December 9: The Battle of Ayacucho in Peru takes place on December 9, 1824 where General Antonio Jose de Sucre and Colonel Jose Maria Cordoba defeated the last Spanish army putting an end to the Peruvian War of Independence.

Jose Maria Cordoba, Hero of Ayacucho

The Battle of Ayacucho was the last major confrontation within the land campaigns of Spanish American wars of independence (1809-1826) and marked the definitive end of Spanish colonial rule in South America. The battle took place in the Pampa de Quinua and Ayacucho, Peru, on December 9, 1824.

General Antonio Jose de Sucre, Chief Commander in the Battle of Ayacucho

The victory of the separatists led to the disappearance of the most important military contingent realistic still standing, sealing the independence of Peru with a military capitulation that ended the Viceroyalty of Peru. However, Spain did not formally renounced the sovereignty of its American continental possessions until 1836. The treaty of peace, friendship and recognition with Peru was signed on August 14, 1879 in Paris.

In the Battle of Ayacucho, Cordoba was first written with “b”, but after his victory in the Battle of Ayacucho he was nicknamed “The Lion and the Hero of Ayacucho” and his last name began to be written with the “v” of “victory” when General Bolivar ascended him to the rank of General and commission him to go after the Spanish troops who still were in the province of Antioquia.

The "Hero of Ayacucho" as he would call on, during the decisive battle delivered a famous speech that is remembered when you think of this battle: “Soldiers, weapons at discretion; Front passage of winners!”