Military Reform in the Viceroyalty of New Granada, 1773-1796

THE MILITARY REFORM IN THE VICEROYALTY OF NEW GRANADA, 1773-1796 By ALLAN JAMES KUETHE GRADUATE COUNCIL OF A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF DECREE OF DuCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA August, 1967 @ Copyright by Allan James Kuethe 1968 TO MY WIFE, LOURDES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS to Dr. Lyle N. McAlister I wish to express my appreciation under whose supervision this dissertation was conducted. Dr. resources. McAlister gave generously of both his time and personal ways than can He served as an inspiration and assisted me in more Dr. David be enumerated. A special note of thanks is also due conducting Bushnell, who not only rendered invaluable assistance in the this project, but also imparted to me his enthusiasm for nations of the northern Andes. Carlos Restrepo Cana) , director I am also indebted to Drs. director of of the Archivo Nacional de Colombia; Galo Martfnez, Marfa Arboleda Lloren- the Archivo Nacional de Ecuador; and Jose Cauca. In conjunction with te, director of the Archivo Central del the warmest hospitality their able assistants, all three extended to me wish to acknowledge the assistance and the fullest cooperation. I also Colombian Academy of History of Dr. Guillermo Hernandez &< Alba of the who most generously shared his personal library. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS lv vi LIST OF TABLES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii INTRODUCTION ] CHAPTER I. A DESCRIPTION OF THE PRE-REFORM MILITARY ORGANIZATION ,0 PANAMA 38 ||. THE BEGINNING OF THE REFORM: CARTAGENA AND III. THE REFORM IN GUAYAQUIL AND POPAYAN 77 '0' IV. THE IMPACT OF THE COMUNEROS 13*» V. THE MILITARY ON THE FRONTIER . 177 VI. THE DYNAMICS OF EXPANDED MILITARY PRIVILEGES . 211 VII. REACTION AND READJUSTMENT 2k8 CONCLUSION 253 BIBLIOGRAPHY — . ..-,.. t~ LIST OF TABLES Pa9e Table ]k 1. THE ARMY OF NEW GRANADA IN 1772 I* 5 2. ARMY OF NEW GRANADA 1779 REGLAMENTO FOR THE 3 UNIT ORGANIZATION UNDER THE ° DISCIPLINED MILITIA OF CUBA, 1769 5 REGIMENT .... 5 1* k. ORGANIZATION OF A VETERAN INFANTRY QUITO IN 1783 .... '20 5. THE MILITIA OF GUAYAQUIL AND ' 27 6. ARMY OF NEW GRANADA 1789 EXPEDITION '**7 7. STRENGTH OF THE RIOHACHA AUGUST, 1788 '68 8. DARIEN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE, . 196 AND MILITARY JUSTICES . 9. DISPUTES BETWEEN ORDINARY 22 ** 179^+ 10. ARMY OF NEW GRANADA ORGANIZATION UNDER THE REGLAMENTO FOR THE 11 UNIT z" DISCIPLINED MILITIA OF NEW GRANADA, 179^ .... 2<*1 12. ARMY OF NEW GRANADA IN 1799 2^5 13. ARMY OF NEW GRANADA 1806 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS abbreviations In citing manuscript materials the following have been employed for archives and their fondos.: Archivo Nacional de Colombia ANC a) Milicia v Marina m ANE Archivo Nacional de Ecuador Pres - a) Presidencia Archivo Central del Cauca ACC Ml a) Mil itares frequency to Other fondos were employed, but not with sufficient justify special abbreviation. INTRODUCTION monarchy ini- At the close of the Seven Years War the Spanish its American empire. tiated a far-reaching colonial reorganization in been chiefly concerned Until that conflict, the new Bourbon dynasty had serious reverses suf- with revitalizing the old Hapsburg system, but the anticipation of further fered at the hands of the British nation and the comprehensive reforms for hostilities prompted the crown to undertake of programs strengthening its domains.' This reorganization consisted public revenues, designed to stimulate economic growth, to increase More specifically, and to develop an effective system of administration. restrictions were relaxed the Jesuits were expelled in 1767; trade (except for Caracas and culminating In an edict of "free trade" in 1778 missions and Hew Spain which waited until 1789); special technical new government monop- guilds were organized to modernize mining methods; intendent system of olies were created and others expanded; and the colonial reor- Administration was introduced. Another aspect of the enhance ganization was an empire-wide military revival intended to The course of that colonial defense capability and self-reliance. subject of the present reform in the Vlceroyalty of New Granada is the will be taken in the study. The administrative division "New Granada" under the 'Arthur S. Alton, "Spanish Colonial Reorganization rwiy rampart." The Hispanic American His torical Review, XII (August, 1932), 269-280. General of Caracas because following text to exclude the Captaincy jurisdiction. that was a separate military New Granada in the Bourbon The position of the Viceroyalty of Not only has there been a Reforms has to date remained obscure. historians from the United States, relative neglect of this region by and Panamanians themselves have but the Colombians, Ecuadorians, this movement within their nations' hardly recognized the presence of exclusively treated as an histories. Rather, this period is almcst signaling the dawn of the Wars for era of precursors and preparations attributed