Battle of Palonegro

Battle of Palonegro
Part of the Santander Campaign of the Thousand Days' War

Government soldiers before the battle posing next to the Colombian flag.
Date11–26 May 1900
Location
Result Conservative victory
Belligerents
Colombian government
Conservatives
Liberal Rebels
Commanders and leaders
Próspero Pinzón
Jorge Holguín
Ramón González Valencia
Henrique Arboleda Cortés
Gabriel Vargas Santos
Rafael Uribe Uribe
Benjamín Herrera
Units involved

Army of the North

  • 21 Infantry Divisions (numbered 1–21)
  • Urdaneta Artillery Battalion
  • Polytechnic Artillery Battalion[1]
  • Autonomous Revolutionary Army of Rafael Uribe Uribe
  • Autonomous Revolutionary Army of Benjamín Herrera
  • Autonomous Revolutionary Army of Sarmiento
  • Autonomous Revolutionary Army of Ulloa
  • Autonomous Revolutionary Army of Leal
  • Autonomous Revolutionary Army of Diaz
  • 250 militia
  • 800 locals[2]
  • Strength
    21,600[3] 7,000–10,000
    Casualties and losses
    1,500 dead
    2,800 wounded and missing
    4,000 dead wounded and missing

    The Battle of Palonegro was a battle in the Santander Department of Colombia, than lasted from May 11—26, 1900, in the early days of the Thousand Days War. The commanding general of the Liberal armies, Gabriel Vargas Santos, ordered his troops to retire to Palonegro, near the city of Bucaramanga in the Santander Department of Colombia. After the battle, the war escalated, and became one of the most brutal conflicts in early 20th century South America.

    1. ^ Plazas Olarte, Guillermo (1985). La guerra civil de los Mil Días: estudio militar (in Spanish). Tunja: Academia Boyacense de Historia. p. 243.
    2. ^ Plazas Olarte, Guillermo (1985). La guerra civil de los Mil Días: estudio militar (in Spanish). Tunja: Academia Boyacense de Historia. p. 244.
    3. ^ Plazas Olarte, Guillermo (1985). La guerra civil de los Mil Días: estudio militar (in Spanish). Tunja: Academia Boyacense de Historia. p. 243.