''San Telmo'' ("Saint Peter González" or "Saint

Erasmus of Formia Erasmus of Formia, also known as Saint Elmo (died c. 303), was a Christian saint and martyr. He is venerated as the patron saint of sailors and abdominal pain. Erasmus or Elmo is also one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, saintly figures of Christia ...

") was a

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: ** Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Ca ...

74-gun

ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colu ...

, launched in 1788. It sank while bringing reinforcements to

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

during the

war of independence This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which resi ...

, and some of its crew or passengers may have discovered and landed on

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest co ...

History

In 1819, the ''San Telmo'', commanded by Captain Joaquín de Toledo y Parra, was the flagship of a Spanish naval squadron under Brigadier

Rosendo Porlier y Asteguieta Rosendo Porlier y Asteguieta (1771–1819) was a Peruvian-born Spanish admiral, Brigadier of the Royal Spanish Navy. Porlier Bay in Livingston Island, Antarctica, where he died, is named after him. See also * San Telmo (ship) *Spanish Navy ...

bound for

Callao Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists of the whole Call ...

, Peru, to reinforce colonial forces there fighting the independence movements in

Spanish America Spanish America refers to the Spanish territories in the Americas during the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The term "Spanish America" was specifically used during the territories' imperial era between 15th and 19th centuries. To the en ...

. It was damaged by severe weather in the

Drake Passage The Drake Passage (referred to as Mar de Hoces Hoces Sea"in Spanish-speaking countries) is the body of water between South America's Cape Horn, Chile and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. It connects the southwestern part of the Atla ...

, south of

Cape Horn Cape Horn ( es, Cabo de Hornos, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which are the Diego Ramí ...

on 2 September 1819.

Legacy

A portion of the 644 officers, soldiers and seamen of the ''San Telmo'' may have been the first people to land on Antarctica. Some remnants and signs of the wreckage were later found by William Smith on

Livingston Island Livingston Island (Russian name ''Smolensk'', ) is an Antarctic island in the Southern Ocean, part of the South Shetlands Archipelago, a group of Antarctic islands north of the Antarctic Peninsula. It was the first land discovered south of 60� ...

in the

South Shetland Islands The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands with a total area of . They lie about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, and between southwest of the nearest point of the South Orkney Islands. By the Antarctic Treaty of 195 ...

. If any crew members survived the initial sinking and managed to land there, they would have been the first humans in history to reach the continent. San Telmo Island, off the north coast of

, is named after the ship. Moments prior to the battle that led to the capture of Valdivia in February 1820 the patriot force told the Spanish garrison of the Valdivian Fort System they were part of the convoy of ''San Telmo''. Using this tactic they were able to approach the beach at Aguada del Inglés largely undisturbed before their amphibious assault begun.

References

External links

El San Telmo. Una historia sin final.
History of Antarctica Ships of the Spanish Navy Colonial Peru Maritime incidents in 1819 Livingston Island Shipwrecks in the Southern Ocean 1819 in Antarctica 1788 ships Spain and the Antarctic 1819 in the Spanish Empire {{antarctica-stub