Francisco Burdett O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Francisco Burdett O'Connor (12 June 1791 - 5 October 1871) (born Francis Burdett O'Connor) was an officer in the Irish Legion of Simón Bolívar
's army in Venezuela
. He later became chief of staff to Antonio José de Sucre
and minister of war in Bolivia
.
, Ireland
, into a prominent Protestant family. His parents were Roger O'Connor and Wilhamena Bowen. His uncle Arthur O'Connor (1753-1852) was the agent in France
for Robert Emmet
's rebellion of the United Irishmen. His brother was the MP and Chartist
leader Feargus O'Connor
(1794-1855).
, and sailed from Dublin with 100 officers and 101 men of the Irish Legion under the command of Colonel William Aylmer
. The force arrived at Margarita Island off the coast of Venezuela on September 1819 to find that conditions were squalid and nothing was prepared. After losses through death and desertion, in March 1820 the force attacked the city of Riohacha
on the mainland, which they temporarily occupied. Later the force was involved in the siege of Cartagena
and the campaign against Santa Marta
. However, the Irish soldiers became demoralized by the cautious and inept conduct of the war by General Mariano Montilla
and indiscipline evolved into mutiny
. In June, 1820 the force was disarmed and shipped to Jamaica
.
in 1824, and six months later Bolívar appointed him chief of staff. He fought at the Battle of Junín
in August 1824 against heavy odds and chose the site of the Battle of Ayacucho
. In 1825 Antonio José de Sucre
chose him to direct the final operation of the war, the pursuit and elimination of general Pedro Antonio Olañeta
, the last royalist commander to offer resistance.
In 1826 Francisco O'Connor was appointed military governor of Tarija
. In 1827, he published a proclamation encouraging Irish people to settle in the 'New Erin
' of Tarija. He was involved in the later wars between the successor states in South America, helping to defeat an Argentine army at the Battle of Montenegro in Bolivia
on 24 June 1838.
He died in Tarija on 5 October 1871 at eighty years of age. His memoirs entitled Independencia Americana: Recuerdos de Francisco Burdett O'Connor were published in 1895.
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
's army in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. He later became chief of staff to Antonio José de Sucre
Antonio José de Sucre
Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá , known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" , was a Venezuelan independence leader. Sucre was one of Simón Bolívar's closest friends, generals and statesmen.-Ancestry:...
and minister of war in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
.
Family
Francis Burdett O'Connor was born in CorkCork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, into a prominent Protestant family. His parents were Roger O'Connor and Wilhamena Bowen. His uncle Arthur O'Connor (1753-1852) was the agent in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
for Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet was an Irish nationalist and Republican, orator and rebel leader born in Dublin, Ireland...
's rebellion of the United Irishmen. His brother was the MP and Chartist
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
leader Feargus O'Connor
Feargus O'Connor
Feargus Edward O'Connor was an Irish Chartist leader and advocate of the Land Plan.- Background :Feargus O'Connor was born into a prominent Irish Protestant family, the son of Irish Nationalist politician Roger O'Connor...
(1794-1855).
Venezuela
In 1819, Francis O'Connor enlisted in the Latin American independence cause of Simon BolivarSimón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
, and sailed from Dublin with 100 officers and 101 men of the Irish Legion under the command of Colonel William Aylmer
William Aylmer
William Aylmer from Painstown, County Kildare, Ireland was a leader of the United Irishmen in the 1798 Rebellion against the British government. At the Battle of Ovidstown on 19 June 1798 he led a fierce battle against superior forces in which 200 insurgents died. Aylmer retreated into the...
. The force arrived at Margarita Island off the coast of Venezuela on September 1819 to find that conditions were squalid and nothing was prepared. After losses through death and desertion, in March 1820 the force attacked the city of Riohacha
Riohacha
Riohacha, Rio Hacha or Rio de la Hacha , is a city in the Riohacha Municipality in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia by the mouth of the Ranchería River and the Caribbean sea, capital city of the La Guajira Department. Founded by conquistador Nikolaus Federmann in 1535, Riohacha was named...
on the mainland, which they temporarily occupied. Later the force was involved in the siege of Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
and the campaign against Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
. However, the Irish soldiers became demoralized by the cautious and inept conduct of the war by General Mariano Montilla
Mariano Montilla
Mariano Montilla was a Major General of the Army of Venezuela in the Venezuelan War of Independence.-Youth:Montilla was born at Caracas.As a young man he went to Spain where he joined the American bodyguard company...
and indiscipline evolved into mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
. In June, 1820 the force was disarmed and shipped to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
.
Peru and Bolivia
O’Connor joined the United Army of Liberation in PeruPeru
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....
in 1824, and six months later Bolívar appointed him chief of staff. He fought at the Battle of Junín
Battle of Junín
The Battle of Junín was a military engagement of the Peruvian War of Independence, fought in the highlands of the Junín Region on August 6, 1824. The preceding February the royalists had regained control of Lima, and having regrouped in Trujillo, Simón Bolívar in June led his rebel forces south to...
in August 1824 against heavy odds and chose the site of the Battle of Ayacucho
Battle of Ayacucho
The Battle of Ayacucho was a decisive military encounter during the Peruvian War of Independence. It was the battle that sealed the independence of Peru, as well as the victory that ensured independence for the rest of South America...
. In 1825 Antonio José de Sucre
Antonio José de Sucre
Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá , known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" , was a Venezuelan independence leader. Sucre was one of Simón Bolívar's closest friends, generals and statesmen.-Ancestry:...
chose him to direct the final operation of the war, the pursuit and elimination of general Pedro Antonio Olañeta
Pedro Antonio Olañeta
Pedro Antonio Olañeta was born of a humble family in Biscay and emigrated with his parents to South America in 1797...
, the last royalist commander to offer resistance.
In 1826 Francisco O'Connor was appointed military governor of Tarija
Tarija, Bolivia
Tarija or San Bernardo de la Frontera de Tarixa is a city in southern Bolivia. Founded in 1574, Tarija is both the capital and largest city within the Tarija Department, with an airport offering regular service to primary Bolivian cities, as well as a regional bus terminal with domestic and...
. In 1827, he published a proclamation encouraging Irish people to settle in the 'New Erin
Erin
Erin is a Hiberno-English derivative of the Irish word "Éirinn". ....
' of Tarija. He was involved in the later wars between the successor states in South America, helping to defeat an Argentine army at the Battle of Montenegro in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
on 24 June 1838.
He died in Tarija on 5 October 1871 at eighty years of age. His memoirs entitled Independencia Americana: Recuerdos de Francisco Burdett O'Connor were published in 1895.