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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Los Andes'' vs ''Prueba''}}
{{under construction}}

{{Infobox military conflict
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=battle of Cape Manglares or Punta Galera
| conflict=''Los Andes'' vs ''Prueba''
|partof=[[Spanish American Wars of Independence]]
| partof=the [[Spanish American Wars of Independence]]
|image=Anonymous - Spanish warship.JPG
| image=
|image_size=300px
| image_size=250px
| alt         =
|caption=
| caption=
|date=12–16 May 1820
| date=Chilean historiography:<br />May 12 and 13, 1820<br />Spanish historiography:<br />May 14 and 15, 1820
|place= [[Cabo Manglares]], [[Gorgona Island (Colombia)]]
| place= At the height of the [[Esmeraldas River]] / [[Cabo Manglares|Cape Manglares]] and the [[Gorgona Island (Colombia)|island of Gorgona]], [[Viceroyalty of New Granada]] (present-day [[Ecuador]] and [[Colombia]])
|result=Spanish Victory
| coordinates = <!--Use the {{coord}} template -->
|combatant1= {{flagicon|Spain}} [[Spain]]
| result= Indecisive
|combatant2= {{flagicon|Chile}} Chile ([[Patria Vieja]])
| combatant1={{flagicon|Chile}} [[Republic of Chile]]
|commander1=Antonio Vacaro
| combatant2={{flagicon|Spain|1785}} [[Spanish Empire|Spanish Monarchy]]
|commander2=John Illinworth
* [[Viceroyalty of Peru]]
|units1= frigate ''Prueba''
| commander1=Juan Illingworth ([[Wounded in action|WIA]])
|units2= corvette ''Rose''
| commander2=Antonio Vacaro
|strength1=
| strength1=1 corvette<br>(24 guns)<ref name="Uribe4" />
|strength2=
| strength2=1 frigate<br>(48 guns)<ref name="Sotelo3" />
|casualties1=
| casualties1 =Unknown
|casualties2=corvette lossed, stranded in the Iscuandé river
| casualties2 =Unknown
| notes &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; =
| campaignbox =
}}
}}


'''''Los Andes'' vs ''Prueba''''' was a [[single ship action]] fought in 1820, during the development of the [[Spanish American Wars of Independence]].
The '''battle of Cape Manglares or Punta Galera''' was a naval battle, during [[Spanish American Wars of Independence]], facing the Spanish navy frigate "''Prueba''" which, on May 12-16, 1820, fought the corvette of the Chilean navy, "''Rosa de los Andes''" or "The Andes" (in honor of crossing the Andes), aka "Rose." It is the same ship "Rose" that brought to Chile Admiral Thomas Cochrane, formerly a war corvette of the British Royal Navy. John Illinworth, in command of the Chilean ship, developed the Corsican on the Pacific coast as far as Panama, and He was fought by the Spanish commander Antonio Vacaro, captain of frigate "Prueba".
The battle was between the corvette ''Los Andes''{{refn|It is usually called in two ways: ''Los Andes'' or ''Rosa de los Andes''.|name=|group=Note}} and the frigate ''Prueba'', the first a Chilean [[privateer]]<ref>{{harvnb|Uribe|1891|p=86–89}}</ref> and the second a ship of the [[Spanish Navy]]. It lasted two days and occurred in two different places. There are differences between Chilean and Spanish historiography on the exact date, the starting place, the development and the result of the naval action.

==Background==
===Privateer incursion of the ''Los Andes''===
On April 25, 1819, ''Los Andes'' sailed from [[Valparaiso]] with the purpose of harassing the royalists in the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]].<ref name="Arana1">{{harvnb|Barros Arana|1892|p=268}}</ref> The ship was commanded by Captain Juan Illingworth, a British sailor in the service of Chile.<ref name="Arana1" /> Between May and September he ventured to navigate the coasts that extend from Peru to [[Isthmus of Panama|Panama]]. He won some [[Prize (law)|prizes]], attacked coastal populations and successfully rejected warships that wanted to catch him.<ref>{{harvnb|Barros Arana|1892|p=619–620}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Uribe|1891|p=90–93}}</ref>

