114 BULLETIN 16 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Esclarecido General Jose Antonio Paez ; El Congresso de Venezuela 

 en 1836." The grip, which is covered with black fishskin and is 

 wound with wire, terminates in a gilt pommel with a helmet-shaped 

 stem covering the end of the grip. The guard consists of a plain 

 circular gilt strip, which expands into a heart-shaped counterguard, 

 the obverse side of which is decorated with an openwork floral 

 design. The scabbard is black leather with three plain brass 

 mounts. 



General Paez was born in the Province of Barinas, Venezuela, in 

 June, 1790. He received only a common-school education and during 

 his childhood earned a living by working for some of his relatives. 

 When only 17 years of age he was attacked by four robbers, one of 

 whom he killed. Fearing the consequences of this act he fled to 

 the llanos of Barinas and obtained employment on a cattle estate. 

 After becoming inured to a life of hardship he entered the cattle 

 business on his own account. When the war for the independence 

 of Venezuela from Spain was declared in 1810, he joined the patriot 

 forces and served until the beginning of 1813 in his native Province 

 of Barinas. He was at one time offered a commission by the Spanish 

 departmental commander, but instead of accepting he fled across the 

 mountains and joined the patriot forces there. Although the war 

 seemed to be going against the Venezuelans, Paez refused to despair 

 and with only 500 cavalry routed the Spanish general Lopez at Mata 

 de la Miel, in February, 1816, with the loss of 400 killed and 500 

 taken. 



As a result of this achievement and other successes General Paez 

 was elected to supreme military and political command with the 

 rank of brigadier general. His forces consisted of only about 700 

 cavalry, and even this small force was almost entirely destitute of 

 arms, clothing, and provisions. They were likewise greatly hamp- 

 ered by the presence of old men and women and children who had 

 been driven from their homes by the Spanish troops. In spite of 

 these difficulties Paez resolved upon an aggressive war and soon 

 achieved a series of victories, which resulted in his promotion to the 

 rank of major general. His success over the Spanish general Latorre 

 at Carabobo in June, 1821, and his capture of Puerto Cabello in 

 November, 1823, finally secured the independence of Colombia. On 

 the formation of the new government, Paez was appointed com- 

 mander in chief of the department of Venezuela. Wlien his native 

 State seceded from the Grenadine Confederacy in 1829, Paez was 

 appointed provisional president by the Constituent Congress of 

 1830 and constitutional president by Congress in 1831. He was 

 again president from 1839 to 1843. During the troubles of the 

 period from 1848 to 1863 he made a number of futile attempts to 

 obtain the power necessary to establish matters in Venezuela on a 



