Francisco Tomás Morales


Francisco Tomás Morales, was a Spanish military, and the last of that country to hold the post of Captain General of Venezuela, reaching the rank of field marshal during the Venezuelan War of Independence.
As recounted in a series of letters distributed by the Philadelphia Gazette, in 1822 General Morales issued a decree widely interpreted by the American merchants then in Caracas, La Guaira and Puerto Cabello as a threat. The Americans solicited the help of Capt. Robert T. Spence, whose frigate, the Cyane was in the area, to delay his departure for Africa to protect them from Morales. Spence complied for several days in October 1822, much to the relief of the Americans, at least briefly.
Morales conceded defeat after the Battle of Lake Maracaibo in July 1823.
Puerto Cabello, the last Royalist stronghold in Venezuela, fell to the independist forces in November 1823.

Battles and campaigns

PlaceYearsEvent
Capitanía General de Venezuela1813-1814Campaigns under Jose Tomas Boves
Capitanía General de Venezuela18151º Campaign of Margarita Island
Viceroyalty of Nueva Granada1815Siege of Cartagena
Capitanía General de Venezuela1816Destruction of 1º Haitian Expedition of los Cayos in Carúpano
Capitanía General de Venezuela1817-1820Campaigns under Pablo Morillo
Capitanía General de Venezuela1821-1822Campaigns under Miguel de la Torre
Capitanía General de Venezuela1822-1823Campaign of Occidente