Juan Bautista Azopardo

Juan Bautista Azopardo (Maltese: Ġann Patist Azzopardi; 19 February 1772 – 23 October 1848) was a Maltese privateer and military man who fought under the flags of the Netherlands, Spain, and Argentina.

Early life

Juan Bautista Azopardo was born in Senglea, Malta, the son of Rosina (née Romano) and Salvatore Azopardo.^[1] As a young man he studied naval architecture at the French arsenal in Toulon.

Privateer

Azopardo served with the French and the British fleets, the latter under the command of Admiral John Jervis. He captained the tartanes San Antonio and Anime del Porgatorio.^[1] He later served as a privateer with a Letter of marque from the Netherlands, and then with a letter of marque from Spain against England.

Azopardo arrived in the

Río de La Plata

area in the first years of the 19th century.

During the war between England and the Batavian Republic (the Netherlands), he served on the schooner De Hoop and took part in the capture of the ship Neptune. Neptune arrived at the port of Montevideo as a prize on 21 January 1804; she was carrying 256 slaves. The prize master was the Frenchman Hipólite Mordeille.^[a]

Next, Azopardo served as second in command of the privateer Dromedario. Dromedario, with Mordeille, master, sailed with a letter of marque from Montevideo. She was armed with 22 guns and had a crew of 350 men under the command of Hipólito Mordeille, with Azorpardo as second captain.

Spanish records report that in June 1805, Viceroy Sobremonte issued two letters of marque, one for Dolores (24 guns), Currand, master, and Berro y Errasquin, owner, and one for Dromedario (20 guns), Hippolito Mordel, master, and Canuerso y Masini, owner. The two sailed for the African coast, looking to capture enslaving ships. In three months of cruising Dolores captured three ships and one brig, carrying a total 600 enslaved people. Dromedario captured five ships, carrying a total of 500 enslaved people.^[3]

British Invasions of Buenos Aires (1806 - 1807)

The ship Dromedario transported some of the troops which fought against the first

Beresford were.^[4] During the second British invasion (1807) of Buenos Aires they transported artillery pieces on the Paraná River

for the city's defense. For his valor and gallantry, the Spanish Royal government made him a Lieutenant Colonel of the urban militias.

After the defeat of the British army, the Royal Navy enforced a blockade on the River Plate. This moved the Viceroyalty authorities to resort to privateers in order to harass British shipping. On 17 November 1806, in Buenos Aires,

Santiago de Liniers gave him a letter of marque for La Mosca de Buenos Aires, of four guns and 60 men, built by Anselmo Saénz Valiente.^[5]

On 1 June 1807, the Mosca de Buenos Aires outran the brigs HMS Staunch and Protector as they chased her upriver. Later, two boats from the British warships attempted to seize Mosca de Buenos Aires in shallow waters. They failed, although they did manage to capture an enemy sloop.^[6]

The letter of marque expired in 1808 whereupon Azopardo retired from privateering for the Spanish crown.^[5]

Argentine service

War of independence

Azopardo joined the revolutionary forces on the May Revolution of 1810. He was given back the rank the Spanish viceroy had taken from him.

After the poor results of the

Hipólito Bouchard

.

At the Battle of San Nicolás, on 2 March 1811, he was forced to confront a superior royalist navy with seven ships to his three. Azopardo was wounded and made prisoner, with his ships being captured. Belgrano would have to do without reinforcements and be forced to sign a document abandoning Paraguay.

Imprisoned by the Spaniards, Azopardo was moved to

Inca Juan Bautista Túpac Amaru. The revolution of General Riego (1820) ended with the liberals taking power in Spain, and ordering the freedom of all political prisoners. Azopardo returned to Argentina, where he was received as a hero. He was given the post of Buenos Aires Harbor Master.^[1]

War with Brazil

Returning to Buenos Aires he was given command of the brigantine General Belgrano, as second in command to admiral

Guillermo Brown, to fight against the naval forces of Pedro I of Brazil, who had declared war on Argentina

at the end of 1825.

Azopardo Monument

In the city of San Nicolás de los Arroyos, an obelisk with a height of 26 metres (85 ft), covered in marble, was made with federal funds to pay homage to the Naval Battle of San Nicolás. Azopardo's remains are buried there.^{[citation needed]}

Other memorials

Argentina

Several vessels of the
Coast Guard Cutter (1962), Coast Guard Cutter GC-25 (1983)
.

A naval base ((in Spanish) Arsenal Naval Azopardo) in Azul, Buenos Aires province, is named after him.^[7]
A street in Buenos Aires is named after him.
Several schools in Argentina are named Azopardo.
Azopardo Point, in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina.
- Azopardo Lighthouse, in Azopardo Point, Santa Cruz, Argentina.
Azopardo Rock, in Chubut Province, Argentina.

Malta

On 16 June 2001 a bust commemorating Azopardo was unveiled on Senglea's waterfront.^[1]
Part of the Senglea Marina was also named after him.^[1]

Notes

^ Neptune, of 343 tons (bm), was under the command of James Phillips. She had sailed from England on 21 July 1803. British records indicate that she had embarked 357 slaves and had arrived at Montevideo with 349.^[2] As of February 2023, the reason for the discrepancy in the number of slaves is obscure.

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Senglea Council. "Senglea". Retrieved 27 July 2010.
^ Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Neptune voyage #82924.
^ Anon. (1864), p. 19.
^ Los marinos en las invasiones inglesas, by Laurio Hedelvio Destéfani. Pag 373
^
ISBN 987-95160-4-4
.

^ Hughes (2013), p. 150.
^ "Aniversario del Arsenal Naval Azopardo". Diario El Tiempo de Azul. 9 January 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.

References

Anon. (1864). "History of the Argentine Republic: First English invasions, 1804–1806". River Plate Magazine. 2. Buenos Aires Typographical Society: 17–21.
Hughes, Ben (2013). The British Invasion of the River Plate, 1806–1807: How the Redcoats were Humbled and a Nation was Born. Pen and Sword.
ISBN 978-1-4738-2992-3
.