He found
there an abundance of war material, and by holding it he cut off
Barreiro's communication with Bogota.
The strength of Bolivar's generalship lay in rapid and unexpected
movements like this. The Spanish leaders, bound in the shackles of
military routine, were astonished and dismayed by the forced marches of
their enemies over roads that seemed unfit for the passage of an army.
While they were manoeuvring, calculating, hesitating, guarding the
customary avenues of approach, Bolivar would surprise them by
concentrating a superior force upon a point which they imagined safe from
attack, and, by throwing them into confusion, would cut up their forces in
detail. As a result, the actions of the patriot commander in the field
seemed less impressive than those of less notable generals, but the sum of
effects was far superior.
Bolivar's occupation of Tunja took the Spaniards by surprise. Barreiro,
finding himself unexpectedly cut off from his centre of supplies, fell
back upon Venta Quemada, where he was soon followed by his foe, anxious to
deal a decisive blow before the royal forces could concentrate.
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