Historic Figure: Admiral José Padilla - Cartagena, Colombia

Admiral José Padilla

Cartagena, Colombia

N 10° 25.281 W 075° 33.117

Short Description: 

A statue of Colombia's greatest naval hero, Admiral José Padilla is located in a plaza near the Naval Museum in Cartagena, Colombia.


Long Description:

José Prudencio Padilla was born on March 19, 1784 in Bogotá, Colombia. He served as a seaman in the Spanish navy. During the Battle of Trafalgar, October 21, 1805, he was captured by British forces and taken prisoner. He was returned to Spain in 1808 and assigned to the boatswain's arsenal at Cartagena, New Granada (now Colombia). On On April 11, 1811 he supported the people of Cartagena in their quest for independence. In 1815 he served under the General Simón Bolívar in the struggle for independence from Spain. On July 24, 1823 he achieved a brilliant naval victory over the Spanish forces at the Battle of Lake Maracaibo during the war for the independence of Venezuela. Admiral Jose Padilla was instrumental in achieving the independence of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru and was the creator of the first navy of Colombia.

A monument honoring the Admiral Jose Padilla contains a life-size bronze statue of the Admiral on a 5' high base made of stone blocks that has plaques on three sides commemorating the achievements of Admiral Jose Padilla.

The Admiral is standing and wearing an ornate military uniform with epaulets. A decorated outer jacket has a high color and large cuffs. He is wearing knee-length boots and has a sash is tied around his waist. A sheathed sword on his left hip. His left arm is by his side and his right arm is bent at the elbow and a telescope is tucked under his arm.

Bronze plaques on the base describe his military career. The front plaque is inscribed:

ALMIRANTE

JOSE PADILLA

HOMENAJE DE

COLOMBIA A SU MÁXIMO 

HÉROE NAVAL

ADMIRAL

JOSÉ PADILLA

TRIBUTE OF

COLOMBIA TO ITS GREATEST

NAVAL HERO

A side plaque recounts a proclamation he made before the Battle of Lake Mariciabo:

PROCLAMA DEL ADMIRANTE PADILLA
"A TODOS LOS SEÑORES JEFES, OFICIALES,
TRIPULACIONES DE LA ESCUADRA DE MI MANDO"
"COMPAÑEROS:
LA PUERTA DEL HONOR ESTA ABIERTA: EL
ENEMIGO NOS ATRAE Y NOSOTROS LE ESPERAMOS,
¿QUE MAYOR GLORIA PODRIAMOS DESEAR? SUPERIOR
ES SU FUERZA, DE NOSOTROS EL VALOR Y LA DECISION,
¿LE TEMEREMOS? NO; NI EL GENERAL PADILLA, NI LOS
BRAVOS QUE TIENE LA HONORA DE MANDAR VACILAN
JAMAS AL VER AL ENEMIGO A SU FRENTE, SINO POR
EL CONTRARIO, ANSIAN PORQUE LLEGUE ESE MOMENTO,"
"COMPAÑEROS:
YO ESTOY SEGURO QUE LA SUERTE NOS LO PROPORCIONA PARA
DESCANSAR, Y OS A SEGURO LA VICTORIA PORQUE ESTE ES
EL ULTIMO ESFUERZO DE NUESTRO AGONIZANTE ENEMIGO,
VUESTRO GENERAL OS ACOMPAÑARA COMO SIEMPRE
HASTA PERDER LA EXISTENCIA, CONFIADO EN
VUESTRO VALOR Y EN LA JUSTICIA DE NUESTRA CAUSA."
"COLOMBIANOS: MORIR O SER LIBRE!!!"
"A BORDO DEL BERGANTIN DE GUERRA "INDEPENDIENTS"
AL ANGLA EN PUNTA DE PALMAS (LAGO DE MARACAIBO)
JULIO 21 DE 1823

