Complex sentence: Colonel Smith raised private funds, procured weapons and recruited soldiers of fortune to fight the Spanish occupation of Venezuela after renewing his acquaintance with Francisco de Miranda whom he had first met when he was John Adams' secretary in London in 1783.
Split into simpler sentences: Colonel Smith raised private funds, procured weapons, and recruited soldiers of fortune to fight the Spanish occupation of Venezuela. This action was inspired by Smith's renewal of acquaintance with Francisco de Miranda, whom Smith had first met when he was John Adams' secretary in London in 1783.