chapter 2 Preparations

The Start of the Independence War

"I have never believed that something solid or stable can be build in a country if absolute independence is not achieved beforehand."

-Francisco de Miranda, first President of Colombia.

After the declaration of Independence in May 24, 1811, the Republic of Colombia was created and Miranda named President. The Viceroy Amar y Borbon was taken prisoner, and condemned to execution, but his penalty was lowered to imprisonment for life by Miranda. The members of the Supreme Junta became the parliament of the new state, divided in two houses "La Asamblea" and "La Casa de Representantes" based in the US government system. Criollos from Quito and Panama traveled to Santafe in order to be representatives of their respective homelands, both still under Royalist control. It was decided that Miranda would be president until the War was over, and that the Parliament would continue in functions until proper elections could be held. The first constitution was approved by overwhelming majority, and a Federation was instituted, even when there were major pro-centralist factions with prominent members, like the General Simon Bolivar.

The State was organized similarly to the United Stets, with five States, Cundinamarca, Cartagena, Venezuela, Guyana[1] and Zulia, each with its own constitution, but they would be put under the Federal Government's direct control as a War Time measure. Part of the national mindset was the union of the Royal Audience of Quito and Panama into Colombia, both of which would become states too. Though less popular, initiatives for the annexation of Peru were common too.

One of the first actions of the young Republic was the Decree of the National Army, which would be made from the battalions in Santafe, which refused to shot the members of the Junta once it made its independence wishes public. Several corps from provinces loyal to Colombia also became part of the Army, the Ejercito Libertador as it was known. It was split into two armies, the Ejercito de Venezuela, led by Simon Bolivar and the Ejercito de los Andes, led by Nariño. There was also a third army, the Ejercito de Santafe, to protect the capital and other nearby territories, with a special corps, the Guardia de Honor, protecting the presidential palace and parliament.

The Institutions of Artillery, Cavalry, Infantry and Engineers were created and organized, mainly with Criollo officers and Native and Mestizo troops. There were also a good number of blacks, former slaves owned by Patriots (those who fought for independence) and liberated so they could the army. Even when the Junta of Caracas had already proclaimed the emancipation of all slaves within Venezuelan territories, there were still several slaves, and pressures from the landowners made Miranda, who hated slavery, change to the Freedom of Womb Decree, giving liberty to any slave born from January 1812 onwards, though he promised to free all the slaves once the war was over. The Freedom by Patriotic Service Decree was also approved, giving freedom to any slave who joined the Libertador Army, including their family. This Decree, along with Miranda's intentions to end the Huasipungo system, practically a form of Feudalism, made him hugely popular with Mestizos ans Natives, even having a Quechua nickname "Taita Miranda" (Daddy Miranda). Stories of young men leaving their farms and towns so they could join his cause were common.

Also part of the army were the British Militias, voluntaries mainly from the nearby British territories, and the American Militias, soldiers recruited in the United States by Miranda. Those Militias were usually considered elite soldiers, since they had better equipment and training than the average Colombian Soldier, and thus formed their own armies, under military advisors, including Miranda's dear friend, the Colonel Smith. A curious fact is that the name "Gringo" appeared during the War, since the American Militias wore blue and green instead of red and blue, thus prompting the creation of the motto "Go Green go!" Most people in Colombia had no knowledge of English, so the phrase became the Spanish-ed "Gringo", which would become a slur against Anglo Saxons in the following decades

The next action made by the Government was the Naval Decree, which created the Colombian Navy and assigned Juan Eslava as its commander. Unfortunately, the Colombian Navy consisted of just a few vessels, unable to stop the Spanish Fleet and was thus kept anchored in Caracas. Nonetheless, it's agreed that the Colombia wish of ruling the Caribbean started here, with the three vessels Miranda bought in the United States becoming the Patria, Dios and Libertad, and decrees for the creation of a Naval Academy and a Naval Tradition similar to that of the United Kingdom were signed.

There were decrees concerning the Ministries, with several being created, for example, Agriculture, War, Economy, Estate and Interior. The national flag and coat of arms were adopted, with a different version of Miranda's tricolor. The constitution defined it as "yellow for our rich land and the sun of freedom, blue for our endless oceans and the sky from where God watches upon us, and red for the blood our patriots have shed". A national song, La Libertadora, though given no official recognizement, was something of the facto anthem of Colombia.

The first important Colombian military action was the Glorious Campaign, to conquer the loyalist territories in Venezuela, namely Coro and Valencia, and exterminate the royalist resistance in those areas, securing the Colombian control. Led by Simon Bolivar and Francisco de Paula Santander, who used their available resources and manpower consciously, it was a success and by mid 1813 all of Venezuela was under Colombian occupation. Meanwhile, Nariño attacked the north in his Liberator Campaign, finally taking Cartagena and Barranquilla almost at the same time

Note

[1]Guyana remained loyalist in OTL, but the massacre of the Colombians in the Llorente incident made them patriots ITTL.

[2]Don't believe me about this. It's only TTL's version of how the term appeared, and it's based in a (likely false) story my dad once told me. By the way, most people in "Gran Colombia" (meaning Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela) use "gringo" instead of "yanqui".

[3]Final POD. In OTL, there was a earthquake in Caracas and the areas the First Republic of Venezuela controlled, leading to their defeat. There is no such disaster ITTL, so Miranda is able to use the full manpower and resources of both Colombia and Venezuela, securing the succes of the Campaign.