After the failure of Antonio Nariño’s southern campaign in 1814, the remnants of the independence forces withdrew to Popayán under the command of colonel Jose Maria Cabal.

This lasted until June 1816, when the royalists conducted an offensive in tandem with Pablo Morillo’s expeditionary army from Spain coming from the north.

Montes’s first decision would be the removal of Field Marshall Aymerich from his post as commander of the army and governor of Popayán, as their relationship had become strained during Nariño’s campaign.

During the coming months the army would undergo an intense reorganization process as well as training troops with an emphasis on physical fitness, which consisted of long marches at double time for 2 hours each day starting at 5 am.

Vidaurrázaga wanting to continue his offensive requested permission from Montes in Quito and subsequently received his approval to commence operations.

At Ovejas the patriots had placed an advance force composed of 300 troops of the Socorro and Antioquia battalion, there they engaged the royalists for 2 hours but eventually withdrew.

[4] Cabal had devised a plan if the royalists attacked Ovejas , it consisted of consecutive defensive lines that were meant to slow down his enemy and cause as much damage as possible and then lead them to a fortified position near the Palo River north of the town of Caloto.

This strategy would consist of the placing the 4th company of Patía in front of the enemy to grab their attention while the royalist vanguard and rearguard divisions would conduct a left flanking movement.

[5] The Popayán battalion positioned in some trenches maintained heavy fire over the royalists, buying time for the rest of the army to form up.

Cabal considered more favorable for the result, that the right wing retreat to the height, where the supply barracks were located, he ordered his assistant to communicate this instruction to the Quarter master.

He even praised them, writing after the battle that: “The opponents wait, make their fires and withdraw from ours, at the time I observed that five enemy columns were formed that made up greater forces than had been considered at all times” In view of the opposing situation of organization and discipline of his army compared to that of the patriots, and appreciating from a distance the units that were going to disrupt his disorganized attack on a position prepared for defense, Vidaurrázaga hurriedly sent his aid-de-camp José Jaramillo, to inform the divisional commanders who stopped the movement, formed in battle, with the four pieces of artillery at the front, and appreciated the intentions of the enemy.

The patriot right flank which faced the Pilamus crossing had also withdrawn their units to the main line of defense where battalions Socorro, Antioquía, and Cauca were in place with 3 artillery pieces behind along with the Buga Volunteer's cavalry squadron.

[6] Ensign José María Espinosa, a standard bearer and grenadier who served in the Cundinamarca Battalion, wrote that: "The hour had arrived to do battle with the enemy army.

"[7] When the bayonet charge occurred he noted “It was such the impetus with which our people and the spirit and ardor with which they fought, that in a short time the royalist battalions were run over and undone, an operation that came to complete the cavalry very opportunely, to the Command of the Frenchman Dufaure.

[9] On the Patriot right flank the Buga Volunteer Squadron also entered the fray and striking the final blow to the royalist army as they struck down their enemy.

While on the left Cabal and Murgueitio's charge decimated the Patia infantry company and its commander Captain Paz was killed in one of the trenches he had captured previously.

General Cabal following his troops who gave chase to the fleeing royalists, halted at half past eleven in the morning, and from Cascabel hill, sent a letter to the governor of the province, Francisco Cabal, informing him of the victory writing: "The arms of the republic have triumphed, Today at 5 in the morning, the enemy presented himself with much ferocity and crossed the river.

Our officers and soldiers have behaved like good republicans"[10] The battle was a decisive victory for the patriots, allowing them to recapture Popayán and pacifying the Cauca Province for one year.