The Chilean frigate O'Higgins captured as the Spanish Maria Isabel, being the former Spanish Patrico and Russian Patricia and finally became the Argentinean Buenos Aires

In the beginning of their war with the Spanish the Chileans captured the Spanish frigate Maria Isabel. In fact this ship was flying the colours of four different countries during her existence. She was as the Patricia laid down 30 January by Kurochkin at Archangelsk, Russia and launched 21 June 1816. Russia sold this 44-50 guns frigate to Spain 27 February 1818 with some ships of the line and frigates lying incomplete at Archangelsk and St. Petersburg. All ships were towed towards Spain where they were fitted out. At first renamed Patrico she left Spain as the Maria Isabel to be captured 29 October 1818 and renamed O'Higgins. Chile finally sold her to the Provincias Unidas del Rio de la Plata where she became the Buenos Aires although never saw active service.

A Chilean squadron, commanded by commodore don Manuel Blanco Ciceron, departed Valparaiso for sea 9 October 1818. There were rumours that the Spanish were fitting out at Cadiz troop transports destined for Chile. 21 May 1818 Cadiz was left by the Spanish ships. 'The state of the vessels was filthy in the extreme, and the decks were so greasy that is was difficult to preserve firm foot-hold. The misery of the scene was greatly aggravated by the sight of several unfortunate men, who, eaten up by scurvy, were stretched out at the gangways in the agonies of death" (Miller, p. 204).

The Chilean squadron was ordered to find the Spanish frigate Reyna Maria Isabel, convoying 8-10 troop transports and expected to Rouen Cape Horn any moment, coming from Cadiz. The Chilean squadron arrived off the island of Santa Maria 26 October and heard the next morning from the British whaler Shakespeare that the Spanish frigate left the Santa Maria 5 days earlier with a sickly crew and a shortage of provisions bound for Talcahuano. Two days later was the Spanish frigate lying for anchor on a pistol-shot distance of Talcahuano. In advance flying British colours the San Martin (56 guns) with on board commodore Ciceron sailed to her before hoisting the Chilean ensign. After some gun-shots exchange the Spanish cut the cables and the frigate was set on shore, with crewmembers escaped with boats and others jumping overboard and swimming to the shore. The Chileans captured the ship and tried due to the land wind without success getting her free. Heavy gunfire from a Royalist to destroy her was without any success. When the wind was coming from the South West, the Chileans succeeded 29 October in getting the frigate free from the shore and leaving the bay. Two days later the Chilean squadron went for anchor between the island and the mainland.

"The Maria Isabel was a very fine ship of fifty guns, and one of the four which Spain had bought of Russia, The filthy state in which she was found was a disgrace even to the Spanish navy. Captain Capaz, who commanded the Maria Isabel, was, upon his return to Spain, most clamorous against Spanish America. He contended that a few ships-of-war would be quite sufficient to put down the insurrection. His violence afterwards formed a strange contrast with the tameness of his behaviour at Talcahuano. He became minister of marine" (Miller, p. 204). The Chileans returned to Valparaiso the 7th.

Cochrane arrived 28 November 1818 just after the arrival of the squadron commanded by Blanco Encalada with a 'noble Spanish 50-gun frigate, the Maria Isabel … now named O'Higgins". According to him she was in 1822 still in service.

Niles' Weekly register published 28 October 1826 the following news item: "Buenos Ayres-The Chilean Fleet, consisting of the frigate O'Higgins, 1 corvette, 2 brigs and 2 schooners, left Coquimbo for the Rio de la Plata. With this aid, it is thought that the Buenos Ayrean admiral Brown, who appears to be a brave and able officer, will be able to make a full stand against the imperialists". The latter must be the Brazilian Empire. See also my notes dealing with the Brazilian and Buenos Ayrean navies and their ships on this weblog.

But what happened with the ships mentioned in Niles' Weekly Register? The corvette (the Chacabuco) did arrived at Buenos Aires, but not the O'Higgins."However the Buenos Ayreans tried to change their position. "They were further induced to do this from their confident expectation of the speedy arrival of two frigates, a corvette, and several smaller vessels, which they had lately purchased from the Chilean Government. Unfortunately, however, for the success of their calculations, the expected vessels encountered a gale off Cape Horn, in which one of the frigates sustained so much damage, that she was compelled to return to Chile, where she was condemned as unseaworthy; and the other, with five hundred men on board, is supposed to have foundered, never after having been heard of. The only vessels which succeeded in making their way to the point of rendezvous in Patagonia, were the corvette Chacabuco, and a small schooner" (Armitage, p. 262).

