Bernardo O\' Higgins

Bernardo O' Higgins Riquelme (Chillán, the August 20th 1778 - Lima, October 24th 1842) was a Chilean military officer. He is regarded as one of the Fathers of the Chilean Fatherland because he was one of the fundamental military figures of independence and the first Head of State of the independent Chile. He directed the country under the Supreme title of Commander (Director Supremo) between 1817 and 1823, date on which he voluntarily withdrew presidency in order to avoid a civil war. Following its resignation, it was exiled in Peru, where it remained until its death in 1842. Its name of origin, Ó Huiggín in Gaelic, was changed into O' Higgins by English because it were not able to pronounce it. It is with this patronym that the father of Bernardo, Ambrosio O' Higgins settled and made known itself in Chile.

Youth

Bernardo O' Higgins was born in Chillán in 1778. He is the illegitimate son D'Ambrosio O' Higgins and of doña Isabel Riquelme. His/her father is an Irish soldier with the service of the Spanish crown Intendant of Concepción, which will become Gouverneur of Chile then of Peru. At the 4 years age, it leaves the maternal house on order of his father, and leaves food in a peasant Talca, Juan Albano Pereira. Bernardo begins its education with Chillán with the Colegio de Naturales , an establishment reserved to the illegitimate children. Indeed, Bernardo is not recognized immediately by his/her father and it will keep a certain time the name of Bernardo Riquelme. Later, it is placed under the supervision of the 1st Tale of Maulle to the request his father, then it follows the courses of the Colegio del Príncipe to Lima. He travels then to Europe, initially in Cadiz, then in London where he studies with the college of Richmond. It is in England that he knows his mentor, the Venezuelan Fransisco de Miranda , who shows to him the way of the emancipation of the Spanish America.

It goes back to Cadiz in 1799 but not managing to adopt the military career which it wishes, it decides to return to America. It embarks on April 3rd, 1800 on the frigate “Confidence” bound for Buenos Aires to join Chile, but the ship is captured by a man-of-war British and returned to Cadiz. In 1801 it embarks again bound for Chile and is about to perish in a Ground shipwreck of Fire. It arrives finally at Chile in 1802. The following year, it enters in possession of the goods inherited his father died in 1801: San Jose de Las Will lay , a property of 167 hectares including/understanding more than 4000 heads of cattle. It is as as from this time as it starts to be made call Bernardo O' Higgins Riquelme.

Moreover, he was member of freemasonry.

Beginnings of the Revolution and the fight for independence

It is in 1804, when it is named mayor of Chillán, that it makes his beginnings in the public life. Two years later, it receives the distinction of Master of Camp as a former municipal officer. At the time of the September 18th 1810, he was subdelegate of the island of Laja. It will be linked with the fine independence movement 1810 then will be elected Député constituent Congress in 1811.

After the first coup d'etat of Jose Miguel Carrera it is trained a new junta of government which indicates O' Higgins as its door word. It accepts but problems of ampathy with Jose Miguel Carrera push it to be withdrawn in its property of Mow Will lay.

In 1813 the arrival of the first royalist forwarding in Chile ordered by the Sergeant Antonio Pareja, decides it to leave its retirement. It brings together militiamans of Laja and takes along them until Concepción which it believes in danger. After having received a message ordering to him to disperse its troops, having destabilized, it joined Talca where places itself under the orders of Will square. Will square orders to him to go on Linares to stop the Spanish commander Melchor Carvajal progressing on Talca. O' Higgins succeeds in overcoming the dragons of Carvajal on the place of Linares, one of the first Chilean victories in the war of independence. In recognition, O' Higgins is named colonel by the junta of government of Santiago. Starting from this date, the figure of O' Higgins starts to make shade with Carrera.

After various victorious skirmishes, O' Higgins moves towards Chillán. The countryside is a disaster for the patriots although it fights with a bold courage which makes it famous among the soldiers. To be avenged for its support to independence, the royalists burn his property and take as an hostage his mother and her sister who will be then used like currency of exchange and blackmail for the Women's Liberation of the general Sánchez and the signature of the Treaty of Lircay which recognizes the crown of Spain like authority.

