按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
t cause。 He did not spare even women； and one of his victims was a young heroine； Policarpa Salavarrieta by name。 Though for her execution three thousand soldiers were detailed； the girl was unterrified by her doom and was earnestly beseeching the loyalists among them to turn their arms against the enemies of their country when a volley stretched her lifeless on the ground。
Meanwhile Bolivar had been fitting out； in Haiti and in the Dutch island of Curacao； an expedition to take up anew the work of freeing Venezuela。 Hardly had the Liberator landed in May； 1816； when dissensions with his fellow officers frustrated any prospect of success。 Indeed they obliged him to seek refuge once more in Haiti。 Eventually； however； most of the patriot leaders became convinced that； if they were to entertain a hope of success； they must entrust their fortunes to Bolivar as supreme commander。 Their chances of success were increased furthermore by the support of the llaneros who had been won over to the cause of independence。 Under their redoubtable chieftain； Jose Antonio Paez； these fierce and ruthless horsemen performed many a feat of valor in the campaigns which followed。
Once again on Venezuelan soil； Bolivar determined to transfer his operations to the eastern part of the country； which seemed to offer better strategic advantages than the region about Caracas。 But even here the jealousy of his officers； the insubordination of the free lances； the stubborn resistance of the loyalists upheld by the wealthy and conservative classes and the able generalship of Morillo； who had returned from New Granadamade the situation of the Liberator all through 1817 and 1818 extremely precarious。 Happily for his fading fortunes； his hands were strengthened from abroad。 The United States had recognized the belligerency of several of the revolutionary governments in South America and had sent diplomatic agents to them。 Great Britain had blocked every attempt of Ferdinand VII to obtain help from the Holy Alliance in reconquering his dominions。 And Ferdinand had contributed to his own undoing by failing to heed the urgent requests of Morillo for reinforcements to fill his dwindling ranks。 More decisive still were the services of some five thousand British； Irish； French； and German volunteers； who were often the mainstay of Bolivar and his lieutenants during the later phases of the struggle； both in Venezuela and elsewhere。
For some time the Liberator had been evolving a plan of attack upon the royalists in New Granada； similar to the offensive campaign which San Martin had conducted in Chile。 More than that； he had conceived the idea； once independence had been attained； of uniting the western part of the viceroyalty with Venezuela into a single republic。 The latter plan he laid down before a Congress which assembled at Angostura in February； 1819； and which promptly chose him President of the republic and vested him with the powers of dictator。 In June； at the head of 2100 men； he started on his perilous journey over the Andes。
Up through the passes and across bleak plateaus the little army struggled till it reached the banks of the rivulet of Boyaca； in the very heart of New Granada。 Here； on the 7th of August； Bolivar inflicted on the royalist forces a tremendous defeat that gave the deathblow to the domination of Spain in northern South America。 On his triumphal return to Angostura； the Congress signalized the victory by declaring the whole of the viceroyalty an independent state under the name of the 〃Republic of Colombia〃 and chose the Liberator as its provisional President。 Two years later； a fundamental law it had adopted was ratified with certain changes by another Congress assembled at Rosario de Cucuta； and Bolivar was made permanent President。
Southward of Colombia lay the viceroyalty of Peru； the oldest； richest； and most conservative of the larger Spanish dominions on the continent。 Intact； except for the loss of Chile； it had found territorial compensation by stretching its power over the provinces of Quito and Charcas； the one wrenched off from the former New Granada； the other torn away from what had been La Plata。 Predominantly royalist in sentiment； it was like a huge wedge thrust in between the two independent areas。 By thus cutting off the patriots of the north from their comrades in the south； it threatened both with destruction of their liberty。
Again fortune intervened from abroad； this time directly from Spain itself。 Ferdinand VII； who had gathered an army of twenty thousand men at Cadiz； was ready to deliver a crushing blow at the colonies when in January； 1890； a mutiny among the troops and revolution throughout the country entirely frustrated the plan。 But although that reactionary monarch was compelled to accept the Constitution of 1819； the Spanish liberals were unwilling to concede to their fellows in America anything more substantial than representation in the Cortes。 Independence they would not tolerate。 On the other hand； the example of the mother country in arms against its King in the name of liberty could not fail to give heart to the cause of liberation in the provinces oversea and to hasten its achievement。
The first important efforts to profit by this situation were made by the patriots in Chile。 Both San Martin and O'Higgins had perceived that the only effective way to eliminate the Peruvian wedge was to gain control of its approaches by sea。 The Chileans had already won some success in this direction when the fiery and imperious Scotch sailor； Thomas Cochrane； Earl of Dundonald； appeared on the scene and offered to organize a navy。 At length a squadron was put under his command。 With upwards of four thousand troops in charge of San Martin the expedition set sail for Peru late in August； 1820。
While Cochrane busied himself in destroying the Spanish blockade； his comrade in arms marched up to the very gates of Lima； the capital； and everywhere aroused enthusiasm for emancipation。 When negotiations； which had been begun by the viceroy and continued by a special commissioner from Spain； failed to swerve the patriot leader from his demand for a recognition of independence； the royalists decided to evacuate the town and to withdraw into the mountainous region of the interior。 San Martin； thereupon； entered the capital at the head of his army of liberation and summoned the inhabitants to a town meeting at which they might determine for themselves what action should be taken。 The result was easily foreseen。 On July 28； 1821； Peru was declared independent； and a few days later San Martin was invested with supreme command under the title of 〃Protector。〃
But the triumph of the new Protector did not last long。 For some reason he failed to understand that the withdrawal of the royalists from the neighborhood of the coast was merely a strategic retreat that made the occupation of the capital a more or less empty performance。 This blunder and a variety of other mishaps proved destined to blight his military career。 Unfortunate in the choice of his subordinates and unable to retain their confidence； accused of irresolution and even of cowardice； abandoned by Cochrane； who sailed off to Chile and left the army