Carlos Condell
Encyclopedia
Carlos Arnaldo Condell De La Haza (Valparaíso
August 14, 1843 - Quilpué November 24, 1887) was a prominent Chile
an naval officer and hero of the Battle of Punta Gruesa
during the start of the War of the Pacific
.
Possessing a great sense of strategy and analysis in battle, he was always underestimated by the contemporary media due to his Peruvian origin (on his mother's side). His victories in unbalanced conditions were decisive to the triumph of Chile in the War of the Pacific
.
, Chile
. His father was the Scottish
merchant marine Federico Condell, and his mother was the Peru
vian aristocrat Lady Manuela De la Haza. His uncles were Diego and Antonio De la Haza, both rear admiral
s of the Peruvian Navy
. Therefore, he had several cousins who were Peruvian naval officers. Condell did not have familial ties to Chile, and this fact resulted in ostracism and criticism during his life.
He was the sixth of ten children. His first and second brothers were born in Peru.
He studied in Valparaíso, first at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones (School of the Sacred Heart
) between 1849 and 1854, and then at the Colegio Inglés (English School).
, forming part of the renowned Curso de los Héroes (Class of the Heroes) together with Arturo Prat
, Juan José Latorre
, Jorge Montt
and Luis Uribe
. Three years later (July 15, 1861), Condell achieved the rank of officer cadet
(guardiamarina in Spanish).
(November 26, 1865) and the Battle of Abtao
(February 8, 1866) in the Spanish-Chilean War
, in which he fought allied with Miguel Grau and other Peruvian officers, who would become Condell's enemies the next decade.
In April 1867, Condell decided to withdraw from the Chilean Navy
and become a merchant. He opened a store in Valparaíso which only lasted for 7 months: he returned to the navy and was assigned to the ship Esmeralda
.
In December 1868, he participated in the honorable mission to return the remains of Bernardo O'Higgins
back to Chile. Later, he served in the ships Abtao and Chacabuco. In the following years, he sailed to the islands of Juan Fernández
and to the south of Chile. Ending 1876, aboard the corvette Esmeralda
, he travelled to Easter Island
and Tahiti
.
March 1876, after four years of civilian life, he returned to Navy and again was assigned to the ship Esmeralda
.
(April 5, 1879), Condell was already promoted to Corvette Captain
in charge of the corvette Abtao, and was commissioned the blockade of the port of Iquique
, a Peruvian possession at that time.
The next month, Condell was in charge of the schooner Covadonga
, together with Arturo Prat
, in charge of the slightly larger corvette Esmeralda
, two of the older ships in the Chilean navy. They were left behind by the rest of the fleet heading to the main Peruvian port of El Callao to attempt a definitive assault.
On May 21, these small ships engaged the Peruvian armoured frigate
Independencia and the monitor Huáscar
(respectively). While Prat lost his battle and died heroically in Battle of Iquique
, Condell managed to escape to the south, pursued by the Independencia (captained by Juan Guillermo More
), which possessed size and firepower in this encounter. Nevertheless, Condell managed to pin the enemy ship into the coastal reef, bombard back, and get away while the monitor Huáscar showed in the shipwreck scene to assist the trapped crew of Independencia.
After this battle, the balance in the War of the Pacific
was broken, since only the Huáscar remained as a menace to the Chilean naval power. Condell was promoted to Frigate Captain
and set in charge of the gunboat
Magallanes.
On November 2, 1879, Condell participated in the assault and takeover of the port of Pisagua
, the blockade of Arica
, and afterwards, the combat against the fortresses of the same city and the ship Manco Capac. In 1880, he took charge of a well-known enemy ship captured in the Battle of Angamos
: The Huáscar. He used the monitor to siege and block the port of El Callao and other conflicts of the War of the Pacific. The rejection and animosity among the Peruvian people was on the rise due to several combat encounters in which Condell emerged triumphant.
