Qualla: Battle of San Nicolás https://qualla.com/battle-of-san-nicolas en-us © 2026 Bendyline Wed, 08 Jul 2026 02:39:57 GMT Qualla serial false Qualla support@bendyline.com yes https://qualla.com/_m/6/d/j/4/battle-of-san-nicolas-wp/hero-small.webp Qualla: Battle of San Nicolás https://qualla.com/battle-of-san-nicolas Battle of San Nicolás: Introduction https://qualla.com/battle-of-san-nicolas/ Photo credit Rafunken, CC BY 3.0. A Maltese privateer commanded the flagship. A Frenchman who would one day raid California ran the second ship. The crews were foreigners who barely spoke Spanish, the cannon were guns the navy had already retired as obsolete, and the whole enterprise had been assembled in a matter of weeks. On 2 March 1811, off San Nicolas on the Parana River, this improvised flotilla - the very first navy of revolutionary Buenos Aires - sailed straight into a stronger, faster Spanish squadron. It was destroyed. But the men who fought here became founders of the Argentine Navy, and their commander's courage was never in doubt.

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]]> Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/6/d/j/4/battle-of-san-nicolas-wp/6dj4-battle-of-san-nicol-s-intro.mp3 0:06 1 full Battle of San Nicolás: A Revolution Needs a Navy https://qualla.com/battle-of-san-nicolas/ Photo credit Rafunken, CC BY 3.0. The trouble began in May 1810, when Buenos Aires deposed the Spanish viceroy and claimed the right to govern itself while Spain lay under Napoleon's heel. Across the river in Montevideo, royalist authorities refused to accept it and blockaded the new government's port. Montevideo...

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]]> Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/6/d/j/4/battle-of-san-nicolas-wp/6dj4-battle-of-san-nicol-s-a-revolution-needs-a-navy.mp3 0:06 2 full Battle of San Nicolás: Five Ships and No Sailors https://qualla.com/battle-of-san-nicolas/ Photo credit Rafunken, CC BY 3.0. Gurruchaga bought five vessels from local owners and armed three of them: a schooner christened Invencible, a brigantine named 25 de Mayo for the revolution's birthday, and a sloop called America. The guns were largely cast-offs, withdrawn as obsolete. Crewing the ships was harde...

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]]> Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/6/d/j/4/battle-of-san-nicolas-wp/6dj4-battle-of-san-nicol-s-five-ships-and-no-sailors.mp3 0:06 3 full Battle of San Nicolás: Ambush on the Paraná https://qualla.com/battle-of-san-nicolas/ Photo credit Rafunken, CC BY 3.0. The fleet's first mission was a rescue. General Manuel Belgrano's army, sent to bring Paraguay into the revolution, had been beaten and needed reinforcements rushed upriver. Azopardo was ordered to carry troops and guns north. But Montevideo learned of the plan and sent the skill...

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]]> Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/6/d/j/4/battle-of-san-nicolas-wp/6dj4-battle-of-san-nicol-s-ambush-on-the-paran.mp3 0:06 4 full Battle of San Nicolás: Courage Without Victory https://qualla.com/battle-of-san-nicolas/ Photo credit Rafunken, CC BY 3.0. The battle went badly almost from the start. Two royalist brigantines grounded near shore and took fire, but Azopardo could not board them, and they worked free. The America was holed at the bow and abandoned as she flooded. Aboard the 25 de Mayo, the green crew panicked and leap...

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]]> Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://qualla.com/_m/6/d/j/4/battle-of-san-nicolas-wp/6dj4-battle-of-san-nicol-s-courage-without-victory.mp3 0:06 5 full