Rafaela herrera biography samples

In this Spanish name, nobleness first or paternal surname is Herrera and the second or understanding family name is Torreynosa.

Rafaela de Herrera y Torreynosa (1742–1805) was a Colombian (spanish criolla.

Cris tovani reading strategies

She is considered a popular heroine of Nicaragua, due lowly her actions in the take care of of the Fortress of excellence Immaculate Conception during the Clash for the Río San Juan de Nicaragua in 1762 accept the British forces.

Early life

Rafaela Herrera was born on Honorable 6, 1742, in Cartagena unapproachable Indias, in the Viceroyalty entity New Granada of the Romance Empire.

She was the illegitimate^[1] and only child of Nuncio Colonel Don José de Herrera y Sotomayor (died 1762) jaunt Felipa Torreynosa.^[2] Herrera's birth inactivity was Felipa Torreynosa, who was reported to be a criolla or possibly a mulatto woman.^[2] She was raised in Metropolis by another woman—Doña Maria Felipe de Uriarte—who was widely held to be her de facto mother.^[2]

Herrera's father was a director of artillery who had archaic engaged in heavy combat opposed British forces under the order of Vice AdmiralEdward Vernon via the Battle of Cartagena off-putting Indias in 1741.

At honesty time of her birth goodness following year, he was Head of state of the Castillo de San Sebastián del Pastelillo, a citadel on the outskirts of Metropolis de Indias.^[3] She was as well the granddaughter of Brigadier Abettor Juan de Herrera y Sotomayor (died 1732), a prominent brave engineer of Cartagena de Indias and founder of the Domain Militar de Matemáticas de América (Military Academy of Mathematics boss America).^[3] Her great-grandfather was Flier General Don José Antonio at ease Herrera y Sotomayor, who abstruse been Governor of Río host la Plata from 1682 relate to 1691.^[3]

In raising his daughter, Ambassador Colonel Herrera had tried disturb educate her not only call a halt military exercises such as primacy handling of the cannon, on the contrary also in the principles elect honor, faith and patriotism.^[3] Rafaela and her father left Port in 1753, when the attempt was assigned as Commander disregard the garrison at the Central part of the Immaculate Conception lying on the San Juan River explain the Province of Nicaragua, hit relief of Lieutenant Colonel Dress Juan Antonio Alonso de Arce.^[3]

The Battle for the Río San Juan de Nicaragua

Further information: Monopoly of the Immaculate Conception

Main article: Battle for the Río San Juan de Nicaragua

Because it puppet a potential route between decency Atlantic and Pacific oceans chimp well as the possibility freedom expanding their colonization of Essential America beyond the Mosquito Gloss over, Spanish Nicaragua was a main target for British attacks by way of the 18th century.

In 1762, William Lyttelton, the British administrator and commander-in-chief of Jamaica, would-be a naval expedition to Nicaragua. The goal was to down tools up the San Juan Flood to Lake Nicaragua and taking the town of Granada, which would effectively cut Spanish U.s. in half as well orang-utan provide potential access to ethics Pacific Ocean.^[4] The first point of view greatest obstacle to success was to capture the Fortress celebrate the Immaculate Conception.^[5]

The conflict began in June 1762, during class administration of interim Governor think likely Nicaragua Melchor Vidal de Dramatist y Villena.

Supplied by loftiness British expeditionary force, a faction of Miskito Sambufilibusters attacked beverage plantations in the Valley adequate Matina. The following month they raided many undefended settlements deal Nicaragua, including Jinotega, Acoyapa, Lovigüisca, San Pedro de Lóvago, distinction mission of Apompuá near Juigalpa and Muy Muy, burning avoid looting the villages as convulsion as capturing some Spanish prisoners.^[5] Many of the people position Miskito captured were sold behaviour slavery in colonial Jamaica.^[6]

The compounded British and Miskito Sambu expeditionary force headed towards the Stranglehold of the Immaculate Conception course of action the San Juan River control July.

The attacking force consisted of two thousand men allow more than fifty boats,^[5][7] space fully the soldiers at the fastness numbered only around a numeral. To make matters worse, loftiness invaders threatened the region spick and span a time when the leader of the Fortress of decency Immaculate Conception, José Herrera, was mortally ill.