PROCLAMATION OF ADMIRAL PADILLA
"TO ALL THE LORDS LEADERS, OFFICIALS,
MY COMMAND SQUAD CREWS"
"COLLEAGUES:"
HONOR THIS OPPORTUNITY: THE
ENEMY ATTRACTS US AND WE WILL HOPE,
WHAT GREATER GLORY COULD WANT? SUPERIORITY
IS YOUR STRENGTH, COURAGE AND THE DETERMINATION,
DO YOU FEAR? NOT; NEITHER THE GENERAL PADILLA, OR THE
BRAVE THAT HAVE THE HONOR TO BE SENT, NEVER HESITATE
SEEING THE ENEMY TO HIS FRONT, BUT
"INSTEAD, CRUISES TO BE ABLE TO REACH THAT POINT,"
"COLLEAGUES:"
I AM SURE THE LUCK IT PROVIDES FOR
REST, AND OF CERTAIN VICTORY BECAUSE THIS IS
THE LAST EFFORT OF OUR DYING ENEMY,
YOUR GENERAL IS ACCOMPANIED AS ALWAYS
TO LOSE THE EXISTENCE, CONFIDENT IN
"YOUR COURAGE AND JUSTICE OF OUR CAUSE."
"COLOMBIANS: DIE OR BE FREE!"
"ON BOARD OF THE BRIG OF WAR "INDEPENDIENTS""
TO THE ANGLO IN PUNTA DE PALMAS (LAGO DE MARACAIBO)
JULY 21, 1823

A plaque on the right side lists his military achievements and dates.

BATALLAS DE PADILLA
BATALLA DE TRAFALGAR - 21 DE OCTOBRE DE 1,805
TOMA DE CISPATA - 26 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 1,812
TOMA DE SANTA MARTA - 6 DE ENERO DE 1,813
CAPTURA DE LA FRAGATA "NEPTUNO" - JUNIO DE 1,815
COMBATE DE TIERRA BOMBA - 11 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 1,815
COMBATE TERRESTRE DE
LIBERACION DE LA GUAJIRA - 25 DE MAYO DE 1,820
TOMA DE SABANILLA - 11 DE JUNIO DE 1,820
TOMA DE SITIO NUEVO - 27 DE JUNIO DE 1,820
COMBATE DE SAN JUAN DE LA CIENAGA - 10 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 1,820
RETOMA DE SANTA MARTA - 11 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 1,820
NOCHE DE SAN JUAN - 24 DE JUNIO DE 1,821
RENDICION CASTILLOS DE BOCACHIDA - 5 DE JULIO DE 1,821
CAPTURA DEL BERGANTIN "STRUGGLE" - 29 DE JULIO DE 1,821
CAPITULATION DE CARTAGENA-  21 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1,821
BATALLA DEL LAGO DE MARACAIBO - 24 DE JULIO DE 1,824

BATTLES OF PADILLA
BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR  - 21 OCTOBER OF 1805
TAKING OF CISPATA  - NOVEMBER 26, 1812
TAKING OF SANTA MARTA  - JANUARY 6 OF 1813
CAPTURE OF THE FRIGATE "NEPTUNO"  - JUNE OF 1815
COMBAT OF TIERRA BOMBA  - 11 NOVEMBER 1815
GROUND COMBAT OF THE FREEING OF GUAJIRA  -  MAY 25, 1820
TAKING OF SABANILLA -  11 JUNE 1820
TAKING OF SITIO NUEVO -  27 JUNE 1820
BATTLE OF SAN JUAN OF THE SWAMP -  NOVEMBER 10, 1820
RETURNS OF SANTA MARTA  - 11 NOVEMBER 1820
NIGHT OF SAN JUAN  -  JUNE 24 1821
SURRENDER OF THE CASTLES OF BOCACHIDA  - JULY 5, 1821
CAPTURE OF THE BRIG "STRUGGLE"  -  JULY 29, 1821
CAPITULATION OF CARTAGENA  - 21 SEPTEMBER OF 1821
BATTLE OF LAKE MARACAIBO  -  JULY 24, 1824