The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-29

fdence, particularly La Tore who was brave oft
anxious TO Distinguish lin self among his
psnions IN lie Therefore marched to the to vn
Of San Vicente. following the right bank of the river
Apure with the intention OF attacking Paez who was
then in Nautical On the 2sh of January the patriots
aud royalsts met on the plain Of Las Mueurtas the
former with cavalry Of 100 horsemen and the latter
with the for already mentioned The result Of the
| engagement Was unfortunate for La Tore "a il
proved honorable for Paez who, that occasion dis
order of battle adopted by the royat leader
best adapted to the nature OF the and the eaemy
! he had to meet; he presented strong and compact
column Of infantry with his cavalry the wings and
on the r.ar. Paez, having only cavalry, could not
come within the range of the ebemy's muskets with
cut running the risk Of being wholly destroy ed and
! he consequently conceived tLs idea OF separating
the enemy's horse from the infantry The presumptu
OPS confidence OF Colonel Ram os and the inc perence
OF La Tore in this kind OF facilitated the
execution Of PaeEs plan Having formed two columns
with portion OF his forces, Paez ordered them
tack the enemy's tanks, and then Immediately to
retreat as If they had been repulsed His object was
to draw out the eneny's cavalry in the heat of the
pursuit. and then 10 surround them with two other
columns which be had ready prepared for that pur-
pose. This simple maamuvre had the desired effect
| and La Torres cavalry speedily destroyed The
European hussars alone escaped, bteaase they al
vanced with less precipitancy and in better order
The republican leader then ordered the dry grass
the plain TO be set on fire, and IL instantly became
sea OF flame Fortunately for La Tore his infantry,
retreatng preeiptaely in close column succeeded in
getting 10 marsh, where the flames stopped ac-
count OF the greenness of the grass But when he
commenced his retreat he bad to suffer the repeated
attacks OF Paezs cavalry, until he to place
the Apure called Passo del Frio, distant about three
4
because the enemy protected by the woods the
right bank OF the river and IL became TO
pursue them without infantry FIRE OF this bat
tie, Gen Morillo wrote -" Fourteen consecutive char
ges upon my wearied battalions. convinced me that
those men were not small gang ofcowards had been
represented to me- On the following morning General
Morillo joined La Tore and continued with him his
march 10 Gan Fernando without crossing the Apuro
and always in sight of the republican cavalry
Paez finally perceving that the enemy avoided new
engagement, retired to San Juan de Psyara.
In ISL General Bolivar appeared In the province OF
q could
Paez, cent TO him committee composed Of Messrs.
propose that be should acknowledge the authority of
Bolivar Paez Immediately assented to the PROPOSE
uVn thus giving nooie instance OF Observation-Disclosures
seldom found in the history OF the South American
republics.
From this period the patriots began to extend their
operations and series of brilliant actions took place,
and the republic appeared to rise the plains Of
Apure and attracted The attention OF the world The
acquisition Of Guiana was important and decisive
Mt In the history OF the by means Of it. Boli-
in situation to haIrass the posts occupied by
braced by the river Ornooo and its great tributaries
he had approached the leland Of Trinidsd had OBJ
tanned supplies Of men horses and CATTLE and secured
q communication with Paez.
In the beginning of January, 1873 Paez determined
to take the city OF San Fernando by assault and with
this view he directed that two gan boats, captured
from the royalists and eight ten other boats,
should come down the river Apure; these
sells were TO lie In ambush on the creek Biruacs,
distant about eight miles from San Fernando aud
afterwards land, on the tight Of the 14th chosen
body Of men TO attack the place, while the main body
Of the army engaged the attention Of the enemy la
another direction. Bat two individuals, who went
to the royalsts informed them of the plan aud
before 1t could be executed an unexpected and vgo
rouH attack was made the boats all OF which fell
into the hands of the royalists and OF the men on
board only those escaped who threw themselves into
the water Psez then abandoned his project and in
consequence Of Boivar's orders that he should not
risk his forces until the latter reached Apure
hnee himself TO maintaining the siege, sending in the
meantime several exploring parties to the plains OF
month, Bolivar jolned him with upwards 1000
men OF excellent troops, and the republican forces thus
Hafh hmm ts.fuW ..nA
fRnd veteran horsemen great portion Of the latter
belonging 10 the famous cavalry Of Apgre, whom PaeA
had trained and accufomed TO victory. The plan Of
the campais having been arranged between Bolivar
and PasE they resolved TO cross the liver Apure
and continue marching to Calabozo In order to meet
the royalist General MoIillo But here great din.