Exactly three years after the battles of the Iquique
and the Punta Gruesa
(May 21, 1881), Condell was promoted to Captain
, and sent to Europe in December. He returned in 1884, when the War of the Pacific ended in Chile's favor.
.
Starting in 1887 he was transferred to the frigate Blanco (on April 4), where he assumed the position of chief of the national navy
, a position he had to leave due to a serious disease. Nevertheless, on August 17 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral
(Contraalmirante in Spanish).
Carlos Condell died in Quilpué, on November 24, 1887, at the early age of 44. His remains were carried to the Crypt of the Naval Heroes (Cripta de los Héroes Navales) in Valparaíso
.
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
August 14, 1843 - Quilpué November 24, 1887) was a prominent Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an naval officer and hero of the Battle of Punta Gruesa
Battle of Punta Gruesa
The Battle of Punta Gruesa took place on May 21, 1879 during the War of the Pacific between Chile and Peru. This may be labelled as the second part of the Naval Battle of Iquique, although it is described in many sources as a separate battle.-Context:...
during the start of the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
.
Possessing a great sense of strategy and analysis in battle, he was always underestimated by the contemporary media due to his Peruvian origin (on his mother's side). His victories in unbalanced conditions were decisive to the triumph of Chile in the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
.
Early years
Carlos Condell was born August 14, 1843 in ValparaísoValparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. His father was the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
merchant marine Federico Condell, and his mother was the Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian aristocrat Lady Manuela De la Haza. His uncles were Diego and Antonio De la Haza, both rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
s of the Peruvian Navy
Peruvian Navy
The Peruvian Navy is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles from the Peruvian littoral...
. Therefore, he had several cousins who were Peruvian naval officers. Condell did not have familial ties to Chile, and this fact resulted in ostracism and criticism during his life.
He was the sixth of ten children. His first and second brothers were born in Peru.
He studied in Valparaíso, first at the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones (School of the Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
) between 1849 and 1854, and then at the Colegio Inglés (English School).
Military career
At the age of fifteen (July 29, 1858), Condell joined the navy as a cadetCadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
, forming part of the renowned Curso de los Héroes (Class of the Heroes) together with Arturo Prat
Arturo Prat
Agustín Arturo Prat Chacón was a Chilean navy officer. He was killed shortly after boarding the Peruvian armored monitor Huáscar at the Naval Battle of Iquique after the ship under his command, the Esmeralda, was rammed by the Peruvian monitor...
, Juan José Latorre
Juan José Latorre
Juan José Latorre Benavente Chilean Vice Admiral, one of the principal actors of the War of the Pacific, and hero of the Battle of Angamos.-Early life:...
, Jorge Montt
Jorge Montt
Jorge Montt Álvarez was vice-admiral of the Chilean Navy and president of Chile from 1891 to 1896.-Early life:...
and Luis Uribe
Luis Uribe
Luis Uribe Orrego was a Vice-Admiral of the Chilean Navy and a hero of the War of the Pacific.Luis Uribe was born in Copiapo, the son of Juan José Uribe and of Rosario Orrego. He joined the navy on August 20, 1858, at the age of 9 years old, and graduated from the naval academy on July 16, 1861 as...
. Three years later (July 15, 1861), Condell achieved the rank of officer cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
(guardiamarina in Spanish).
First years of service
His first naval engagements were the Battle of PapudoBattle of Papudo
The Naval Battle of Papudo was a naval engagement fought between Spanish and Chilean forces on November 26, 1865, during the Chincha Islands War...
(November 26, 1865) and the Battle of Abtao
Battle of Abtao
The Naval Battle of Abtao took place on February 7, 1866, between a Spanish naval squadron and a combined Peruvian-Chilean fleet, at the island of Abtao in the Gulf of Ancud near Chiloé Archipelago in south-central Chile.-Background:...
(February 8, 1866) in the Spanish-Chilean War
Chincha Islands War
The Chincha Islands War was a series of coastal and naval battles between Spain and its former colonies of Peru and Chile from 1864 to 1866, that began with Spain's seizure of the guano-rich Chincha Islands, part of a series of attempts by Isabel II of Spain to reassert her country's lost...