On the website www.todoababor.es is a lot of information to be found dealing with the South American navies in the 19th century; sadly enough just available in Spanish. According to this website the O'Higgins was ordered to be sold 1 April 1826, in fact to Buenos Ayres and renamed Buenos Aires, but wrecked while bound for Argentina near Cape Horn. In March 1823 after an inspection of Peter Oliver she was found to need large repairs, costs 95 mil. pesos. Displacement 1220 toneladas and dimensions 48,6 x 12,7 x 3,9m.

So it must be the O'Higgins, which was lost as described by John Armitage. My interpretation is confirmed by what Vowell in 1831 wrote.

As the hostilities with Spain almost ended Chile apparently didn't need to have a large fleet was the opinion of president Pinto. So 'he ordered all the ships of the squadron, with the exception of the Aquiles, to be paid off, and laid up in ordinary, as they were of no farther immediate service; the officers belonging to them being put at the same time, on the half-pay list" (Vowell, p.412-413).

The Republic Argentina (still common known as the Government of Buenos Ayres) desperately needed warships in her with the empire Brazil. The latter was blockading the river Rio de la Plata destroying in this way the Argentinean commerce. Despite spending large funds of money Argentina failed in strengthening her fleet while the United States and England didn't allow the departure of Argentinean 'warships' from their countries. So Argentina was forced to ask Chile for help. The latter decided to sell the O'Higgins, Independencia and Chacabuco. 'for which vessels, although old, they received a very good price. The Buenos-Ayrean agent engaged officers and sailors for the three ships; giving the former liberal advances of pay, and the latter handsome bounties. He also laid out considerable sums, on account of the republic of Argentina, in again coppering and refitting the ships preparatory to their doubling Cape Horn; besides purchasing such an abundance of naval (Vowell, p. 413-414 (which could not be procured at Buenos Ayres on account of the blockade), as completely to lumber the vessels. Nothing was talked of in Chile but the liberality of the Buenos-Ayrean Government; and the streets and cafès in the port were full of officers in the handsome uniform of Argentine, anxious for the sailing of the vessels. Captain Cobbett hoisted his broad pennant as Commodóro, on board the O'Higgins, which was particularly well manned, and had many Englishmen among the ships' company. All the vessels, indeed, had more than their full complement of hands; many volunteers having obtained permission to go round to Buenos Ayres, as supernumeraries, to join tee ships under Admiral Brown, that were short of them; [Brown was commanding of the Argentinean fleet that time]. Not long after sailing from Valparaiso, when the ships were in the latitude of Valdivia, they experienced a gale of wind that damaged them all considerably. The Independencia, in particular, was so much strained, that she was compelled to return; after having drafted to the O'Higgins several officers and seamen, besides putting on board of her as much as additional stores as could be stowed between decks, her hold being full. The O'Higgins had now on board upwards of six hundred men; and when the Independecia parted from her, was reported to be leaky. She was in fact, an old fir-built ships, that had long since run he time; and besides having been several times on shore, while under the flag of Chile, she had been repeatedly hove down, which operations is nearly as trying to a ship as lying aground. The last time this unfortunate vessel was seen, was by the Chacabúco, Captain George, which alone reached Buenos Ayres. The frigate was then lying to in a gale of wind off Cape Horn, and has never been heard o since; so that it appears but too certain that she must have foundered at sea with all hand" (Vowell p 413-415).

Sources

John Armitage. The History of Brazil from the period of the arrival of the Braganza family in 1808 to the abdication of don Pedro the first in 1831. London, 1836, p. 262.

Samuel Haigh. Sketches of Buenos Ayres, Chile, and Peru. London, 1831.

John Miller. Memoirs of General Miller in the service of the Republic of Peru, London, 1829, p. 191-204.

Warship International, no. 3/83. p. 316 answer tot question 8/81 by A. von Mach, A.A. Nofi and C. de St. Hubert. They weren't able to say what the finally fate of the ship was.

Thomas, earl of Dundonald [Cochrane], vol. 1. Narrative of service in the liberation of Chili, Peru, and Brazil, from Spanish and Portuguese domination.

Richard Longeville Vowell. Campaigns and Cruises in Venezuela and New Granada and in the Pacific Ocean from 1817 tot 1830. London, 1831, p.

Niles' Weekly register, vol. XXXI, September 1826 tot March 1827, p. 136.

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