From October of that year until March 1820, he harassed the [[Pacific/Chocó natural region|Pacific coast of New Granada]] to support General [[Simón Bolívar]] to gain control of the territory.<ref name="Uribe1">{{harvnb|Uribe|1891|p=93–98}}</ref> Their attacks were concentrated in the towns of the [[Popayán Province|coast of Popayán]] and in the [[Valle del Cauca Department|valley of Cauca]]. He defeated the royalist detachments and left the territory under revolutionary authority.<ref name="Uribe1" />

===The ''Prueba'' sails to Guayaquil===
Realistic naval power in the Pacific was located in [[Callao]], in the [[Viceroyalty of Peru]]. For those moments, the [[Chilean Navy]] had the preponderance of the sea, which complicated the realistic defense that was prepared in the viceroyalty due to the [[Liberating Expedition of Peru|imminent invasion of the organized military force]] in Chile.<ref>{{harvnb|Ortiz Sotelo|2015|p=369–370}}</ref>

In the midst of these circumstances, on April 22, 1820, a convoy commanded by Commodore Antonio Vacaro sailed from Callao to [[Guayaquil]], bringing a battalion to reinforce the place.<ref name="Sotelo1">{{harvnb|Ortiz Sotelo|2015|p=370}}</ref> This naval force was formed by the frigate ''Prueba'' (flagship), the brig ''Maypú'' and the transport ''Javiera''. On May 1, the convoy arrived at the site and Vacaro had news of the Chilean ship on those coasts.<ref name="Sotelo1" />

==Previous movements==
On May 6, Vacaro left Guayaquil with the ''Prueba'' and the ''Maypú'', both warships, to cross the sea to Panama, in search of the privateer.<ref name="Sotelo1" /> In the first days they did not obtain news of their whereabouts, and a week later, the brig had to return to Guayaquil due to a breakdown in the rigging.<ref name="Sotelo1" /> Vacaro continued alone with his frigate sailing through [[Santa Elena, Ecuador|Santa Elena]], [[Montecristi, Ecuador|Montecristi]] and the entrance of the [[Esmeraldas River]] to get news.<ref name="Sotelo1" />

On the other hand, ''Los Andes'' had left the coasts of New Granada after having established revolutionary authority. He intended to undertake new raids against the royalists.<ref name="Uribe2">{{harvnb|Uribe|1891|p=98}}</ref>

==Forces==

===Chilean privateer===
{|class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!width="15%"| Name ship
!width="15%"| Commander
!width="10%"| Type
!width="10%"| Displacement<ref name="Uribe3">{{harvnb|Uribe|1891|p=90}}</ref>
!width="10%"| Crew
!width="20%"| Guns<ref name="Uribe4">{{harvnb|Uribe|1891|p=100}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" | ''Los Andes''
| align="center" | Juan Illingworth
| align="center" | Corvette
| align="center" | 400&nbsp;t
| align="center" | 151 men
| align="center" | 24 [[carronade]]s of 12 and 18 [[Pound (force)|pounds]]
|-
|}

When leaving Valparaíso, the corvette was manned by approximately 270 men,<ref name="Uribe3" /> but had declined during the naval campaign, having at the time of the battle only 151 men, of whom 35 were sick.<ref name="Uribe4" /> In addition, of the 36 guns that it had at the beginning, there were 30, of which only 24 were in operation due to the lack of crew.<ref name="Uribe4" />

===Spanish ship===
{|class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!width="8%"| Name ship
!width="8%"| Commander
!width="8%"| Type
!width="8%"| Displacement
!width="8%"| Crew
!width="14%"| Guns<ref name="Sotelo3">{{harvnb|Ortiz Sotelo|2015|p=423}}</ref>
|-
| align="center" rowspan="4" | ''Prueba''
| align="center" rowspan="4" | Antonio Vacaro
| align="center" rowspan="4" | Frigate
| align="center" rowspan="4" | Unknown{{refn|Spanish historiography does not mention the tonnage of the ''Prueba''. There are no records in the Spanish Navy of its maritime qualities before or after construction.<ref>{{cite book |last=Martín-Cancela |first=Elena |date=2018 |title=Tras las huellas del San Telmo: contexto, historia y arqueología en la Antártida |url= |language=Spanish |location=Zaragoza, España |publisher=Prensas de la Universidad de Zaragoza |page=189 |isbn=978-84-17358-23-5 |author-link= }}</ref>|name=|group=Note}}
| align="center" rowspan="4" | Unknown
| align="center" | 28 guns of 24&nbsp;pounds
|-
| align="center" | 8 guns of 12&nbsp;pounds
|-
| align="center" | 8 [[howitzer]]s of 24&nbsp;pounds
|-
| align="center" | 4 howitzers of 3&nbsp;pounds
|-
|}

