British Legions

British Legions
Rifle regiments similar to those who would have fought under Bolivar
Active1817–1824
Country United Kingdom
Allegiance Venezuela (1817–1819)
Gran Colombia (1819–1824)
TypeInfantry
Cavalry
Artillery
Size~6,500[1]
Motto(s)"Morir o vencer (Die or Conquer)"
March"Ye Gentlemen of England"
EngagementsSpanish American wars of independence
Commanders
Supreme commanderSimón Bolívar
Notable commandersJames Rooke
Arthur Sandes
Insignia
The Union Flag carried throughout the campaigns.[2]
Flag of the Irish Legion carried by General Devereux[3]

The British Legion (Spanish: Legión británica) or British Legions were foreign volunteer units which fought under Simón Bolívar against Spain for the independence of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, and under José de San Martín for the independence of Peru, in the Spanish American wars of independence.[4]: 217–220  Venezuelans generally called them the Albion Legion. They were composed of over seven thousand volunteers, mainly Napoleonic War veterans from Great Britain and Ireland, as well as some German veterans and some locals recruited after arriving in South America. Volunteers in the British Legion were motivated by a combination of both genuine political conviction and mercenary motives.[3]

Their greatest achievements were at the Boyacá (1819), Carabobo (1821), Pichincha (1822) and Battle of Ayacucho (1824) which secured independence for Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru from Spanish rule respectively.

  1. ^ Central Office of Information Reference Pamphlet, Issue 86. COII. 1973. p. 7.
  2. ^ Brown, Matthew (2006). Adventuring through Spanish Colonies: Simón Bolívar, Foreign Mercenaries and the Birth of New Nations. Liverpool University Press. p. 116. ISBN 9781846310447.
  3. ^ a b Brown p. 210
  4. ^ Arana, M., 2013, Bolivar, New York: Simon & Schuster, ISBN 9781439110195