October 17th, in the valley of El Roble, O' Higgins and its men are attacked by royalist soldiers. In the crash of the battle, O' Higgins launches a sentence become famous:

“has to me young people! To live with honor and to die with glory! How the brave men follow me! ” - Bernardo O' Higgins at the time of the battle of El Roble

Even after being wounded by a ball, it continues to fight, until the situation forces it with the retirement. Jose Miguel Carrera will recognize the heroism of O' Higgins by writing his report/ratio on the battle:

“ I cannot leave under silence the right praise which so much known O' Higgins deserves to it with dignity, with which it must be regarded by Your Excellence as the first soldier, with being able of him to only find and to heroically link the merit of glories and triumphs of the Chilean State ” Jose Miguel Carrera, Official report of the Battle of El Roble, October 25th, 1813

Bernardo O' Higgins General-in-chief

The junta of government moved of Santiago with Talca and named O' Higgins General-in-chief, relieving by same Carrera. O' Higgins hesitated for 3 months before accepting the load, and it is only when Carrera was resigned and withdrawn in Concepción which it took its mandate, the January 28th 1814. Two days only after the arrival of a new royalist forwarding, directed by Gabino Gaínza and better armed than the preceding one.

The Royalists seized Concepción and Talca. A new campaign started but contrary to the preceding ones it was a disaster for the Chilean army with cuisantes defeats at the time of the battles of El Quilo and El Mambrillar. The Chilean one, whose family was sequestered by the royalists, is lived in the obligation to sign the Treaty of Lircay, recognizing the “ legitimacy of colonization ”. O' Higgins lost a great part of its popularity with this capitulation.

Will square refused to accept this situation and led a putsh on the government, reversing the supreme Commander Fransisco de Lastra and taking again the direction of the armies. The July 29th an open municipal council and a new junta of war met in Talca and decided to disavow the new government and to reverse it by the weapons. O' Higgins went on the capital, combatant against the troops of Will square directed by his/her Luis brother at the time of the battle of mow Très Acequias (Battle of the Three Channels) the September 3rd. Was a defeat for O' Higgins.

With the arrival of a new Spanish forwarding under the orders of Mariano Osorio, Will square and O' Higgins were reconciled and O' Higgins replaça under the orders of Will be squared.

The Disaster of Rancagua

To face the royalists, O' Higgins decides to occupy Rancagua, being opposed to Jose Miguel Carrera who found more advised to occupy Angostura de Paine. The September 25th, O' Higgins strengthens all the accesses to the place of Rancagua.

October 1st, with 4500 royalists and 18 guns, more of the double of the unfavourable equipment, Osorio arises to the doors of Rancagua. It was possible no to communicate with the divisions ordered by Carrera and Benavente and O' Higgins had to take refuge inside the city. They were posted along the 4 streets which led to the central place. After a first attempt missed to seize the place, Osorio decides simultaneously to bombard and attack the trenches of the 4 streets. However, the patriots resisted until fallen the night and the incipient darkness put an end to the engagements. The patriots spent the night in safety but without water because the royalists cut the water arrival downtown.

The October 2nd the continuous battle with ferocity, the patriots resisted 6 frank attacks since the beginning of the confrontation but they quasi-are demolished. In an ultimate attempt to save the survivors, O' Higgins and its soldiers launch the attack, opening a passage in the enemy lines, which will become the Désastre of Rancagua .

has horse those which can it! We will open a passage through the enemy! -- O' Higgins at the time of the Disaster of Rancagua.

The Army of the Andes

With the survivors O' Higgins goes to Santiago where it has its last interview with Carrera. An interview where animosity between the two men is manifest. Following the example other patriots too implied in the war of independence, O' Higgins flees in Argentine with his/her mother and her sister. After having crossed the cordillière, it joined Mendoza the October 16th where it is received by Juan MacKenna and Jose de San Martin.

