Atlas of Battles

battle, nineteenth century

Battle of Vargas Swamp

Battle of Vargas Swamp was a battle fought on 25 July 1819 at Colombia. It was part of the Colombian War of Independence, which ran from 1810 to 1825. The recorded result: Patriot victory. Recorded strength: 1,800; 1,300 infantry; 500 cavalry against 2,400; 2,000 infantry; 400 cavalry.

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Monumento de la Batalla del Pantano de Vargas
Monumento de la Batalla del Pantano de Vargas. Kamilokardona, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought25 July 1819
WhereColombia5.737N, 73.075W
OutcomePatriot victory
BelligerentsKingdom of SpainagainstVenezuela; New Granada; 25px British Legions
Casualties and losses140 – 500 deadand183 – 400 dead
Part ofColombian War of Independence1810 to 1825

Where it sits in the Colombian War of Independence

Battle of La Ladera (1812), 1812Battle of the Palo River, 1815Spanish Siege of Cartagena de Indias, 1815Battle of Cachirí, 1816Battle of Ceja Alta del Cancán, 1816Battle of Cuchilla del Tambo, 1816Battle of Vargas Swamp, 1819Battle of Boyacá, 1819Battle of San Juanito, 1819Siege of Cartagena, 1820Battle of Bomboná, 182218121822Battle of Vargas Swamp, 1819
13 placed engagements of the Colombian War of Independence in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date25 July 1819
PlaceColombia
5.737N, 73.075W
KindBattle, nineteenth century
Strength1,800; 1,300 infantry; 500 cavalry2,400; 2,000 infantry; 400 cavalry
Casualties and losses140 – 500 dead183 – 400 dead
Commanders
  • José María Barreiro Manjón
  • Simón Bolívar
  • José Antonio Anzoátegui
  • Manuel Manrique
  • Francisco de Paula Santander
  • James Rooke (British Legion officer)
Battle of Vargas SwampBattle of Vargas SwampBattle of BoyacáBattle of Chocontá1980 Dominican Embassy Siege in BogotáSiege of BogotáBattle of TocaremaBattle of BoyacáBattle of Chocontá1980 Dominican Embassy Siege in BogotáBattle of TocaremaChiquinquiráPuerto BerríoTameSocorroYopal100 km5.737N, 73.075W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1819

Battle of Vargas Swamp is one of 3,507 engagements of the 19th century in the atlas and one of 42 in present-day Colombia.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2890803, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Vargas Swamp, revision 1379827114, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.