Мигель Грау: Перулік теңізші батырының өмірі мен ерліктері

Peruvian naval officer

Miguel María Grau Seminario (27 July 1834 – 8 October 1879) was the most renowned Peruvian naval officer and hero of the naval battle of Angamos during the War of the Pacific (1879–1884). He was known as el Caballero de los Mares (Spanish for "Gentleman of the Seas") for his kind and chivalrous treatment of defeated enemies and is esteemed by both Peruvians and Chileans. He is an iconic figure for the Peruvian Navy, and one of the most famous merchant marine and naval military leaders of the Americas.

Miguel Grau was born in Paita on 27 July 1834 in the house of Dr. Alexander Diamont Newel with the assistance of the midwife Tadea Castillo, also known as "The Morito," both prominent figures in Paita. His father was Juan Manuel Grau y Berrío, a Colombian who came to Peru with Bolivar in the fight for independence from Spain. Later, Juan bought property in Paita and worked at the Customs Office. The relationship between his parents was extramarital as his mother, María Luisa Seminario y del Castillo, was also married to Colombian captain Pío Díaz and they would have three legitimate children together: Roberto, Emilio and Balbina. María Luisa would motivate Grau to love the sea from his youth. He entered the Paita Nautical School. He first went to sea when he was nine years old, going to Colombia, aboard a merchant schooner. The schooner sank in front of Gorgona Island and he later returned to Paita. However, he did not get discouraged and embarked again the following year. Grau later went on various merchant ships to ports in Oceania, Asia, America and Europe. These voyages gave Grau the seagoing experience that was the foundation for his brilliant career as a nautical officer and the beginning of a love story with Carla Ortiz (unidentified French women).

In 1853, at the age of 19, he left the merchant marine and became an officer candidate of the Peruvian Navy, where he developed an outstanding professional reputation. In 1854, he was an officer on board the steamer Rimac. His career was rapid and brilliant. In 1862, he left the Navy and went into private business in a series of forced labor recruiting expeditions in Polynesia. In 1863, he was notified that if he reenlisted he would be promoted as of a year later. On returning in 1864, he was sent to Europe to oversee the construction of ships for the Peruvian fleet. He would be put in prison a year later, with a group of fellow officers for rejecting the idea of hiring a foreigner as supreme commander of the Peruvian navy, but was later released after a trial in which they were declared not guilty as their cause was proven worthy. Among these ships was the ironclad Huáscar, launched in 1865 by Laird at Birkenhead. Upon his return, Chile and Peru joined in a bi national fleet against Spanish attempts to reclaim their American colonies. In 1868, he was recalled to the Navy and was named commander of the Huáscar with the rank of Lieutenant Commander and was later promoted to commander. By 1 June 1874, he became the commanding officer of the Peruvian Navy's fleet as captain, and later became a member of the Congress of the Republic of Peru as an elected congressman in 1876 representing Paita. To this day his seat is preserved in congress and his name is called at the beginning of each session, being responded "present" to by all congressmen.

When the War of the Pacific between Chile against Bolivia and Peru began on 5 April 1879, Miguel Grau was aboard the Huáscar, as its captain and the Commander of the Navy. In an impressive display of naval mastery, Capitán Grau played an important role by interdicting Chilean lines of communication and supply, damaging, capturing or destroying several enemy vessels, and bombarding port installations. Grau's Huáscar became famed for moving stealthily, striking by surprise and then disappearing. These actions put off a Chilean invasion by sea for six months, and as a result he was promoted to rear admiral by the government in Lima the first Peruvian to be promoted to flag officer rank in many years.