In addition to the personnel of the frigate, he had as reinforcement a company of the Numancia battalion that embarked on his departure from Guayaquil.<ref name="Sotelo1" />

==Battle==
{{Location map+|Colombia|relief=1|float=right|width=300|caption=Location of the battle area, between the current Ecuador and Colombia.|places=
<!-- North-East-->
{{Location map~|Colombia |lat=2.9675 |long=-78.180278 |label=[[Gorgona Island (Colombia)|Gorgona Island]] |position=left |mark=Red pog.svg}}
{{Location map~|Colombia |lat=1.650556 |long=-79.008056 |label=[[Cabo Manglares|Cape Manglares]] |mark=Red pog.svg}}
{{Location map~|Colombia |lat=0.904 |long=-79.6575 |label=[[Esmeraldas River]] |position=left |mark=Red pog.svg}}
}}

The battle was fought in two different places. Given the great differences between Chilean and Spanish historiography, the narrative will be separate.

===At the height of the Esmeraldas River / Cape Manglares===
(Chilean Historiography):<ref>{{harvnb|Uribe|1891|p=98–99}}</ref> on May 12, ''Los Andes'' was sailing at the height of Esmeraldas River, when it suddenly saw the ''Prueba'' to the northwest. Soon after, Illingworth learned that it was the Spanish frigate and approached her with the intention of carrying out an attack by boarding. Nevertheless, the Spanish ship, taking advantage of the speed and the greater scope of the artillery that it owned, dodged the closed fight during two hours to stay out of reach. Faced with this dangerous situation for the corvette, decided to retire to the coast of New Granada dominated by revolutionaries, aware that the frigate would pursue him.

(Spanish historiography):<ref name="Turrado1">{{harvnb|Pérez Turrado|1996|p=159}}</ref> at noon<ref name="Sotelo1" /> on May 14, at the height of Cape Manglares, the ''Prueba'' spotted the Chilean corvette towards the windward. Both approached with the intention of recognizing themselves, until at three in the afternoon, a league away, the Chilean ship turned around and changed the British flag that had until then, raising the Chilean flag. This allowed Vacaro to know who his rival was. He chased him until nightfall, when he lost sight of him because of the darkness.


===In front of the island of Gorgona===
== Battle ==
(Chilean historiography):<ref>{{harvnb|Uribe|1891|p=100–101}}</ref> the Spanish frigate followed the waters of the Chilean corvette during the night, and on May 13, at the end of the afternoon, they met again. The Spanish ship continued the attack from a distance, but a bad maneuver brought it too close to the Chilean ship, which increased the chances of success of the latter. After two hours of sustained struggle, Illingworth is able to position himself to carry out a boarding attack, as he wished. However, he receives a wound that forces him to leave the command post. Due to this accident, the privateer loses its advantageous attack situation and the Spaniard takes advantage of the setback to escape the place, but not before having received two discharge of the Chilean battery, taking it in line. This would have caused serious damage to the frigate on the deck, ending the battle.
[[File:Cabo Manglares.jpg|thumb|250px|Combate Naval de Cabo Manglares o Punta Galera, 1820]]
At noon on '''May 14''', at the height of Cabo Manglares, the frigate sighted a windward boat at a great distance. Both approached to recognize each other, until they arrived, at three o'clock in the afternoon, a league away, the Chilean corvette turned, deploy sails, and changed the British pavilion that until that moment had had for the Chilean pavilion. The Spanish frigate tries to chase the Chilean corvette, around four o'clock it tries the combat, but it does not have a possibility until the night, when the corvette escapes in the dark. Throughout the night, the frigate Test navigates embroidered by the wind conditions, waiting for the enemy corvette to be visible again on the horizon at daybreak, since the enemy can not win so much in Windward.


