Boyaca,
the site now occupied by the hostile armies, was a wooded and mountainous
country and one well suited to Bolivar's characteristic tactics. Placing a
large part of his troops in ambush and manoeuvring so as to get his cavalry
in the enemy's rear, he advanced to the attack with a narrow front. On
this Barreiro made a furious assault, forcing his opponents to recoil. But
this retreat was only a stratagem, for, as they fell back, the Spaniards
found themselves suddenly attacked in the flank by the ambushed troops,
while the cavalry rode furiously upon their rear.
In a few minutes they were surrounded, and the fierce attack threw them
into utter confusion, in which the patriot army cut them down almost
without resistance. General Barreiro was taken prisoner on the field of
battle, throwing away his sword when he saw that escape was impossible, to
save himself the mortification of surrendering it to General Bolivar.
Colonel Ximenes, his second in command, was also taken, together with most
of the officers and more than sixteen hundred men. All their artillery,
ammunition, horses, etc.
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