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6 A Utopia for the Nobles The alliance between the elites and plebeians was sealed on Wednesday, April 18, two days after the third riot in Socorro, when "our royal decree" was first read to the rioting crowd. From the four corners of the main square of Socorro the cheering populace jubilantly proclaimed Juan Francisco Berbeo, Salvador Plata, Antonio Jose Monsalve, and Diego Ardila captains general of the "enterprise.,,1 The day before, Juan Francisco Berbeo had taken the first decisive military action of the revolution. In response to a rumor (it turned out to be false) that Corregidor Campuzano was approaching Socorro, Berbeo led an expedition to the nearby site of Polonia. There some two thousand people congregated, poorly armed with slings, bags of rocks, swords, pikes, staffs, spears, daggers, and a few firearms. Berbeo issued orders that made some kind of military clash with Bogota almost inevitable. In order to protect Socorro from a possible invasion corning from the south, he stationed a military guard at Oiba on the Suarez River, and ordered the burning of the wooden bridge of San Bartolome and the destruction of the bridge at Vargas, and the posting of armed guards at all localities adjacent to Socorro. His second act of bold leadership on April 17 was to order the interception of the royal mail pouch between Socorro and Bogota.2 On the very day that the elites in Socorro made their alliance with the crowds, Oidor Osorio, on orders from the regent visitor general and the audiencia, left the capital at the head of a small military expedition whose purpose was to pacify tumultuous Socorro. Thus in Socorro and in Bogota the antagonists had simultaneously resolved to settle their differences by a military confrontation. 79 6 A Utopia for the Nobles The alliance between the elites and plebeians was sealed on Wednesday, April 18, two days after the third riot in Socorro, when "our royal decree" was first read to the rioting crowd. From the four corners of the main square of Socorro the cheering populace jubilantly proclaimed Juan Francisco Berbeo, Salvador Plata, Antonio Jose Monsalve, and Diego Ardila captains general of the "enterprise."l The day before, Juan Francisco Berbeo had taken the first decisive military action of the revolution. In response to a rumor (it turned out to be false) that Corregidor Campuzano was approaching Socorro, Berbeo led an expedition to the nearby site of Polonia. There some two thousand people congregated, poorly armed with slings, bags of rocks, swords, pikes, staffs, spears, daggers, and a few firearms. Berbeo issued orders that made some kind of military clash with Bogota almost inevitable. In order to protect Socorro from a possible invasion coming from the south, he stationed a military guard at Oiba on the Suarez River, and ordered the burning of the wooden bridge of San Bartolome and the destruction of the bridge at Vargas, and the posting of armed guards at all localities adjacent to Socorro. His second act of bold leadership on April 17 was to order the interception of the royal mail pouch between Socorro and Bogota.2 On the very day that the elites in Socorro made their alliance with the crowds, Oidor Osorio, on orders from the regent visitor general and the audiencia, left the capital at the head of a small military expedition whose purpose was to pacify tumultuous Socorro. Thus in Socorro and in Bogota the antagonists had simultaneously resolved to settle their differences by a military confrontation. 79 80 / II Juan Francisco Berbeo The new leaders of the revolution proceeded with caution but firmness in assuming command. They insisted that the highest ranking representative of royal authority in Socorro, Lieutenant Corregidor Clemente Jose Estevez, provide an official and quasilegal sanction for their positions as captains general by swearing them into office in a public ceremony. 3 In approving these appointments, the lieutenant corregidor covered his flanks by reaffirming his blind loyalty to the king. Clemente Jose Estevez was in a difficult position. As the ranking royal magistrate in Socorro, he was required to maintain the authority of the crown. Yet the town was in a frenzied state of tumult, and it was clear to him that only the local elites could bring some order out of the chaos. With brothers on both sides and an intimate friendship with Manuel Garcia Olano, principal link between Socorro and the pro-Comunero groups in Bogota, he had no choice but to hedge his bets. The...

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