(Spanish historiography):<ref name="Turrado1" /> at dawn on May 15, the Spanish frigate found the Chilean corvette five leagues to the leeward, pursuing it until nightfall, when the battle was resumed near the Gorgona Island.<ref name="Sotelo2">{{harvnb|Ortiz Sotelo|2015|p=371}}</ref> The frigate came close enough to shoot him with double ammunition. The naval action would extend for more than an hour. The corvette had the suspicion that the Spaniard was stranded and sought his stern to prevent it from sinking and capture him in good condition. There was no such varadura, and ready the artillery of the frigate, received the fire directly given the proximity. The corvette suffered so much damage that it retreated without even firing a shot. His commander was also considered dead. Vacaro could not chase him because he had the reefs of Gorgona under the prow of the ship, to which the darkness of the night and the rain is added.
At dawn on '''May 15''', the corvette is seen again five leagues from Leeward, and immediately the frigate goes towards it to pursue it. The chilean corvette sailed for getting more wind through the fin, swelling the sails to avoid combat, but with the frigate shortening the distance, at a shot of half a cannon, had to open fire. The Spanish frigate did not respond until it had a very short distance, then opened fire to duplicate ammunition, shaken by the setbacks. At that time the boats were located in the southern part of the island of Gorgona. The action remained uninterrupted for more than an hour, until the frigate was on the ground, then to avoid the shipwreck, the corvette looked for the stern of the frigate, but at such a short distance, with the artillery of the frigate prepared, open fire that has left in silence all the weapons f the corvette, that until then had made sustained fire, incapable to respond with a shot of rifle. Major John Illinworth was badly wounded in the face, he even thought himself dead. The completely silenced corsair ship escaped. The Spanish frigate, with its prow a point of run aground on the reefs of the island of Gorgona, turned energetically, and under heavy rain, the enemy corvette had lost his sight in the darkness.


==Conclusion==
At dawn on '''May 16''', the Spanish commander, Antonio Vacaro, try to find the corvette. The first one in the anchorages of the island of Gorgona, not finding it, went to the coast, where it is discovered that the Chilean corvette, which had been badly damaged, entered the mouth of the Iscuandé River, seeking refuge in the riverbed, dragging the corvette inland, instead the bottom of the river, which must not be captured, or for which it is no longer allowed to float. Vacaro, with all caution, approached the frigate to the shoreline, but the low ground prevented it from the river. Three spanish boats with probes that confirmed that the passage was not feasible to the frigate, due to the risk of running aground. The Chilean ship was finally stranded on the Iscuandé River.
There are also differences about the conclusion of the battle.


Spanish historiography indicates that at dawn on May 16, Vacaro recognized the anchorages of Gorgona with the ''Prueba'', and not finding the ''Los Andes'', went to the Popayán, where he discovered the abversary entering the mouth of the Iscuandé river.<ref name="Sotelo2" /> He tried to follow it, but the ground below prevented it, so he sent three boats to explore, but did not find the corvette and claimed that her crew was on land.<ref name="Sotelo2" /> Finally, Vacaro abandoned the persecution and returned to Gorgona to refuel and then sail to Peru.<ref name="Turrado1" />
Antonio Vacaro, remains until '''May 21''' on the island of Gorgona, after rehabilitating, marks course to the south, sending the report of the battle to the viceroy. An American frigate gives part of the battle to the Spanish authorities. The president of Quito, Melchor Aymerich, and the report of May 30 of the Governor of Barbacoas, Antonio Rodríguez y Moreno, who transmits the reports of two of the vanguard detachments, which communicate that Rosa de los Andes has been stranded in the Iscuandé river, being abandoned by his crew, who manages to flee inland to join the Bolivarian revolutionaries. The corvette had been burned on that date or earlier, May 30, date of the report of the captain Illinworth's.