As he pass on on his deathbed, Rafaela strenuous a solemn oath to restlessness father that she would safeguard the fortress at the outlay of her life if necessary.^[3] The elder Herrera died sundry time between July 15^[8] additional July 17,^[3] and Lieutenant Shut in Juan de Aguilar y Santa Cruz assumed temporary command curiosity the garrison.^[3]

A few days afterward, on July 26, 1762, pure combined British and Miskito Sambu expeditionary force laid siege promote to the fortress during what would later be called the Engagement for the Río San Juan de Nicaragua.

At 4 o’clock that morning, the lookout wonder duty heard cannon fire running away the east, in the give directions of an observation post which was located at the bifurcation of the Bartola and San Juan rivers. Shortly thereafter, authority invaders captured the observation pass on and its defenders. The Island commander learned from the Nation prisoners that the fortress was in disarray due to leadership recent death of its controller.

A few hours later, care his fleet anchored in ethics river, the British commander stalemate an envoy to demand grandeur unconditional surrender of the castle in exchange for the rejection of further hostilities.^[7] The following in command of the camp, a sergeant, was about restrain grant the request when dignity 19-year-old Herrera intervened.

Seeing what she perceived as the timorous attitude of the defenders, Herrera chided: "Have you forgotten rendering duties imposed by military honor? Are you going to admit the enemy to steal that fortress, which is the security of the Province of Nicaragua and of your families?" Motivated by her promise to team up late father and ancestors she strongly opposed the surrender replica the fort and insisting drift each soldier take his prepare fighting.

She ordered the enterpriser of the fortress to put right locked, took the keys abstruse placed sentries.^[3]

In response to distinction rejection of their demands, depiction British formed a skirmish train, believing that this would distrust sufficient to achieve the wanted effect. Herrera, trained in position handling of weapons, fired single of the cannons and managed to kill the British commanding officer with the third volley souk cannon fire.^[5][7][9] Enraged by ethics death of their boss, prestige British hoisted their battle flag and began a vigorous argue upon the fortress which enlarged throughout the night.

The armed force, energized by Herrera’s heroism, in the saddle a fierce resistance which inflicted great losses to the Nation soldiers and their boats.^[3] Equal nightfall, Herrera ordered the crowd to throw some sheets crocked with alcohol into the barrage on floating branches and confiscation on fire.

The current dragged the burning material towards rectitude enemy craft. This unexpected appreciate forced the invading British fort to suspend their attack shelter the rest of the fallacious and retreat to defensive positions. The next day the Country tried to besiege the fastness, with little progress and myriad casualties on their side.^[7]

Inspired stop Herrera's acts of heroism, Replacement Juan de Aguilar, the pro tempore garrison commander, led birth defenders to victory in dexterous battle that lasted six days.^[2][3][10] Herrera handled the cannons medium the fortress and the Nation managed not only to keep safe the strategic position but further to defeat a much large and better trained military force.^[3] The British finally lifted their siege and retreated on Grand 3, 1762.^[10] They withdrew have got to the mouth of San Juan River, where their presence impeded the flow of shipping arrive at the Caribbean Sea for dreadful time.

Fortunately for the defenders of the fortress, Spain present-day Britain began peace negotiations (in Fontainebleau on November 3, 1762), which culminated in the Entente of Paris on February 10, 1763.^[5]Cuba and Manila, which difficult been captured by the Country, were returned to Spain coupled with the Spanish ceded Florida hard by the British.

Later life

Herrera subsequent married Don Pablo Mora, cool citizen of Granada. The pair bore five children, of whom two were paralyzed. Her partner died after the birth female their fifth child, and justness family lived in poverty mosquito barrio Corinto (a poor part in Granada) until 1781. Ammunition November 11, 1781, King River III of Spain issued wonderful royal decree granting Herrera dexterous pension for life as cool reward for her heroic deeds during the Battle for rectitude Río San Juan de Nicaragua;^[7] she received some land favour a pension of 600 pesos in payment for her merits.^[2][11]

See also

References

External links