Luis Uribe
Encyclopedia
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 an midshipman
. His first post was on the "Esmeralda", where he travelled to the extreme south of Chile, to the Juan Fernández Islands
and to Peru
. Uribe was promoted to ensign
(equivalent of army's Second Lieutenant) on 1869, and the next year participated on a scientific expedition to Easter Island
, where they prepared a topographic study.
On 1872, he was sent as part of a naval mission to England, under command of Admiral José Anacleto Goñi, who was in charge of contracting the construction of 3 new ships. While there he met a Mrs. Newlove, a widow, of whom he fell in love. Admiral Goñi denied him permission to marry her, but he ignored the command and still went ahead with the wedding in 1874. As a result he was relieved of his duties and court-martialled. He was finally clear of all charges after being defended by his classmate and lawyer Arturo Prat
. In 1875 he was in charge of a hydrographic expedition to the coasts of Aconcagua, work for which he received a prize at the International Exposition of Santiago of 1875. He also wrote a Treatise on Hydrography that became the study text for the naval academy.
At the beginning of the War of the Pacific
, Uribe was the second commander of the Esmeralda, and their first mission was to blockade the Peruvian port of Iquique
. On May 21, 1879 their ship faced the Huascar
during the Naval Battle of Iquique
. His commander and friend Arturo Prat
, together with most of the crew died that day, but Uribe continued fighting until the "Esmeralda" went under. He was captured while floating on the bay after the sinking together with only 62 survivors out of a complement of 197.
As a prisoner, he was interned in the city of Tarma
, Peru
. While a prisoner, Chile promoted him (for supreme heroism) to Lieutenant Commander on June 16, 1879. He and his sailors remained prisoners until November of that year, when they were exchanged for captured Peruvian sailors. Uribe returned to Valparaíso
, where he was given the command of the recently captured gunboat "Pilcomayo". During the rest of the war he participated actively in all naval actions and was promoted to Commander in 1884.
After the end of the war, he became Governor of Valparaíso. He promoted the creation of the Revista de Marina (Naval Magazine), and was named Navy General Commander from 1887 to 1889. After the Chilean Civil War
, he was named director of the Naval Academy in 1892, position he retained until 1895. He retired from the navy on August 23, 1899.
He continued writing in the Revista de Valparaíso. In 1905, President German Riesco
named him Minister of War and Navy and later Valparaíso Intendant. Uribe wrote many books on naval topics, such as Code of Naval Signals, Naval Tactics, Hydrography, Project of a Naval Penal Code, History of the Chilean Merchant Marine from 1810 to 1904 and most specially Our Military Navy, a history of the Chilean Navy from its creation until 1891 and widely considered the finest history on the topic. He died in Valparaíso
at the age of 67 and was intombed in the pantheon to the Heroes of Iquique.
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 a hero 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...
.
Luis Uribe was born in Copiapo
Copiapó
Copiapó is a city in northern Chile, located about 40 miles east of the coastal town of Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capital of Copiapó Province and Atacama Region....
, 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 an midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
. His first post was on the "Esmeralda", where he travelled to the extreme south of Chile, to the Juan Fernández Islands
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 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....
. Uribe was promoted to ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
(equivalent of army's Second Lieutenant) on 1869, and the next year participated on a scientific expedition 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...
, where they prepared a topographic study.
On 1872, he was sent as part of a naval mission to England, under command of Admiral José Anacleto Goñi, who was in charge of contracting the construction of 3 new ships. While there he met a Mrs. Newlove, a widow, of whom he fell in love. Admiral Goñi denied him permission to marry her, but he ignored the command and still went ahead with the wedding in 1874. As a result he was relieved of his duties and court-martialled. He was finally clear of all charges after being defended by his classmate and lawyer 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 1875 he was in charge of a hydrographic expedition to the coasts of Aconcagua, work for which he received a prize at the International Exposition of Santiago of 1875. He also wrote a Treatise on Hydrography that became the study text for the naval academy.
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...
, Uribe was the second commander of the Esmeralda, and their first mission was to blockade the Peruvian 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...
. On May 21, 1879 their ship faced the Huascar
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...
during the Naval 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...
. His commander and friend 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...
, together with most of the crew died that day, but Uribe continued fighting until the "Esmeralda" went under. He was captured while floating on the bay after the sinking together with only 62 survivors out of a complement of 197.
As a prisoner, he was interned in the city of Tarma
Tarma
Santa Ana de la Ribera de Tarma is a city in Junín Region, Perú. Tarma is the capital city of the Province of Tarma, and is also called the Pearl of the Andes. The city is located at around , at an elevation of around 3000 m...
, 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....
. While a prisoner, Chile promoted him (for supreme heroism) to Lieutenant Commander on June 16, 1879. He and his sailors remained prisoners until November of that year, when they were exchanged for captured Peruvian sailors. Uribe returned to 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...
, where he was given the command of the recently captured gunboat "Pilcomayo". During the rest of the war he participated actively in all naval actions and was promoted to Commander in 1884.
After the end of the war, he became Governor of Valparaíso. He promoted the creation of the Revista de Marina (Naval Magazine), and was named Navy General Commander from 1887 to 1889. After the Chilean Civil War
Chilean Civil War
The Chilean Civil War of 1891 was an armed conflict between forces supporting Congress and forces supporting the sitting President, José Manuel Balmaceda. The war saw a confrontation between the Chilean Army and the Chilean Navy, which had sided with the president and the congress, respectively...
, he was named director of the Naval Academy in 1892, position he retained until 1895. He retired from the navy on August 23, 1899.
He continued writing in the Revista de Valparaíso. In 1905, President German Riesco
Germán Riesco
Germán Riesco Errázuriz was a Chilean political figure, and he served as President of Chile between 1901 and 1906.-Early life:...
named him Minister of War and Navy and later Valparaíso Intendant. Uribe wrote many books on naval topics, such as Code of Naval Signals, Naval Tactics, Hydrography, Project of a Naval Penal Code, History of the Chilean Merchant Marine from 1810 to 1904 and most specially Our Military Navy, a history of the Chilean Navy from its creation until 1891 and widely considered the finest history on the topic. He died 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...
at the age of 67 and was intombed in the pantheon to the Heroes of Iquique.