Chilean historiography does not mention the persecution of the Spanish frigate. Illingworth in his official part, written on May 30 aboard the corvette, does not indicate that he was persecuted.<ref>{{harvnb|Uribe|1891|p=99–100}}</ref> Later, when the Chilean ship left the Iscuandé to return to Chile, it ran aground at the entrance to the river and could not be refloated.{{refn|After the loss of the corvette in the Iscuandé, Illingworth together with his officers and troops joined the army of [[Gran Colombia]].<ref>{{cite book |last=López Urrutia |first=Carlos |date=2007 |title=Historia de la Marina de Chile |url= |language=Spanish |location=Santiago, Chile |publisher=El Ciprés Editores |page=46 |isbn=978-0-6151-8574-3 |author-link= }}</ref>|name=|group=Note}}
== Conclusions ==
Antonio Vacaro obtained an important victory for the Spanish navy. Chile lost the ship "Rosa de los Andes", which was stranded in the Iscuandé river.


== References ==
==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=Note}}


==References==
*{{cita libro |autor=Rubén Vela y Cuadros|página=|año=2017|editor=|isbn=978-84-697-6007-9|título=Presas De La Armada Española 1779-1828.|capítulo=|url=|cita=}}
{{reflist|2}}


==Bibliography==
*{{cita libro |autor=José Cervera Pery|página=|año=1992|editor=Editorial MAPFRE|isbn=9788489365254|título=La Marina Española en la emancipación de Hispanoamérica.|capítulo=|url=|cita=}}
* {{cite book
| last = Uribe
| first = Luis
| author-link1 = Luis Uribe
| title = Los Orígenes de Nuestra Marina Militar: Parte Primera (1817-1819)
| volume =
| url = https://issuu.com/albedu/docs/uribe__luis_-_los_or_genes_de_nuestra_marina_milit
| year = 1891
| edition =
| publisher = Imprenta Nacional
| location = Santiago, Chile
| isbn =
| ref = harv
| language = Spanish
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Pérez Turrado
| first = Gaspar
| author-link1 =
| title = Las marinas realista y patriota en la independencia de Chile y Perú
| volume =
| url =
| year = 1996
| edition =
| publisher = Ministerio de Defensa
| location = Madrid, España
| isbn = 84-7823-496-9
| ref = harv
| language = Spanish
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Barros Arana
| first = Diego
| author-link1 = Diego Barros Arana
| title = Historia jeneral de Chile
| volume = XII
| url = http://www.memoriachilena.gob.cl/602/w3-article-9014.html
| year = 1892
| edition =
| publisher = Imprenta Cervantes
| location = Santiago, Chile
| isbn =
| ref = harv
| language = Spanish
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Ortiz Sotelo
| first = Jorge
| author-link1 =
| title = La Real Armada en el Pacífico Sur. El Apostadero Naval del Callao 1746-1824. Capítulo 9 y Anexo 2
| volume =
| url = http://www.historicas.unam.mx/publicaciones/publicadigital/libros/real/armada.html
| year = 2015
| edition =
| publisher = Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Investigaciones Históricas/Bonilla Artigas Editores
| location = México
| isbn = 978-607-8348-61-9
| ref = harv
| language = Spanish
}}


[[Category:Maritime incidents in May 1820]]
*{{cita libro |autor=Gaspar Perez Turrado|página=|año=1996|editor=Editorial Ministerio de Defensa|isbn=|título=Las Marinas Realista y Patriota en la independencia de Chile y Perú.|capítulo=|url=|cita=}}
[[Category:Naval battles involving Chile]]
[[Category:Naval battles involving Spain]]
[[Category:Naval battles of the Spanish American wars of independence]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1820]]
[[Category:1820 in South America]]

Revision as of 23:34, 22 April 2019

Los Andes vs Prueba
Part of the Spanish American Wars of Independence
DateChilean historiography:
May 12 and 13, 1820
Spanish historiography:
May 14 and 15, 1820
Location
At the height of the Esmeraldas River / Cape Manglares and the island of Gorgona, Viceroyalty of New Granada (present-day Ecuador and Colombia)
Result Indecisive
Belligerents
Chile Republic of Chile

Spain Spanish Monarchy

Commanders and leaders
Juan Illingworth (WIA) Antonio Vacaro
Strength
1 corvette
(24 guns)[1]		 1 frigate
(48 guns)[2]
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

Los Andes vs Prueba was a single ship action fought in 1820, during the development of the Spanish American Wars of Independence. The battle was between the corvette Los Andes[Note 1] and the frigate Prueba, the first a Chilean privateer[3] and the second a ship of the Spanish Navy. It lasted two days and occurred in two different places. There are differences between Chilean and Spanish historiography on the exact date, the starting place, the development and the result of the naval action.