, in which he fought allied with Miguel Grau and other Peruvian officers, who would become Condell's enemies the next decade.
In April 1867, Condell decided to withdraw from the Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
and become a merchant. He opened a store in Valparaíso which only lasted for 7 months: he returned to the navy and was assigned to the ship Esmeralda
Esmeralda (1855)
The Esmeralda launched in 1855, was a wooden steam corvette sunk during the War of the Pacific as was set against superior forces, fought until sunk with colors flying on 21 May 1879 at the Battle of Iquique...
.
In December 1868, he participated in the honorable mission to return the remains of Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
back to Chile. Later, he served in the ships Abtao and Chacabuco. In the following years, he sailed to the islands of Juan Fernández
Juan Fernández Islands
The Juan Fernández Islands are a sparsely inhabited island group reliant on tourism and fishing in the South Pacific Ocean, situated about off the coast of Chile, and is composed of three main volcanic islands; Robinson Crusoe Island, Alejandro Selkirk Island and Santa Clara Island, the first...
and to the south of Chile. Ending 1876, aboard the corvette Esmeralda
Esmeralda (1855)
The Esmeralda launched in 1855, was a wooden steam corvette sunk during the War of the Pacific as was set against superior forces, fought until sunk with colors flying on 21 May 1879 at the Battle of Iquique...
, he travelled to Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
and Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
.
Civilian hiatus
In March 1872, Carlos Condell again decided to withdraw from the navy, seeking again the merchant life of his father, but his business never achieved good results. In Valparaíso, he met a young woman of only 16 who became his future wife, Matilde Lemus Valdivieso. They married on September 26, 1877. They had four children.March 1876, after four years of civilian life, he returned to Navy and again was assigned to the ship Esmeralda
Esmeralda (1855)
The Esmeralda launched in 1855, was a wooden steam corvette sunk during the War of the Pacific as was set against superior forces, fought until sunk with colors flying on 21 May 1879 at the Battle of Iquique...
.
War of the Pacific (1879-1883)
At the beginning of the War of the PacificWar of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
(April 5, 1879), Condell was already promoted to Corvette Captain
Corvette Captain
Corvette captain is a rank in many navies which theoretically corresponds to command of a corvette . The equivalent rank in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth and USA is lieutenant commander...
in charge of the corvette Abtao, and was commissioned the blockade of the port of Iquique
Iquique
Iquique is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Atacama Desert and the Pampa del Tamarugal. It had a population of 216,419 as of the 2002 census...
, a Peruvian possession at that time.
The next month, Condell was in charge of the schooner Covadonga
Covadonga (ship)
The schooner Virgen de Covadonga was a ship that participated in the Chincha Islands War and the War of the Pacific, under Spanish and Chilean flags. She was launched in 1859...
, together with Arturo Prat
Arturo Prat
Agustín Arturo Prat Chacón was a Chilean navy officer. He was killed shortly after boarding the Peruvian armored monitor Huáscar at the Naval Battle of Iquique after the ship under his command, the Esmeralda, was rammed by the Peruvian monitor...
, in charge of the slightly larger corvette Esmeralda
Esmeralda (1855)
The Esmeralda launched in 1855, was a wooden steam corvette sunk during the War of the Pacific as was set against superior forces, fought until sunk with colors flying on 21 May 1879 at the Battle of Iquique...
, two of the older ships in the Chilean navy. They were left behind by the rest of the fleet heading to the main Peruvian port of El Callao to attempt a definitive assault.
On May 21, these small ships engaged the Peruvian armoured frigate
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
Independencia and the monitor Huáscar
Huáscar (ship)
Huáscar is a 19th century small armoured turret ship of a type similar to a monitor. She was built in Britain for Peru and played a significant role in the battle of Pacocha and the War of the Pacific against Chile before being captured and commissioned with the Chilean Navy. Today she is one of...
