Rafael Conti
Encyclopedia
Colonel Rafael Conti, also spelled "Conty" (1746–1814) was a Puerto Rican
who joined the Spanish Army
and was placed in charge of the Puerto Rican Militia in the town of Aguadilla. In 1790, he captured 11 enemy ships involved in smuggling stolen goods. In 1797, he helped defeat Sir Ralph Abercromby
and defend Puerto Rico
from a British
invasion in his hometown, Aguadilla. In 1809, he organized a military expedition fight with the aim of returning Hispaniola
, which now comprises the nations of the Dominican Republic
and Haiti
, back to Spanish rule.
in Puerto Rico
. There he received his primary and secondary education in private schools. His parents sent him to Cadiz
, Spain
, where he trained for a military career in a military institution. Upon his graduation in 1766, he was commissioned a Lieutenant of War and continued to serve in Spain.
.
and Conti who together with Lieutenant Lucas de Fuentes attacked the enemy with two cannons. After fiercely fighting by the Spanish forces and local militia, they were defeated in all attempts to advance into San Juan. The invasion failed because Puerto Rican volunteers and Spanish troops fought back and defended the island in a manner described by a British lieutenant as of “astonishing bravery". The British also attacked Aguadilla
and Punta Salinas, where they were met by Conti who had been promoted to Colonel of Artillery, and his men. The British were defeated, and the British troops that had landed on the island were taken prisoner. The enemy retreated on April 30 to their ships and on May 2 set sail northward. Because of the defeat given to the British forces, governor Ramon de Castro petitioned Spanish King Charles IV
for recognition for the victors; Conti and several others were promoted and given pay raises.
, Spain ceded the island of Hispaniola to France. France came to own the island in 1795, when by the Peace of Basel
Spain ceded Santo Domingo as a consequence of the French Revolutionary Wars
. At the time, Saint-Domingue's slaves, led by Toussaint Louverture, were in revolt against France. In 1801 they captured Santo Domingo, thus controlling the entire island; but in 1802 an army sent by Napoleon
captured Toussaint Louverture and sent him to France as prisoner. However, Toussaint Louverture's lieutenants, plus the spread of yellow fever
, succeeded in expelling the French again from Saint-Domingue, which in 1804 the rebels made independent as the Republic of Haiti. Eastwards, France continued to rule Spanish Santo Domingo.
In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain
, the criollos
of Santo Domingo revolted against French rule. Conti organized an expedition to return Hispaniola back to Spain. Col Conti together with naval Captain Ramón Power y Giralt
, a fellow Puerto Rican, distinguished themselves with the defense of the Dominican Republic against an invasion from the French forces by enforcing a blockade with the aid of Great Britain
(Spain's ally at the time) and Haiti, returned Santo Domingo to Spanish control.
Puerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
who joined the Spanish Army
Spanish Army
The Spanish Army is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the 15th century.-Introduction:...
and was placed in charge of the Puerto Rican Militia in the town of Aguadilla. In 1790, he captured 11 enemy ships involved in smuggling stolen goods. In 1797, he helped defeat Sir Ralph Abercromby
Ralph Abercromby
Sir Ralph Abercromby was a Scottish soldier and politician. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-general in the British Army, was noted for his services during the Napoleonic Wars, and served as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland.He twice served as MP for Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire, and was...
and defend Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
from a British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
invasion in his hometown, Aguadilla. In 1809, he organized a military expedition fight with the aim of returning Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
, which now comprises the nations of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, back to Spanish rule.
Early years
Conti (birth name: Rafael Conti y Flores) was born in the town of AguadillaAguadilla, Puerto Rico
Aguadilla , founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla is spread over 15 wards and Aguadilla Pueblo...
in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. There he received his primary and secondary education in private schools. His parents sent him to Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, where he trained for a military career in a military institution. Upon his graduation in 1766, he was commissioned a Lieutenant of War and continued to serve in Spain.
Military career
Conti returned to Puerto Rico and was placed in charge of the Puerto Rican Militia in Aguadilla and named sub delegate of the treasury of the town. In 1790, he became aware of the fact that various English vessels were involved in the illegal act of smuggling stolen goods close to the coast of his hometown. Conti then took charge of a sloop and with the help of his men in the militia, he captured and confiscated 11 vessels involved in the illegal activity. He married Juana Josefa Torralbo, daughter of the Spanish appointed Governor of Puerto Rico Francisco TorralboFrancisco Torralbo
Francisco Torralbo y Robles , acting governor of Puerto Rico, brigadier general, King's Lieutenant of Puerto Rico.He served as Spanish governor of Puerto Rico on two occasions, 1789 and 1792–1793, both ad interim...
.
