It was April 1819 when Bolívar upon reaching the Arauca River, a tributary of the Orinoco south of the Apure plains, met cavalry division of General Páez encamped on the southern bank of the mighty river, some 300 miles south of Caracas. Together the llaneros of Paez and Bolívar's troops numbered about 3,000 men. The army of Spanish General Pablo Morillo, which was stationed across the river at "Las Queseras del Medio", about a mile from its banks, was 6,000 strong. Narciso López had fought on the Spanish side of this battle.