Battle of Pagallos

Battle of Pagallos
Part of the Venezuelan War of Independence
Date8 July 1817
Location
The Orinoco, near the island Pagallos
8°32′N 61°00′W / 8.53°N 61.00°W / 8.53; -61.00
Result Patriot victory
Belligerents
Third Republic of Venezuela Spanish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Antonio Díaz [es]
Luis Brión
Fernando Díaz †		 Antonio Ambaredes
Units involved
22 ships of varying sizes 11 ships

The Battle of Pagallos (Spanish: Batalla de Pagallos), or, alternatively Pagayos, was a battle on 8 July 1817 during the Venezuelan War of Independence. In the battle, ships under Antonio Díaz [es] carrying materiel to Simón Bolívar's Patriot army were attacked by eleven Royalist ships in the Orinoco, near the island of Pagallos. Patriots took heavy losses but successfully forced Royalists out of the Orinoco.

Prelude

During the Guyana Campaign [es], Simón Bolívar's forces pushed east. For resupply, a force headed by Antonio Díaz and his brother Fernando Díaz set out from Margarita Island. They were joined by privateer Luis Brión on 7 June.[1] Two days before, Brión wrote to Bolívar, saying, "I am ready to join you with my squadron of 4 brigs, 6 schooners, 2 felucas, 1 bandra, 9 flecheras and gunboats. I bring cannon, mortars, grenades, shells, muskets, powders, and uniforms."[2]

On 4 July, a flotilla of four flecheras was sent to aid Rafael Rodríguez, stationed at Angostura. To guarantee the success of the operation, 250 soldiers under Bolívar harassed the Royalist gunboats in the area. They were met with a Royalist force under Juan Cosmos who intended to fire on the Patriot ships. Cosmos killed many, and a few officers managed to escape. The flotilla was captured by the Royalists.[3]

Battle

After passing through the Macareo channel, Fernando Díaz encountered eleven larger ships commanded by Antonio Ambaredes, who belonged to the Spanish station at Guayana La Vieja. Díaz's forces were slaughtered, and only a few survived. The survivors made their way to Antonio Díaz's force and told him about his brother's fate.[4]

The next day, Díaz met the enemy near the island of Pagallos. Díaz was immediately surrounded by Ambaredes' force. Díaz breaks out by targeting three ships which were maneuvering poorly; boarding one ship and beheading several sailors so as to avenge his brother's death. The Royalist force fell back, with the Patriots unable to pursue them, as they sustained major damage. By the fighting's end, Díaz recaptured several flecheras and burned another.[4][2]

Aftermath

After the battle, Díaz left for either Maturín[2][4] or Margarita Island for repairs.[1] The battle ensured Patriot control of the Orinoco, which cut off Miguel de la Torre's forces at Angostura,[4] which the Patriots would take in the Second Battle of Angostura.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Crichfield, George Washington (1908). American Supremacy: The Rise and Progress of the Latin American Republics and Their Relations to the United States Under the Monroe Doctrine. Brentano's. p. 31. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Slatta, Richard W. (2003). Simón Bolívar's quest for glory. College Station [Texas] : Texas A&M University Press. p. 157. ISBN 978-1-58544-239-3. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  3. ^ "BATALLA DE PAGAYOS". cavim (in Spanish). 8 July 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d González, Edgar Esteves (2004). Batallas de Venezuela, 1810-1824 (in Spanish). El Nacional. p. 117. ISBN 978-980-388-074-3. Retrieved 17 March 2024.