Defense of San Juan (1797)
On February 17, 1797, the then appointed Governor of Puerto Rico Brigadier General Ramón de Castro, received news that Great Britain had invaded the island of Trinidad. Believing that Puerto Rico would be the next British objective he decided to put the local militia on alert and to prepare the island's forts against any military action. After the invaders disembarked practically all fighting was land based with many skirmishes, field artillery and mortar fire exchanges between the San Gerónimo and San Antonio Bridge fortress and British emplacements in Condado to the East and El Olimpo hill in Miramar to the South. The British tried to take the San Antonio, a key passage to the San Juan islet, and repeatedly bombarded the nearby San Gerónimo to the tune of nearly one thousand shells and almost demolishing it. At the Martín Peña Bridge, they were met by the likes of Sergeants Jose and Francisco DiazJose and Francisco Diaz
Sergeants José "Pepe" Díaz and Francisco Díaz were two cousins in the Toa Alta Militia who helped defeat Sir Ralph Abercromby and defend Puerto Rico from a British invasion in 1797.-Early years:...
and Conti who together with Lieutenant Lucas de Fuentes attacked the enemy with two cannons. After fiercely fighting by the Spanish forces and local militia, they were defeated in all attempts to advance into San Juan. The invasion failed because Puerto Rican volunteers and Spanish troops fought back and defended the island in a manner described by a British lieutenant as of “astonishing bravery". The British also attacked Aguadilla
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Aguadilla , founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla is spread over 15 wards and Aguadilla Pueblo...
and Punta Salinas, where they were met by Conti who had been promoted to Colonel of Artillery, and his men. The British were defeated, and the British troops that had landed on the island were taken prisoner. The enemy retreated on April 30 to their ships and on May 2 set sail northward. Because of the defeat given to the British forces, governor Ramon de Castro petitioned Spanish King Charles IV
Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV was King of Spain from 14 December 1788 until his abdication on 19 March 1808.-Early life:...
for recognition for the victors; Conti and several others were promoted and given pay raises.
Hispaniola expedition of 1809
Spain neglected her Caribbean holdings and in 1697 Treaty of RyswickTreaty of Ryswick
The Treaty of Ryswick or Ryswyck was signed on 20 September 1697 and named after Ryswick in the Dutch Republic. The treaty settled the Nine Years' War, which pitted France against the Grand Alliance of England, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the United Provinces.Negotiations started in May...
, Spain ceded the island of Hispaniola to France. France came to own the island in 1795, when by the Peace of Basel
Peace of Basel
The Peace of Basel of 1795 consists of three peace treaties involving France .* The first of the three treaties of 1795, France made peace with Prussia on 5 April; , * The Second was with Spain on 22 July, ending the War of the Pyrenees; and*...
Spain ceded Santo Domingo as a consequence of the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
. At the time, Saint-Domingue's slaves, led by Toussaint Louverture, were in revolt against France. In 1801 they captured Santo Domingo, thus controlling the entire island; but in 1802 an army sent by Napoleon
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
captured Toussaint Louverture and sent him to France as prisoner. However, Toussaint Louverture's lieutenants, plus the spread of yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
, succeeded in expelling the French again from Saint-Domingue, which in 1804 the rebels made independent as the Republic of Haiti. Eastwards, France continued to rule Spanish Santo Domingo.
In 1808, following Napoleon's invasion of Spain
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, the criollos
Criollo (people)
The Criollo class ranked below that of the Iberian Peninsulares, the high-born permanent residence colonists born in Spain. But Criollos were higher status/rank than all other castes—people of mixed descent, Amerindians, and enslaved Africans...
of Santo Domingo revolted against French rule. Conti organized an expedition to return Hispaniola back to Spain. Col Conti together with naval Captain Ramón Power y Giralt
Ramon Power y Giralt
Captain Ramón Power y Giralt , commonly known only as "Ramón Power", was, according to Puerto Rican historian Lidio Cruz Monclova, among the first native born Puerto Ricans to refer to himself as a "Puerto Rican" and to fight for the equal representation of Puerto Rico in front of the parliamentary...
, a fellow Puerto Rican, distinguished themselves with the defense of the Dominican Republic against an invasion from the French forces by enforcing a blockade with the aid of Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(Spain's ally at the time) and Haiti, returned Santo Domingo to Spanish control.
Legacy
On September 26, 1814, Conti died in the City of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. His hometown has honored his memory by naming a high school the "Rafael Conty Liceo Aquadillano High School" after him.Further reading
- "Historia militar de Puerto Rico"; by Héctor Andrés NegroniHector Andres NegroniColonel Héctor Andrés Negroni is a historian, senior aerospace defense executive, author and the first Puerto Rican graduate of the United States Air Force Academy...
(Author); Publisher: Sociedad Estatal Quinto Centenario (1992); Language: Spanish; ISBN 8478441387; ISBN 978-8478441389
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- List of Puerto Rican military personnel
- Military history of Puerto RicoMilitary history of Puerto RicoThe recorded military history of Puerto Rico encompasses the period from the 16th century, when Spanish conquistadores battled native Tainos in the rebellion of 1511, to the present employment of Puerto Ricans in the United States Armed Forces in the military campaigns in Afghanistan and...