BOVES, Jose Tomas, military adventurer in Spanish America; d. 5 Dec. 1814. At the age of 30 he was employed as a naval officer to guard the American coast, but betrayed his trust, and was condemned and imprisoned. After his release, he joined the royal forces, but began to wage war on his own account after the defeat of Cagigal at Maturin. Boves established himself at Calabozo, Venezuela, and with 500 men, many of whom were slaves, de feated Marino, the dictator of the eastern prov inces. He overcame the independents twice, slaughtered all his prisoners, and gained for his army the name of the Infernal Division. He was defeated by Rivas, and a part of his army, being taken captive, were put to death; but he quickly recovered his strength, resumed the offensive and in 1814 defeated Bolivar and Mariflo at La Puerta. The struggle was prolonged with alternate successes and reverses, and with incessant cruelties. Boves advanced toward Valencia, where the independents were strongly fortified, and after a blockade forced the town to capitulate. To give a more solemn
sanction to the terms of capitulation, a mass was celebrated between the two armies, and at the moment of the elevation, the royalist gen eral promised a strict and faithful observance of the treaty; but having entered the town, he ordered the republican officers and a large number of the soldiers to be shot. Boves was again victorious at Anguita, and obliged Boli var to retreat to Carthagena. He now entered Caracas, and shortly after gained a new victory, and killed or wounded 1,500 of the independ ents. His last triumph was at Urica; he was struck by a lance, and died upon the field of battle. His funeral was celebrated amid bloody commotion, while his troops were putting to death the men, women and children whom they had made prisoners.