The day that United Kingdom invaded Tenerife without knowing what was inside

Almost all the nations of the old continent have a historical figure in war. However, few as the figure of the vice courage HORATIO NELSONOfficer of the British Royal Navy (Royal Navy) whose name became omnipresent during the contests of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. To get an idea, it is considered one of the greatest naval commanders in history. Everything changed when it arrived in the Canary Islands. He fled.

And without an arm.

Context: Cádiz and British frustration. To understand how the plan to take the island of Tenerife began we must go back to The Battle of Cabo San Vicente In February 1797. It was a British victory over the Spanish Navy, but failed to completely weaken the enemy fleet. In fact, the Admiral John Jervisfrustrated by The resistance in Cádiz And the difficulties in maintaining an effective block, decided to divert his attention to the south. Destination: Tenerife, a key point on Spanish trade routes with America.

Plus: The report that several Spanish ships They transported wealth from the American continent Towards the island he convinced Jervis that a surprise attack on the capital of Santa Cruz could result in an easy victory. Thus, he called and ordered Horathio Nelson to command an expedition with the aim of taking the city and looting his treasures.

The game. Nelson’s historical figure entrusted to the mission. The commander left on July 14, 1797 with a powerful squad of 4,000 men and more than 400 cannonscomposed of its HMS toheus flagship and other vessels such as the HMS Culloden, HMS Zealous next to several frigates and auxiliary ships. The plan consisted of a night operation with landing at two strategic pointsfollowed by a final assault against the port.

Defensive preparations. It happens that the general lieutenant Antonio Gutiérrez de Otero and Santayanawho had already defeated the British in two previous attempts, anticipated the attack and Fortified Santa Cruz With 91 artillery batteries, regular troops, local militiamen and French sailors captured from the Mutine frigate. Although his strength was less, With 1,700 menthe fortified position of the city gave him a decisive advantage.

The British attack. On July 20, Nelson sent an ultimatum demanding the surrender of the city and threatening its destruction if their demands were not met. Gutiérrez categorically rejected the proposal. Thus, in The night of July 22the British attack began with a first wave of landing on the beach of Valseco, but the strong currents and Spanish fire caused confusion among the attackers. Several boats sank, and the soldiers who managed to reach the ground were easy white for Spanish artillery. Seeing the failure, Nelson ordered the withdrawal of this first incursion.

Determined to take Santa Cruz, Nelson devised A second assaultthis time led by himself. At 10:30 pm on July 24, he directed A flotilla of 700 men towards the port with the hope of surprising the defenders. However, the Spanish sentries detected the maneuver and gave the alarm. At 11:00 pm, an intense rain of cannon shots and musket shot fell on the British, who met their wet and unused ammunition.

The arm. Here is one of the most notable facts of the battle due to the importance of the character. Nelson, who had just landed on the beach, was reached by A cannon shot In the right arm. Seriously injured, his stepson, Lieutenant Nisbet, made an improvised tourniquet and took him back to HMS tohels. Once on board, the surgeon He amputated his arm and the remains were thrown into the sea. Nelson, frustrated and weakened, was removed from combat.

Canarian resistance. Meanwhile, the British who managed to disembark on the beach of the butchers tried to take the city, capturing the convent of the consolation. What happened? Who were surrounded and harassed by Cross fire from strengths And the roofs of the houses, where citizens joined the defense shooting at the invaders.

The British managed to momentarily block access to the port, but without support from the sea and with many casualties, they realized that they were trapped. Toubridge, the British commander in command after the withdrawal of Nelson, threatened to set the entire city on fire if they were not allowed to retire with honor. Gutiérrez, experienced military, refused to give in to intimidation and increased bombing About the besieged British.

The surrender. In the early hours of July 25, seeing that there was no escape, Toubridge requested a truce. Gutierrez, in a gesture that historians have always defined as of gentlemenityhe agreed to negotiate and allowed the British to retire with military honors, on condition that they did not attack Tenerife or the Canary Islands.

The final figures threw a clear winner: the Spaniards lost only 30 men, while The British suffered 250 dead and 128 injured. Gutiérrez even lent ships to the British to transport their wounded soldiers back to England.

Beer and cheese. In fact, in an unusual courtesy exchange in times of war, Nelson sent a letter of thanks to Gutiérrez, apparently accompanied by English beer and cheese. Gutiérrez replied by sending him Spanish wine and cheese.

Despite the friendly gesture, Nelson never forgot that humiliation suffered in Tenerife, a battle that later I would describe how “The most horrible hell I’ve ever endured.”

Impact and legacy. This was folded to a story that could have changed the Canary Islands flag. The Defeat in Santa Cruz de Tenerife It marked the end of British ambitions in the islands. The Royal Navy never tried to invade Tenerife, and the victory strengthened Spanish morality at a crucial moment of the United Kingdom. Since then, in Santa Cruz the battle is commemorated every year The recreation of the deed of July 25, in which actors dressed in replicas of the uniforms of the time recreate the confrontation.

With a lower army in number and resources, Gutiérrez and his troops showed that strategic resistance and knowledge of the land could even impose himself on the most powerful Navy on the planet. Hence, in the Plaza de España the ruins of San Cristóbal Castle They house a museum where the “El Tigre” canyon is exhibited, the weapon that, according to the story, left Horathio Nelson himself without an arm for the rest of his life.

Image | Pedro Szekely, Richard Westall, Lemuel Francis Abbott

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