Christophe Vuillaumes efterslægt - Christensen, Erichsen ...

The faction was silenced, and Torrices remained in quiet possession of the presidency.
The union of Cundinamarca and the changes made by congress had a very favourable influence upon the
inhabitants of New Grenada, who were further pleased, as various aggravating laws were abolished, and many
strangers called to settle amongst them by a decree of congress of the 13th July 1814, by which protection and
assistance were promised to them. A manufactory of arms were established at Antiochia and another of hats at
Bogota. The liberty of the press was unrestrained and a great many clergymen distinguished themselves in the
most sacred cause of liberty and independence.
A great many strangers came to establish themselves at Carthagena, where they met with a kind reception, and
were strongly protected by congress, and the provincial government. Others entered the service in their army.
Pierre Labat and Jean Castellux were named to command in chief the forces of the land troops, and Luis Aury
those of the marine. Ducoudray Holstein received the command of the fort of Boca Chica in very critical
circumstances, and was at the head of the troops by land and sea.
At the head of the municipality (city common council) of the city of Mompox, was, at that time, Mr. Celedonio
Pineres as Corregidor, or mayor. He was the eldest brother of the two Pineres, of which Gabriel
(vice-president of Carthagena) tried to remove Manuel Rodriguez Torrices, the president of that government,
in union with general Bolivar, as I have related before. This Celedonio Pineres had very frequent opportunities
to converse with the general, as the latter lived in his house. He communicated to him all that had happened
after his departure from Carthagena, where his two brothers during the absence of Manuel R. Torrices, who
was called to Bogota, as one of the commissioners of the executive named by congress, were trying again to
get the upper hand. Castillo, at that time, with his army at St. Stanislaus and Baraquilla, hearing of what was
going on in Carthagena, assembled his principal officers and proposed to them to march against his native
place, to restore the legitimate governor of the province to his office, and to re-establish order in the public
affairs, having received various letters from his friends calling on him and his troops for assistance. I was at
this time, with general Castillo and intimate with him, so that I was acquainted with all the particulars which I
relate, and could name, if necessary, the friends of order which wrote to Castillo. I saw all these letters which
he communicated to me. In this private council of war, held by Castillo, it was determined to march against
Carthagena, and to defeat the whole faction. This was done very easily, having the majority of the inhabitants
on our side, who opened the outer land-gate, called the half moon, at two o‘clock in the morning, without any
resistance on the 5th of January 1815, and Pineres, Delhagar, and about twenty others, of the ringleaders, were
arrested and put into the prisons of the Inquisition. But general Castillo not satisfied, condemned to
deportation all these leaders, and remained in quiet possession of Carthagena, where Juan de Dios Amador
was elected governor of the province.
Caledonia proposed now to Bolivar to avenge his brothers, and to force Castillo to recall them and their
friends. The captain general, who hated Castillo mortally, saw a welcome occasion to avenge his personal
insult, changed his mind, and followed the perfidious suggestions of Caledonia Pineres. Bolivar flattered
himself with the hope that the strangers might be now in his favour, knowing that they were much displeased
with the haughty manners, and arbitrary measures of Castillo in Carthagena. He imagined that these strangers,
united with the numerous secret friends of the banished brother Pineres would leave him no more to do than to
present himself, with his troops, before the fortress of Carthagena, to see its gates opened to receive him. But
as he could by no means go against Carthagena instead of Santa Martha, he consulted with his new friend to
find a plausible pretext to put his army in march. Then general Bolivar, who like the greatest part of his
countrymen, the inhabitants of Caracas, is very dissembling, and very dexterous in finding out various secret
means to intrigue, and to gain his aim by numerous windings and doublings – he openly professed to be a
warm patriot, a disinterested soldier who wished for the welfare of his country but was always anxious to save
his reputation and zealous to preserve his authority. In the preservation of this absolute power lies exclusively,
all the patriotism of general Bolivar. Here is the pretext of which he made use to cover his secret purpose of
revenge on this occasion.
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