Carlos Condell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos Arnaldo Condell De La Haza
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| Born | August 14, 1843 Valparaíso, Chile |
| Died | November 24, 1887 Quilpué, Chile |
| Allegiance |  Chile |
| Service/ |
 Chilean Navy |
| Years of service | 1861 - 1887 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands held | Covadonga |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Punta Gruesa |
| Signature |  |
Carlos Arnaldo Condell De La Haza (born August 14, 1843, in Valparaíso – died November 24, 1887, in Quilpué) was an important Chilean naval officer. He is remembered as a hero from the Battle of Punta Gruesa at the start of the War of the Pacific.
Carlos was very good at planning battles. However, some people didn't give him enough credit because his mother was from Peru. Despite this, his victories in tough situations helped Chile win the War of the Pacific.
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Early Life of Carlos Condell
Carlos Condell was born on August 14, 1843, in Valparaíso, Chile. His father, Federico Condell, was a merchant sailor from Scotland. His mother, Lady Manuela De la Haza, was from a noble family in Peru.
Carlos had uncles who were rear admirals in the Peruvian Navy. This meant he had many cousins who were also Peruvian naval officers. Carlos did not have strong family ties in Chile. This sometimes led to him being treated unfairly during his life.
He was the sixth of ten children in his family. His two oldest brothers were born in Peru.
Carlos went to school in Valparaíso. He first attended the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones (School of the Sacred Heart) from 1849 to 1854. After that, he studied at the Colegio Inglés (English School).
At just fifteen years old, on July 29, 1858, Carlos Condell joined the navy. He was part of a famous group of young cadets called the Class of the Heroes. Other future heroes like Arturo Prat, Juan José Latorre, Jorge Montt, and Luis Uribe were in this group.
Three years later, on July 15, 1861, Carlos became an officer cadet, also known as a guardiamarina in Spanish.
Carlos Condell's first battles were during the Chincha Islands War against Spain. He fought in the Battle of Papudo on November 26, 1865. He also took part in the Battle of Abtao on February 8, 1866.
During these battles, he fought alongside Peruvian officers, including Miguel Grau. These same officers would become his enemies in the next war.
In April 1867, Condell left the Chilean Navy to become a merchant. He opened a store in Valparaíso. But his business only lasted seven months. He soon returned to the navy and was assigned to the ship Esmeralda.
In December 1868, he helped bring the remains of Bernardo O'Higgins back to Chile. Later, he served on the ships Abtao and Chacabuco. In the years that followed, he sailed to the Juan Fernández Islands and to southern Chile. By the end of 1876, while on the Corvette Esmeralda, he traveled to Easter Island and Tahiti.
A Break from Service
In March 1872, Carlos Condell decided to leave the navy again. He wanted to try being a merchant like his father. However, his businesses were not very successful.
While in Valparaíso, he met Matilde Lemus Valdivieso, who was only 16. They got married on September 26, 1877, and had four children.
After four years of civilian life, he returned to the navy in March 1876. He was once again assigned to the ship Esmeralda (1855).
The War of the Pacific (1879–1883)
When the War of the Pacific began on April 5, 1879, Condell was a corvette captain. He was in charge of the corvette Abtao. His first job was to block the port of Iquique, which belonged to Peru at the time.
The next month, Condell was given command of the schooner Covadonga. His friend, Arturo Prat, was in charge of the slightly larger corvette Esmeralda. These two older ships were left behind. The rest of the Chilean fleet sailed to the main Peruvian port of El Callao for a major attack.
On May 21, these smaller Chilean ships faced off against powerful Peruvian warships. The Covadonga fought the armored frigate Independencia. The Esmeralda fought the monitor Huáscar. Prat bravely fought and died in the Battle of Iquique.
Condell, however, managed to escape south. The Independencia, commanded by Juan Guillermo More, chased him. The Independencia was much bigger and had more firepower. But Condell cleverly led the enemy ship onto a coastal reef. He then fired back at the trapped ship. He got away just as the monitor Huáscar arrived to help the crew of the damaged Independencia. This battle is known as the Battle of Punta Gruesa.
After this victory, the balance of power in the War of the Pacific changed. The Huáscar was the only major threat left to Chile's navy. Condell was promoted to frigate captain. He was then put in charge of the gunboat Magallanes.
On November 2, 1879, Condell helped attack and capture the port of Pisagua. He also helped block the port of Arica. Later, he fought against the forts in Arica and the ship Manco Capac. In 1880, he took command of the Huáscar itself. This famous enemy ship had been captured in the Battle of Angamos. Condell used the Huáscar to block the port of El Callao and fight in other parts of the war. People in Peru became very angry with him because he kept winning battles.
Exactly three years after the battles of Iquique and Punta Gruesa, on May 21, 1881, Condell was promoted to captain. In December, he was sent to Europe. He returned in 1884, when the War of the Pacific ended with Chile's victory.
Carlos Condell's Final Years
In 1884, Condell was given a role in the Ministry of the Seas (Ministerio de Marina). He was also put in charge of the armored frigate Cochrane as a Commodore.
Starting in 1887, he was transferred to the frigate Blanco on April 4. There, he became the chief of the national navy. However, he had to leave this important job because he became very ill. Even so, on August 17, he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral (Contraalmirante in Spanish).
Carlos Condell passed away in Quilpué on November 24, 1887. He was only 44 years old. His body was taken to the Crypt of the Naval Heroes (Cripta de los Héroes Navales) in Valparaíso.
See also
- In Spanish: Carlos Condell para niños