After a short stay with Mendoza, O' Higgins goes to Buenos Aires. It remains there until the government of Buenos Aires decides to integrate into the army in formation with Mendoza. During the organization of the army of release it develops a powerful friendship with San Martin which will last until their death. This friendship had actually started in Europe when the two men had integrated the Lautaro Cabin, of maconnic obedience.

Once finished the preparations, the army starts the January 21st 1817. They cross the cordillière by the passage of Los Patos (ducks) and release Putaendo at the time of the combat of mow Coimas (February 7th 1817) then San Felipe el Real. They meet in Curimón with the troops of Mow Heras which arrive of Santa Rosa de Los the Andes, and move towards the hills of Chacabuco. the February 12th, on the coast of Chacabuco, they face the royalist army directed by colonel Rafael Maroto. O' Higgins charges heroically against Spanish, an act which colonel Estanislao Soler will describe as insubordination, but that San Martin will recognize like full with bravery. What is certain it is that this load of the division of the general O' Higgins led the patriotic army to the victory. The next day, a junta offers the direction of the country to San Martin in thanks of her participation in the victory of the day before, but this one refuses the load. Later, 200 cities close to Santiago proclaim Don Bernardo O' Higgins Commandeur Supreme of the young nation. This day marks the beginning what one will call the “New Fatherland”.

O' Higgins, Supreme Commander of the Nation

O' Higgins indicates as Ministers of state Miguel Zañartu inside and Roofing stone Ignacio Zenteno with the War. To face the financial problems it creates the Ministry for Finances, directed by Hipólito Villegas. It abolishes the titles of nobility and creates the “Legion of the Merit of Chile”, it fights against the religious prejudices by removing churches the representations and images unaesthetic or ridiculous. It also substitutes for the old currency with the effigy of Ferdinand VII a new currency showing the seal of the government.

The February 2nd 1818, with Talca, it signs the Act of Independence of Chile, to which it will be lent oath on the Place of weapons of Santiago the 12 of the same month. It joins together the people of Santiago in the Cathedral Métropolitana the March 13rd of the same year, to swear with the feet of Notre Dame of Carmel the construction of a church in its honor on the site of the final victory. As from this moment the Virgin of Carmel is proclaimed owner of the Chilean armies.

To the advertisement of the presence of royalist troops with Talcahuano, O' Higgins sends a forwarding to finish some with the royalist army. But the hope to put an end to the conflict is erased when it proves that a new royalist forwarding is on the way, directed by Mariano Osorio.

The royalists attack by surprised the March 19th in Cancha Rayada and inflicts to the patriots a defeat which O' Higgins leaves seriously wounded to the arm. The believer dead and despairing of the arrival of San Martin, Manuel Rodriguez takes the command after a speech in front of the council and to be elected by acclamation of the people. When he learns the news, O' Higgins goes to Santiago being unaware of immediately the recommendations of its doctor, restores the order and reorganizes the patriotic forces.

April 5th, the Chilean forces and Argentinas ordered by San Martin face the royalists of Osorio at the time of the Battle of Maipu. O' Higgins had left the capital this same day and moved towards Maipu with some thousand militiamans to take part in the final battle. When it arrived on the battle field, O' Higgins tightened San Martin in its arms by greeting it as follows: O' Higgins: ¡ Gloire with the saver of Chile!
San Martín: General, Chile will never forget the famous invalid who presents himself still wounded on the battle field.
O' Higgins and San Martín at the time of the accodance of Maipú O' Higgins was devoted to the organization of the First National Squadron to ensure the sovereignty of Chile in particular, but of the remainder of the South America in general since its ships took part in the Forwarding of Release of Peru. The squadron left the August 20th 1820, birthday of O' Higgins, and the general came to Valparaiso to bid his farewell to him.

The war was not finished in the south and O' Higgins had to face a new threat: gangsters; in particular the band of Vicente Benavides.

Abdication of Bernardo O' Higgins

Exile and died in Peru

Ministers of state

Homage

This last has a monument in its memory, with the park of America-Latin, in the town of Quebec, with the Canada.

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