DEFEAT OF NARINO. 381 



when a detachment of Nariho's troops, sta- 

 tioned in the town of Tunja, under the com- 

 mand of Baraya, suddenly changed sides, 

 and acknowledged the authority of the Con- 

 gress. The Congress, in consequence, im- 

 mediately transferred its sittings to Tunja, 

 and a civil war arose, in the beginning of 

 1812, between the partizans of that body 

 and the party of Nariho. 



Narino's troops were defeated at Palo- 

 blanco, in the province of Socorro, by the 

 army of the Congress, under the command 

 of Baraya, J. Ayala, and A. Ricaute ; and 

 the provinces of Mariquita and Neyva, 

 having been induced to change sides, and 

 espouse the cause of the Congress, the lat- 

 ter body established itself in the town of 

 Neyva on the 4th of October 1812. Na- 

 rino's troops were again defeated at Ven- 

 taquemada, and the army of the Congress 

 laid siege to Bogota. Narino, who had 



