James Rooke (British Legion officer)

Biography

James Rooke (1770–1819) also known as Jaime Rooke or Jaime Rook was a British career soldier who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and in the Venezuelan and Colombian wars of Independence.

Career

Born in Dublin to a retired British army general, he joined the British army in 1791 fighting in the French Revolutionary Wars and later joined the Duke of Wellington's allied army in Spain in 1813. Rooke would also participated at the Battle of Waterloo.

After the end of the Napoleonic wars he traveled to South America and joined General Simon Bolivar's army in Venezuela where he became the commander of the British Legions during the South American wars of independence fighting in the inconclusive 1818 Center campaign. He took part in the New Granadan Campaign of 1819 when Bolivar invaded from Venezuela in an effort to liberate New Granada from Spanish control.

Rooke was mortally wounded at the Battle of Vargas Swamp on July 25, 1819, when he led his battalion in an uphill bayonet charge against Spanish forces on Picacho Hill. He initially survived his injuries and army doctors tried unsuccessfully to save him. He died of gangrene 3 days later.

He is remembered today in both Colombia and Venezuela as a hero of the Independence wars.

Personal Life

James Rooke (British Legion officer) was born on January 01, 1770 in Dublin. As a military personnel, soldier, James Rooke (British Legion officer) is part of the public figures documented from Colombia.

References

External Links

Knowledge Platforms

• Wikipedia — James Rooke (British Legion officer)
• Wikidata — Q3161377