Background

Privateer incursion of the Los Andes

On April 25, 1819, Los Andes sailed from Valparaiso with the purpose of harassing the royalists in the Pacific.[4] The ship was commanded by Captain Juan Illingworth, a British sailor in the service of Chile.[4] Between May and September he ventured to navigate the coasts that extend from Peru to Panama. He won some prizes, attacked coastal populations and successfully rejected warships that wanted to catch him.[5][6]

From October of that year until March 1820, he harassed the Pacific coast of New Granada to support General Simón Bolívar to gain control of the territory.[7] Their attacks were concentrated in the towns of the coast of Popayán and in the valley of Cauca. He defeated the royalist detachments and left the territory under revolutionary authority.[7]

The Prueba sails to Guayaquil

Realistic naval power in the Pacific was located in Callao, in the Viceroyalty of Peru. For those moments, the Chilean Navy had the preponderance of the sea, which complicated the realistic defense that was prepared in the viceroyalty due to the imminent invasion of the organized military force in Chile.[8]

In the midst of these circumstances, on April 22, 1820, a convoy commanded by Commodore Antonio Vacaro sailed from Callao to Guayaquil, bringing a battalion to reinforce the place.[9] This naval force was formed by the frigate Prueba (flagship), the brig Maypú and the transport Javiera. On May 1, the convoy arrived at the site and Vacaro had news of the Chilean ship on those coasts.[9]

Previous movements

On May 6, Vacaro left Guayaquil with the Prueba and the Maypú, both warships, to cross the sea to Panama, in search of the privateer.[9] In the first days they did not obtain news of their whereabouts, and a week later, the brig had to return to Guayaquil due to a breakdown in the rigging.[9] Vacaro continued alone with his frigate sailing through Santa Elena, Montecristi and the entrance of the Esmeraldas River to get news.[9]

On the other hand, Los Andes had left the coasts of New Granada after having established revolutionary authority. He intended to undertake new raids against the royalists.[10]

Forces

Chilean privateer

Name ship Commander Type Displacement[11] Crew Guns[1]
Los Andes Juan Illingworth Corvette 400 t 151 men 24 carronades of 12 and 18 pounds

When leaving Valparaíso, the corvette was manned by approximately 270 men,[11] but had declined during the naval campaign, having at the time of the battle only 151 men, of whom 35 were sick.[1] In addition, of the 36 guns that it had at the beginning, there were 30, of which only 24 were in operation due to the lack of crew.[1]

Spanish ship

Name ship Commander Type Displacement Crew Guns[2]
Prueba Antonio Vacaro Frigate Unknown[Note 2] Unknown 28 guns of 24 pounds
8 guns of 12 pounds
8 howitzers of 24 pounds
4 howitzers of 3 pounds

In addition to the personnel of the frigate, he had as reinforcement a company of the Numancia battalion that embarked on his departure from Guayaquil.[9]

Battle

class=notpageimage|
Location of the battle area, between the current Ecuador and Colombia.

The battle was fought in two different places. Given the great differences between Chilean and Spanish historiography, the narrative will be separate.

At the height of the Esmeraldas River / Cape Manglares

(Chilean Historiography):[13] on May 12, Los Andes was sailing at the height of Esmeraldas River, when it suddenly saw the Prueba to the northwest. Soon after, Illingworth learned that it was the Spanish frigate and approached her with the intention of carrying out an attack by boarding. Nevertheless, the Spanish ship, taking advantage of the speed and the greater scope of the artillery that it owned, dodged the closed fight during two hours to stay out of reach. Faced with this dangerous situation for the corvette, decided to retire to the coast of New Granada dominated by revolutionaries, aware that the frigate would pursue him.

