page_title: Juan Ángel Michelena
section_title: Military career
hierarchical_section_title: Juan Ángel Michelena / Military career
caption_attribution_description: Español: Combate naval del Buceo, óleo sobre tela.
context_page_description: Juan Ángel Michelena was a Spanish naval officer, he fought against the Royal Navy in Cape St. Vincent, and participated heroically in the defense and reconquest of Buenos Aires against the English invaders. He also served as Acting Governor of the city of Montevideo.
  He maintained great loyalty to the Spanish empire during the period of Independence wars. In 1825, Juan Ángel Michelena was designate as Governor of the city and ports of Ferrol, Galicia.
context_section_description: Michelena did his studies in Europe, traveled to Spain to early age, and joined the Armada Española in the military port of Cadiz at age twelve. In 1788, Michelena finished his elementary studies, and was embarked on February 1, in the frigate "Cecilia", with he sailed towards Tangier, Cartagena, Constantinople and the coast of Syria. In 1789, Michelena returned to Cadiz, being promoted to Alferez on January 13 of that same year. He was as an assistant to Juan Joaquín Moreno (Captain the ship "San Lorenzo"), they making trips to Barcelona, Livorno and Naples. He also served to the orders of Félix Ignacio de Tejada, Captain General of the Spanish Navy.
  Back in Cadiz, Michelena served two months in the Corps of Dragons of the Armada Española. Later was promoted to Lieutenant, serving in the Havana, Puerto Rico and fought against John Jervis, in the Battle of San Vicente (conflict occurred on February 14, 1797 in Cape St. Vincent). In 1798, he served on the ship "San Pablo" (commanded by the Captain of the Navy Jose de Mazarredo y Salazar), in pursuit of the English squadrons that had blocked the port of Cadiz. Michelena had taking an active part in capture of the "Pitt" sloop of fourteen guns.
  In 1803 Michelena was to the control of the brig "Ligero", with which it captured a pirate ship that operated in the Mediterranean. Then went to La Coruña and crossed the Atlantic, to served as correspondent between the Antilles, Tierra Firme and Montevideo.
  He was Captain in 1805, when he came to Montevideo, serving to command of General Pascual Ruiz Huidobro. The following year he joined the campaign of Santiago de Liniers. to fight against the British invaders, as head of the sailors who fought on land, participating in the Combate del Retiro. Later he was one of the Captains who led and brought troops to and from the Banda Oriental.
  During the second English invasion, Michelena was commissioned to lead the schooner "Remedios", with which managed to put in flight two English brigs.
  In September 1807 the Viceroy Liniers, had appointed Michelena as governor in the Banda Oriental, event that causes great commotion in the Uruguayan community. Michelena finally traveled to Montevideo to take over government, after arrival was insulted and beaten in public by Francisco Javier de Elio. He remained during the following years in Montevideo, but did not support the ruling junta installed by Elio in that city in 1808. A year later, Elio was deposed by the new viceroy, Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros.
  Michelena was in Buenos Aires when the May Revolution broke out, and had accompanied to the General Joaquin de Soria to Montevideo. In an act of stupidity that will cost you dearly, the Primera Junta did not try to prevent who Soria, carry the naval fleet with him toward Montevideo, where they formed the most powerful realist centre. Michelena had helped disarm the revolutionary attempt engineered by Colonel Prudencio Murguiondo in the Banda Oriental.
  In December of that same year, 1810, he led a campaign against the shores of the Uruguay river, achieving the recruitment of several towns to obedience from Montevideo, among them Concepción del Uruguay, Gualeguaychú, Paysandú, Soriano, Mercedes, and Colla. When the Uruguayans took up arms early in the next year, Michelena could not prevent the sending reinforcements by the patriots porteños, but at least greatly delayed their progress. Along with Captain Jacinto de Romarate, fought against the patriotic troops in several campaigns, and plundered the coast of the Paraná River, causing the weakening of the porteños.
  In July 1811, Michelena had approached the coast of Buenos Aires commanding five Spanish ships, he had order to open fire on the city. In total thirty-one bombs, and three cannonballs, were fired at the Rio de la Plata, without reaching the coast of the city (event known as Primer Bombardeo de Buenos Aires) .
  In August 1812, he led a Second bombing on Buenos Aires, who only provoked some damage in coast of the river, but caused great psychological effect on the inhabitants.
  In 1814 Juan Áng
caption: Battle of Buceo (by Justo Lynch)
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