On 28 February 1813, the Sunday of Carnival, General Correa went to church; meanwhile Bolívar's forces had positioned themselves in the western hills that overlook the town of Cúcuta.

A force of about 100 Royalist infantry tried to overcome the right flank of Bolívar's army, but a fast change of position foiled the attempt.

[2] Bolivar's Aide-de-Camp General O'Leary published Bolivar's account of the battle in his memoirs:[3] "After the arrival at my headquarters in San Cayetano of supplies, the rearguard and one hundred and twenty-six men from the Union under the command of Captains Uscátegui and Ramirez, we crossed the Zulia river yesterday afternoon and at dawn today we started out for the capital of Cúcuta and the enemy's headquarters.

Seeing that our soldiers were fighting much more fervently when danger was higher, I ordered Colonel Rivas and the rest of the troops to start the attack on the town and encampment.

At that moment the enemy was seized with panic-stricken horror, and fled hastily, yielding to us their positions, artillery, equipment, guns, victuals and a number of effects pertaining to the Spanish government and their accomplices.