(Spanish historiography):[14] at noon[9] on May 14, at the height of Cape Manglares, the Prueba spotted the Chilean corvette towards the windward. Both approached with the intention of recognizing themselves, until at three in the afternoon, a league away, the Chilean ship turned around and changed the British flag that had until then, raising the Chilean flag. This allowed Vacaro to know who his rival was. He chased him until nightfall, when he lost sight of him because of the darkness.

In front of the island of Gorgona

(Chilean historiography):[15] the Spanish frigate followed the waters of the Chilean corvette during the night, and on May 13, at the end of the afternoon, they met again. The Spanish ship continued the attack from a distance, but a bad maneuver brought it too close to the Chilean ship, which increased the chances of success of the latter. After two hours of sustained struggle, Illingworth is able to position himself to carry out a boarding attack, as he wished. However, he receives a wound that forces him to leave the command post. Due to this accident, the privateer loses its advantageous attack situation and the Spaniard takes advantage of the setback to escape the place, but not before having received two discharge of the Chilean battery, taking it in line. This would have caused serious damage to the frigate on the deck, ending the battle.

(Spanish historiography):[14] at dawn on May 15, the Spanish frigate found the Chilean corvette five leagues to the leeward, pursuing it until nightfall, when the battle was resumed near the Gorgona Island.[16] The frigate came close enough to shoot him with double ammunition. The naval action would extend for more than an hour. The corvette had the suspicion that the Spaniard was stranded and sought his stern to prevent it from sinking and capture him in good condition. There was no such varadura, and ready the artillery of the frigate, received the fire directly given the proximity. The corvette suffered so much damage that it retreated without even firing a shot. His commander was also considered dead. Vacaro could not chase him because he had the reefs of Gorgona under the prow of the ship, to which the darkness of the night and the rain is added.

Conclusion

There are also differences about the conclusion of the battle.

Spanish historiography indicates that at dawn on May 16, Vacaro recognized the anchorages of Gorgona with the Prueba, and not finding the Los Andes, went to the Popayán, where he discovered the abversary entering the mouth of the Iscuandé river.[16] He tried to follow it, but the ground below prevented it, so he sent three boats to explore, but did not find the corvette and claimed that her crew was on land.[16] Finally, Vacaro abandoned the persecution and returned to Gorgona to refuel and then sail to Peru.[14]

Chilean historiography does not mention the persecution of the Spanish frigate. Illingworth in his official part, written on May 30 aboard the corvette, does not indicate that he was persecuted.[17] Later, when the Chilean ship left the Iscuandé to return to Chile, it ran aground at the entrance to the river and could not be refloated.[Note 3]

Notes

  1. ^ It is usually called in two ways: Los Andes or Rosa de los Andes.
  2. ^ Spanish historiography does not mention the tonnage of the Prueba. There are no records in the Spanish Navy of its maritime qualities before or after construction.[12]
  3. ^ After the loss of the corvette in the Iscuandé, Illingworth together with his officers and troops joined the army of Gran Colombia.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Uribe 1891, p. 100
  2. ^ a b Ortiz Sotelo 2015, p. 423
  3. ^ Uribe 1891, p. 86–89
  4. ^ a b Barros Arana 1892, p. 268
  5. ^ Barros Arana 1892, p. 619–620
  6. ^ Uribe 1891, p. 90–93
  7. ^ a b Uribe 1891, p. 93–98
  8. ^ Ortiz Sotelo 2015, p. 369–370
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Ortiz Sotelo 2015, p. 370
  10. ^ Uribe 1891, p. 98
  11. ^ a b Uribe 1891, p. 90
  12. ^ Martín-Cancela, Elena (2018). Tras las huellas del San Telmo: contexto, historia y arqueología en la Antártida (in Spanish). Zaragoza, España: Prensas de la Universidad de Zaragoza. p. 189. ISBN 978-84-17358-23-5.
  13. ^ Uribe 1891, p. 98–99
  14. ^ a b c Pérez Turrado 1996, p. 159
  15. ^ Uribe 1891, p. 100–101
  16. ^ a b c Ortiz Sotelo 2015, p. 371
  17. ^ Uribe 1891, p. 99–100
  18. ^ López Urrutia, Carlos (2007). Historia de la Marina de Chile (in Spanish). Santiago, Chile: El Ciprés Editores. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-6151-8574-3.

Bibliography

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