(respectively). While Prat lost his battle and died heroically in Battle of Iquique
Battle of Iquique
The Battle of Iquique was a confrontation that occurred on May 21, 1879, during the naval stage of the War of the Pacific, a conflict between Chile and Peru and Bolivia. The battle took place off the, by then, Peruvian port of Iquique...
, Condell managed to escape to the south, pursued by the Independencia (captained by Juan Guillermo More
Juan Guillermo More
Juan Guillermo More Ruiz, , was a Peruvian navy officer, who during his lifetime was considered as the man who "lost the War of the Pacific". He was killed during the Battle of Arica....
), which possessed size and firepower in this encounter. Nevertheless, Condell managed to pin the enemy ship into the coastal reef, bombard back, and get away while the monitor Huáscar showed in the shipwreck scene to assist the trapped crew of Independencia.
After this battle, the balance in the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
was broken, since only the Huáscar remained as a menace to the Chilean naval power. Condell was promoted to Frigate Captain
Frigate Captain
Frigate captain is a naval rank in the naval forces of several countries.It is, usually, equivalent to the Commonwealth/US Navy rank of commander.Countries using this rank include Argentina and Spain , France , Belgium , Italy ,...
and set in charge of the gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
Magallanes.
On November 2, 1879, Condell participated in the assault and takeover of the port of Pisagua
Pisagua
Pisagua is a Chilean port on the Pacific Ocean, located in Huara comuna , in Tarapacá Region, northern Chile. In 2007, the new province of El Tamarugal was established and the comuna of Huara, previously within the province of Iquique, was incorporated to the newly created province.-Early...
, the blockade of Arica
Arica
Arica is a city in northern Chile. "Arica" may also refer to:Places* Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile* Arica Airport , Chile* Arica, Amazonas, town in Colombia* Rio Aricá-açu, tributary of the Cuiabá River south of Cuiabá, BrazilOther...
, and afterwards, the combat against the fortresses of the same city and the ship Manco Capac. In 1880, he took charge of a well-known enemy ship captured in the Battle of Angamos
Battle of Angamos
The Battle of Angamos was fought on October 8, 1879, during the naval stage of the War of the Pacific . The Chilean Navy, commanded by Captain Galvarino Riveros and Captain Juan Jose Latorre surrounded and captured the ironclad Huáscar, commanded by Rear Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario, who died in...
: The Huáscar. He used the monitor to siege and block the port of El Callao and other conflicts of the War of the Pacific. The rejection and animosity among the Peruvian people was on the rise due to several combat encounters in which Condell emerged triumphant.
Exactly three years after the battles of the Iquique
Battle of Iquique
The Battle of Iquique was a confrontation that occurred on May 21, 1879, during the naval stage of the War of the Pacific, a conflict between Chile and Peru and Bolivia. The battle took place off the, by then, Peruvian port of Iquique...
and the Punta Gruesa
Battle of Punta Gruesa
The Battle of Punta Gruesa took place on May 21, 1879 during the War of the Pacific between Chile and Peru. This may be labelled as the second part of the Naval Battle of Iquique, although it is described in many sources as a separate battle.-Context:...
(May 21, 1881), Condell was promoted to Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
, and sent to Europe in December. He returned in 1884, when the War of the Pacific ended in Chile's favor.
Last Years
In 1884 Condell was designated as an aggregate of the Ministry of the Seas (Ministerio de Marina) and put in charge of the armoured frigate Cochrane as CommodoreCommodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
.
Starting in 1887 he was transferred to the frigate Blanco (on April 4), where he assumed the position of chief of the national navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
, a position he had to leave due to a serious disease. Nevertheless, on August 17 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
(Contraalmirante in Spanish).
Carlos Condell died in Quilpué, on November 24, 1887, at the early age of 44. His remains were carried to the Crypt of the Naval Heroes (Cripta de los Héroes Navales) in Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
.