Early History
Infanteria de Marina [Naval Infantry]
Colombian Marine Corps - ColMar
Ignoring the tradition and heritage whose amphibious troops is strong sample of the defense of the strong Castle of Bocachica by Sancho Jimeno, the history of the Marine Corps in Colombia begins with the first flashes of the war of independence. They had passed 300 years of Spanish domination and they continued existing sentimental bows with the metropolis, by this circumstance, in New Granada there were cities especially patriotic, like Cali, Cartagena and Socorro and decidedly royalist others such as Pasto and Santa Marta. The conflict arose because Santa Marta stayed faithful to the meeting of Cadiz, whereas Cartagena were decided by the Autonomy.
On the return of don Francisco Miranda from Europe, with the small aid received there and their personal enthusiasm, he managed to organize in the United States East Coast a reduced Expeditionary fleet of marine mercenaries and adventurers. Harassed by the arrest warrant which gave the American Government to demands of the Spaniards for its fleet, he sailed in the early days of 1806 bound for the British West Indies where it expected to be strengthened.
February 12,the squad met in high sea in correct formation Miranda was presented to his men with the tack of General, and to the cheers and applause from the crew, was hoisted for the first time in history the yellow flag, blue and red. The assembled fleet consisted of the Emperor, Hindustan brigs or Leandro and some schooners, and the crew consisted of one hundred eighty men between sailors and troops from landing. He then continued with the expedition and reached Ocumare (Venezuela) on 25 March. Repulsed the fleet by the Spanish authorities of the port, it had to stop to trinidad with the loss of two schooners and their crews.
There he organized their troops and with fifteen ships and five hundred men returned August 2, port held easily. Again, before her, the general population and because the committed, mostly mercenaries, did not meet their offers and the people were not prepared to break the yoke, the Revolution did not succeed and Miranda was forced to return to England to defend his own life, that persecution organized with him by the Spanish authorities did not gave him time for greater efforts to lift his countrymen.
But the flame of freedom continued burning every day with greater intensity in New Granada and finally came on 20 July 1810 that formed an independent Government in Santa Fe de Bogotá, which, after the first events and experiences, confided to his fledgling Navy mission cut communications and supplies from Spain with destination to the royalist authorities and maintain itself through the Magdalena river. In 1812 the royalist penetration in savannahs forced the government of Cartagena to send a strong offensive, this way, the landing party weighed anchor of Cartagena and commenced his offensive by sea and earth, in such a way that the 22 of November (1812) entered without resistance Tolú. After to leave defended well it he followed, the 25 of November, for Cispatá, that was taken by assault the day following, after a combat of two hour and a half. This action can be considered as the fire baptism of the improvised Sailors and Naval Infantry, that soon they would integrate the future National Navy of Colombia, with a participation brilliant in the feat.
The decree of 22 July 1822 ordered the creation of a Naval infantry battalion - FRANCISCO OF PAULA SANTANDER - the most effective ones for conservation of the Navy, providing of troops of analogous Infantry to the class on watch that is to do on board the ships military, by virtue of the authorization conferred to the Government. Within the speech of the project of “Statutory law of the Navy military of Colombia”, presented/displayed by Commander Rafael of the frigate Rafael del Castillo y Rada, the 7 June 1823, says the following thing: “TROOPS OF MARINES If all the nations have known the utility to train sailors in his merchant ships to equip with them the military one, all have also known the necessity to train troops of Marines that becoming accustomed itself successively the life of the sea, equip the ships military to prevent desertions of the ship's crew, fraudulent extractions of armament objects and prevent other disorders of greater importance attack. Convinced the government of these reasons, issued the decree of the 24 July on the formation of a naval infantry battalion under the same foot that those of the Army,…"
By decree signed 25 November 1845 during the administration of General Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera and due to the economic crisis from the country, became ordained the suppression of the Naval Forces and with them the incipient Marines. The personnel were retired from the service.
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