioquia is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, located in the central northwestern part of Colombia with a narrow section that borders the Caribbean Sea. Most of its territory is mountainous with some valleys, much of which is part of the Andes mountain range...
on September 8, 1799. He died in Santuario
Santuario
Santuario is a town and municipality in the Colombian department of Antioquia. Part of the subregion of Eastern Antioquia.Santuario is known by its people....
, Antioquia, on October 17, 1829.
Military career
In 1814 Córdoba's military career started in the Engineer Corps during the independence of Antioquia as a Republic, State established by Francisco José de CaldasFrancisco José de Caldas
Francisco José de Caldas was a Colombian lawyer, naturalist, and geographer who died a martyr by orders of Pablo Morillo during the Reconquista for being a precursor of the Independence of New Granada ....
in Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
. In 1815, Cordoba enrolled in the revolutionary army and was sent to Tunja
Tunja
Tunja is a city and municipality located in the central part of Colombia, in the region of "Alto Chicomocha". As of the 2005 Census it had 152,419 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Department of Boyacá and part of the subregion of the Central Boyacá Province. It is approximately 145 km...
, where he fought as a subliutenant and under the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
Colonel Emanuel Roergas Serviez who became his mentor. Cordoba's battalion helped in the victory of the battle of “Río Palo”.
After the counter offensive by the Spanish troops in 1815, Córdoba was named commander in chief of the Army. His battalion was defeated in 1816, and retreated to the Llanos
Llanos
The Llanos is a vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela, in northwestern South America. It is an ecoregion of the Flooded grasslands and savannas Biome....
where his mentor Serviez was assassinated by José Antonio Páez
José Antonio Páez
José Antonio Páez Herrera was General in Chief of the army fighting Spain during the Venezuelan Wars of Independence, in addition to becoming the President of Venezuela once it was independent of the Gran Colombia...
. In 819He was then given a post to command before Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
's arrival to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
in 1816. Córdoba was then sent to the Guayana Region
Guayana Region
The Guayana Region is an administrative region of Venezuela.The region has a population of 1,383,297 inhabitants and a territory of 458,344 km². It borders the independent nation of Guyana which forms part of The Guyanas...
in 1817 and Bolivar later incorporated him in his staff. In the Battle of Ayacucho, Córdoba was given command of the first division of the army and because of his distinguished service he earned the nickname "The Lion of Ayacucho".
In 1819, right after the Battle of Boyacá
Battle of Boyacá
The Battle of Boyacá in Colombia, then known as New Granada, was the battle in which Colombia acquired its definitive independence from Spanish Monarchy, although fighting with royalist forces would continue for years....
, General Bolívar ascends Córdoba to the rank of General and commissions him to spell the Spanish forces from the province of Antioquia. The Spanish army of General Barreiro had been demolished at Boyacá, and Córdoba’s mission was to prevent the regrouping in northern Colombia. Thus, Córdoba with 190 soldiers arrived in Rionegro on August 25 and in Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
on August 30.
Córdoba became the Military Chief of Antioquia, while José Manuel Restrepo was named as the Civilian Chief in charge of the public administration. Córdoba organized a small army of 700 volunteers, and on January 12, 1820, he defeated the Spanish army of General Warleta at the “Battle of Chorrosblancos” , in Yarumal
Yarumal
Yarumal is a municipality in the Antioquia Department, Colombia. Yarumal was founded in 1787 as San Luis de Gongora. Municipal status was granted in 1821. The current name of Yarumal comes from a local plant belonging to the Moraceae family, known in botanical Latin as Cecropia peltata L...
, Antioquia. This victory marked the end of the presence of Spanish troops in Antioquia.
Córdoba's death
Córdoba returned to Antioquia after the military campaign to liberate PerúPeru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
on September 8, 1829. He had clearly expressed his opposition and discontent with General Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
proclamation as Dictator of Colombia and he was under investigation for the conspiracy of the “Noche Septembrina” of September 25, 1828. Thus, Córdoba is set to organize a revolt against Bolívar in Antioquia.
Córdoba died in 1829, after General Bolívar declared himself dictator of the Great Colombia. Córdoba rebelled because that was not the cause they fought for. The ensuing battle took place near Santuario, Antioquia, Córdoba died by the hand of the Irish Commander Rupert Hand. As homage for his actions and in his memory the department of Córdova in Colombia was named after him, the Colombian army's military officer's academy is also named after him.