Independence War: The Schooner "Constitución" goes as Corsair to the Pacific

The schooner "Constitución" and the preparations to go to the Pacific (1814/15)

The "Constitución" was a medium schooner, similar to the one in the image. It was American-made, but its owner was an Italian living in Chile (Andres Barrios or Andrea Bario), who leased it to the United Provinces when the campaign against Montevideo ended. On the basis of this small ship, preparations for the Pacific Expedition began. Unfortunately, the ship was wrecked in Antarctica and there were no survivors.




After the disaster of Rancagua and the fall of Chile into the hands of the royalists, many patriots from Santiago emigrated to Mendoza, capital of the Cuyo governorate in Argentina, the last emancipated territory. Among them was the priest Julián Uribe, member of the Governing Board and ally of the Carrera brothers.

José Miguel Carrera's attitude forced General José de San Martín, who already governed Cuyo and was working on the formation of the army of the Andes, to disarm his followers and send them to the city of Buenos Aires, Uribe among them. Upon his arrival, they were helped by Carlos María de Alvear, who shortly assumed the position of Supreme Director of the United Provinces. While Carrera was gaining support to be recognized as the government of Chile and obtaining resources to mount an expedition to Coquimbo and thus restart the fight, the priest Julián Uribe proposed a plan to attack the Spanish in Chile, harassing Spanish navigation and commerce along the way. throughout Valparaíso, Coquimbo, Atacama, Arequipa, El Callao and Guayaquil.

The project had been outlined by Andrés Barrios. After Brown's successful 1814 Naval Campaign on Montevideo, Barrios transported 200 soldiers with the Constitution free of charge from that plaza to Buenos Aires. Subsequently, Barrios lent the Constitution to the state on the condition that he be given only $4,000 despite the fact that its value was $6,200, of which Brown recorded: "this individual [Barrios] donated his ship and personal services for an incident so interesting to the country, for a tiny amount". Since of the $4,000, "he had only received $1,950 with the guarantee of Miguel de Irigoyen," Barrios returned the money and recovered the ship.

The schooner or ketch Constitución was of North American origin, displaced 235 tons and was 28 m long, 8.75 m wide, 5.60 m deep and 2.90 m medium draft. It belonged to the patriot Andrés Barrios (Andrea Bari), originally from Pisa, who after residing in Concepción had settled in Buenos Aires. Barrios was also the shipowner and captain of the Carmen, with which he had been trading for at least fifteen years between Chile and Buenos Aires.

After seeing the sale of the Constitution to the state frustrated, in mid-1815 Barrios offered it to be used for privateering, a proposal that was accepted on May 23. Finally, Uribe raised among his compatriots the necessary funds to join Barrios in the ownership of the ship and requested the support of the commander of the Argentine squadron, Guillermo Brown, who agreed to join with the frigate Hércules (which had been gifted to him for his services. ) and convinced the authorities to provide the brig Trinidad.

In order to adapt it for the campaign and according to its owner Commander Andrés Barrios, "its winery has been subdivided into several parts and various other works have been carried out." The recruited crew numbered a hundred men, mainly Chileans but also Irish, North Americans, Swedes, Italians and English.

After the fall of Alvear, while José Miguel Carrera left for the United States, Uribe, with the support of Brown, continued with his project. On September 20, 1815, Andrés Barrios received from the government the corresponding Patent of Marquee of the PURP No. 27, with guarantee from Miguel de Irigoyen. Initially, Barrios was listed as commander, but he was replaced at the last minute by Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliverio Russell, Brown's right-hand man at the Battle of Montevideo.

The government provided the necessary weapons and supplies for the privateering campaign, but also to recruit and arm a patriot army in Chile. The List of the artillery, sets of weapons, ammunition and other war supplies that by Superior Order have been delivered to the Commander of the Constitución Andrés Barrios detailed, among other things, the provision of 1 bronze cannon of 16, 2 iron cannons of 8 and 4 cannons of 4, 210 jars of shrapnel, 100 bullets of 16, 200 of 8, 400 of 4, 30 crowbars of 16, 12 quintals of gunpowder, 2 quintals of match rope, 1000 cartridges of rifle, 100 flintlock stones for pistol, 50 rifle stones, etc. The quantity and weight of what was loaded was so considerable that it caused great difficulties for the ship during its journey and probably influenced its tragic end.

To give Uribe freedom of action, the instructions were broad: harass, seize or set fire to any ship flying the Spanish flag, blockade Spanish places in the Pacific, acquire information about the general situation in Chile and Peru and about the land and naval forces there. possessed by the royalists and patriots, to know the opinion of the insurgents and to encourage and support their activities and operations, to clandestinely introduce revolutionary proclamations and writings, etc.

In a few months the fleet was ready. It was made up of the frigate Hércules, commanded by Brown's brother-in-law Walter Dawes Chitty, the brig or Sumaca Trinidad under the command of Miguel Brown, and the brig Halcón, commanded by Captain Hipólito Bouchard, whose chief of arms was the future head of state of Chile, Ramón Freire. and the schooner Constitución, also known as Uribe, commanded by Oliver Russell.

We already saw the rest. The Constitution sank near the Shetland Islands when she sought to access the Pacific in the midst of a fierce storm. Uribe, Rusell, Barrios and the entire crew died.



El Corsario del Plata