solely to a Independence. This phenomenon cannot be A more satisfactory fascination with the independence movement. found in the nature of the reforms them- explanation fe likely to be many respects the Bourbon re- selves, for indications are that in from negligible long- organization made only a moderate although far primary example is that the intendent run Impact in New Granada. The installed except for a short-lived system of administration was not Nor did endeavors to modernize experiment in the province of Cuenca. viceroyalty bear appreciable results. silver mining methods in the of the relaxation of trade Less clear-cut were the consequences both the Cuito textile industry restrictions. On the negative side, suffered serious recessions dating and the Panamanian crossroads Cape Horn route to licensed from the opening of the more expedient 2 minor diversification of exports vessels. On the positive side, a virreinato 2 Messia de la Cerda, "Relaci6n del estado del Pedro por de mand o : memories presentadas de Santa Fe 1772," Relaciones W.«vo Reino de Granada., eds. F. Posada and P. M. lgj.i..Tr!» ag] 1 108; Francisco Antonio Moreno y Escand&n, Iblnez (Bogota , 1910), p. , . of did evolve by the end of the colonial period through the marketing and dye- small quantities of cotton, quina (medicinal bark), indigo, wood; and a substantial expansion developed in cacao, chiefly from Guayaquil, but also to a lesser extent from the Cucuta district. Nevertheless, the preponderant item continued to be gold as it had always been.' Consequently, while substantial repercussions of varied effect sorts were evident in the Presidency of Quito and in Panama, the of "free trade" upon the main portion of New Granada was modest at the most. However, in some instances the colonial reorganization did produce unquestionable changes. Tobacco and aguardiente monopolies became major sources of royal income, and along with an overall rise for a noteworthy in the aduana they were in a large measure responsible growth of public revenues from roughly 950,000 pesos in 1772 (terri- tories later transferred to Caracas not included) to just over forty years 3,000,000 at the close of the colonial period, or nearly L later. 1772," "Estado del virreinato de Santafe, Nuevo Reino de Granada . (September-October, 1936), Boletfn de historia v ant iguedades . XXIII Reino de Granada 588; Manuel de Guirior, "Relaci6n del estado del Nuevo 1*48-149; Francisco Sil- '. .'. 1776," Relaciones de mando . ., pp. escrita en 1789 vestre, Descripci^n del revno de Santa Fe de Bogota, - (Bogota , 1950), pp. kk-kS- 105-106; ^Messfa de la Cerda, Relaciones de mando . , pp. Granada Pedro Mendinueta, "Relacion del estado del Nuevo Reino de Luis Eduardo . , pp. 507"508; . 1803," Rflaciones de mando Colombia (Bogota, Nieto Areta, Frnno-ifa v culture en la historia de Industria v proteccton en 1962), pp. 22-23; Luis Ospina Vazquez, Colombia (1810-1930) (Medellfn, 1955), PP- 38-39- a v ant iguedades- XXI I ^Moreno y Escand6n, Boletfn de histori I 1 ri revolucion de la 603-605; Jose Manuel Restrepo, Historia p, la meridional (6ogota\ 1952), 1, xxxi republica rip. Colombia en la America Because the number of systematic studies on the several aspects Granada is exceedingly of the Bourbon Reforms in the history of New impact must limited, any explanation for their apparently moderate as tentative. necessarily be hazy and ought at this point to be regarded The Granadine Nevertheless, certain general observations can be made. GSlvez in New Spain counterparts of the well-known missions of Jose de foundations for and Josi Antonio de Areche in Peru to organize the Juan Gutilrrez de fiscal and administrative reforms were those of Pizarro in its Pineres in Hew Granada and Josi Garcfa de Le6n y reform the fiscal Presidency of Quito. However, efforts by Gutierrez to catastrophic Comunero administration of the viceroyalty were met by the topple the regime Rebellion of 1781 which for an instant threatened to both the aguardiente and in Santa Fe. As a consequence, although sought by Gutierrez, tobacco nonopol ies were eventually extended, as postponed. 5 The uprising plans to introduce the intencfent system were the archbishop of Santa of 1781 did, however, elevate to prominence conducted the pacification of Fe, Antonio Caballero y Gongora, who then distinguished himself as the realn, became viceroy in 1782, and the viceroyalty's leading reformer. Archbishop-Viceroy was by The seven-year administration of the Bourbon Reforms in New Granada. all indicatic-.s the high point of the of a technical mission to He personally solicited the assistance services of Juan Jose de modernize silver mining and was granted the known Fausto who later headed Elhuyar, the older brother of the better del Nuevo 5Antonio Caballero y Gongora, "Rel a ci6n del estado 25b-2V- Re lactones de mando , pp. Reino de Granada . 1789," New Granada in the mining reform in New Spain. Juan Jos? arrived in province of Mari- 1784 and the following year opened operations in the scientists to assist quita.

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