Guilty presented itself the patriot forces had boats
then that PaeE conceived and executed a bold and
extraordinary plan for capturing the enemy's
sun boats, which were on the river Apure, opPo-
cite TO certain point, towards which they
marching lie selected. with Colonel Aramt ndi.
party Of fifty Of his best laneeFs, who mounted
hand dashed into the river with Paok at their head
and swan towards the Spanish guD boats. ThesetaEsn
attack had only TIME TO nr< dscharge and the next
moment they were boarded every side and esptured
by the enemy, the men on bsare having barely time
10 escape by swimming Thh bold operation was per-
formed at distance ossbout two miles from Per-
nando place when had been strongly fortified By its
Governor CrIt Don Jose msSsA eutro, who from that
moment wss cut on from all comm unicaton with Mo-
Of vessels thus obtained marched with rnpidity at
the pass called Gafves the river Guaico captured
royalist party oftweDtyhye men who composed the adj
vance guard, with which the royssts covered Gala
boEo In that direction The consequences Of this vas,
that Morillo was taken by surprise tho 18th Of
portion ofthe battalion CASTLE away place
called Mision a. Abajo shout three miles the sooth
q Calatozo Morill0 made every effort 10 his
hussars and battalion Of infantry the unexpected
aprsaraucs o. Pasr, but only very small number Of
the inf ry battalion was saved and only thirty forty
O. the hss,ars a. the patriot cavalry commaudedby
i"1 and ether omeers, cut them up completely, Cen
horlo hm,sf having escaped by mere chance, in the
sally which he made TO protect his men
ON the 18th January, 1919. Bolivar Joined Paez at
San Juan de Psyara and their united forces amounted
thousand horsemen aud an oQral number Of good
soldiers Bolivar. recompense for the impor ant
services rendered by Paer to his country raised him
the rank Of general Of division. and left him Ia
mard Of all the forces and proceeded 90 Angostura,
vfere Copgrefs b. meet In February General No
rlo having Joined La Tore San Fernando revived
his army. composed Of battAlions three regi-
mente OF cavalry and several squadrons saounting In
an 20 six n ouss I'd ave hundred men and commenced
marching sgaintt the pstriots In the beginning %
fehrusry PaeE rsirtated towards the Orinoco
ported all hts infantry TO the island % Urbana and
carabnesrs at Cunavche the rem ander o his horse
men he stationed on tho plains Of Rio Ciaro, and
moet cumbersome emigration OF ten thousand patriot
refugees that followed his camp, taken Aragus-
qusn. PaeE's plan was without coming 10 n general
by rapid movements which the Infantry and aed train
Of the Spanish army could not follow those de-
teru nc oby means which norillo oould employ 70
ovsrake bis opponent and force him TO battle was 20
usc kis cavalry but the employment Of this
eopardSsd the only body Of force which procured the
subsistence % the army and compromised iis safety
Ne Therefore advanced very cautiously. preceded
BY force 81 three thousand which consti-
tuted his vanguard commanded By Morales
when Paez dsengaged from HE infantry and the emit.
grents, made a countermarch TO watch him
closely On the lltb u February Morales was At the
cattle etats called Cshahstoa and there resting
HE troops while one Of his squadrons Of cavalry
engaged In collecting cattle Upon this Paez. who
lost sight OF him appeared suddenly with 300
bcrsemen. and without giving the sbemy's horse time
To- retreat 20 the encsmpment threw them into disor-
der. and cut them up lie then charged upon Morales
end quick constant bring had commenced. when the
VfbciT al body OF the spsn.h army appeared In the
distance The patriots then retrcatcd towards Cuna-
viche keeping their adversary under observation at
night however they retraced their steps and in the
morning appeared sitnsted nj short distance in the
opposite direction Moglo counte rmarched aud con
tnutd for many days wandering those solitudeA
renewing his Efforts 90 overtshe enemy which kspt
constantly before him. like his shadow aud which I'D
him aInat lnlnrH Nv Aiming The catta the