Miguel Grau- "Gentleman of the Seas”

[Anatol]

Miguel María Grau Seminario (1834–1879) was the most renowned Peruvian naval officer and hero of the naval battle of Angamos during the War of the Pacific (1879–1884). He was known as el Caballero de los Mares (Spanish for "Gentleman of the Seas") for his kind and chivalrous treatment of defeated enemies and is esteemed by both Peruvians and Chileans. He is an iconic figure for the Peruvian Navy, and one of the most famous merchant marine and naval military leaders of the Americas. In April 1879, the conflict broke out again between Chile and Bolivia over nitrate fertilizers.Bolivia had allowed Chile to mine nitrate-rich saltpetre in their territory. Against the terms of a treaty signed between the two nations, Bolivia introduced a tax on the miners. Chile protested and the diplomatic row escalated to war. An ally of Bolivia, Peru tried to mediate the conflict but was ultimately dragged into war against Chile. Naval supply lines were critical to conduct a war against Bolivia, and Chile quickly sought naval supremacy. In an effort to settle the matter, Chile sailed its fleet to the major Peruvian port of Calleo and engaged in a major sea battle. Chile left behind two older wooden warships to blockade the smaller port of Iquique. On the morning of May 21,1879 two plumes of smoke were spotted through the morning fog off Iquique. Cutting through the mist were the bows of the Huascar and its sister British-built ironclad, the Independencia. An exchange of artillery fire immediately commenced between the Huascar and the Chilean frigate Esmeralda. Interestingly enough, barely a decade had passed since the Esmeralda had fought alongside Peru and Chile against the Spanish. Friend had become foe. The Esmeralda was hit almost immediately with a round passing through its hull, killing the surgeon and beheading his assistant. The Esmeralda soon repositioned herself with the Peruvian coastal town behind it. The Huascar’s crew hesitated to fire, concerned that the rounds might hit civilians watching the battle on the shore. Suddenly taking fire from the garrison troops in Iquique, the Esmeralda pushed its engines to adjust to the new threat from land. The move blew one of its boilers leaving the Chilean ship limping along. Noticing the Esmeralda had no torpedoes, and knowing its own iron was impervious to the enemy’s artillery, the Huascar steamed in for the kill.
As Huascar’s ram cut towards the Esmeralda, the Chilean crew successfully maneuvered their crippled ship to minimize the blow. The Huascar responded by unleashing a point-blank volley from its massive Armstrong guns into the Esmeralda. Dozens of Chilean sailors and marines were blasted into eternity. Chaos and exchanges of small arms fire ensued. When the smoke cleared, the Esmeralda’s captain was dead, and his body lain on the deck of the Huascar. Witnessing the Esmeralda ‘s desperate situation, Captain Miguel Grau of the Huascar gave the remaining Chilean crew an opportunity to surrender. Grau would become to be known as “the Gentleman of the Seas” for his chivalrous conduct towards his enemy. Unfortunately, the Chilean crew opted to respond to Grau’s calls for surrender by nailing the flag of Chile to the mizzen-mast. It was a statement that the Esmeralda would never strike its colours and surrender. Given little choice, Grau brought the Huascar to ramming speed and charged again at the Esmeralda. This time the Peruvian ironclad crashed through the starboard side of the Chilean warship and water poured into her powder magazine and engines. Again, the Huascar unleashed a volley from its mighty Armstrong guns with lethal effect, destroying the Esmeralda officer’s mess and partially clearing the deck of its crew. The Esmeralda’s crew bravely jumped aboard the Huascar with machetes and rifles in a vain attempt to seize victory from the ironclad jaws of defeat. The Huascar’s gatling gun crew made short work of the Chilean boarding party. Nobly the ironclad’s captain had the lone survivor rushed to the Huascar’s infirmary. Surprisingly, throughout this, the Esmeralda remained afloat. Twenty-minutes later the Huascar rammed the Chilean warship a third and final time right under the mizzen-mast. A last defiant cannon shot was fired before the Esmeralda sunk into a watery grave. The final part of the ship to disappear was the Chilean flag nailed to the mast.
On the MS and the stamp depict the rescue of the shipwrecked from the Esmeralda in the naval battle of Iquique (1879). “Huascar” is in the background.
More info is given on: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6841
Peru 2022; 5/7,60. Ms.
Source: https://www-militaryheritage-com.transl ... _tr_pto=sc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_Grau_Seminario.