Fernando Villaamil y Morillo

Fernando Villaamil was a Spanish naval officer who fought against the French forces in the Peninsular War and later led an expedition to restore royal authority in the Spanish American colonies. He was born in Serantes, near Castropol (Asturias), in the north of Spain, on November 23, 1845. He enlisted in the Spanish Royal Marine Corps in 1791 and participated in various naval battles during the War of the First Coalition and the War of the Pyrenees. He was wounded at the Siege of Toulon in 1793 and at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. He was captured by the British twice and exchanged for other prisoners. In 1808, he joined the Llerena Voluntary Corps and fought against the French invasion of Spain. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Bailen and was promoted to captain. He later fought at the Battle of Vitoria and the Battle of Puente Sanpayo. He was made a brigadier general in 1811 and a lieutenant general in 1814. He was awarded the titles of Count of Cartagena and Marquess of La Puerta by King Ferdinand VII. ⁶ In 1815, he was appointed as the captain general of Venezuela and New Granada and given the task of pacifying the rebellious colonies. He arrived in America with a large expeditionary force and launched a campaign of repression and terror against the patriots. He captured and executed many prominent leaders of the independence movement, such as Francisco de Miranda, Antonio José de Sucre, Manuel Piar, Francisco de Paula Santander, Camilo Torres and Francisco José de Caldas. He also imposed harsh taxes and confiscations on the population. He earned the nickname of "El Pacificador" (The Peace Maker) for his brutal methods. In 1820, he signed a six-month armistice with Simón Bolívar at Santa Ana de Trujillo, where they embraced each other and agreed to erect a monument to commemorate their meeting. The armistice was extended until 1821, when hostilities resumed after the arrival of a new royalist commander, Miguel de la Torre. Morillo returned to Spain and defended the liberal constitution of 1812 against the absolutist uprising of Rafael del Riego. He later participated in some military operations during the Carlist Wars. He fell ill and went back to France, where he died on July 3, 1898 in Barèges. ⁷ Villaamil is also remembered for his internationally recognized professionalism and for being the inventor of the destroyer warship. In 1884, he designed and supervised the construction of the Destructor, the first torpedo boat destroyer, in the British shipyards of James & George Thompson. He commanded the ship from Falmouth to Vigo, proving its seaworthiness and speed. He also wrote several books and articles on naval topics, such as his account of his voyage around the world aboard the Nautilus in 1892-1894.