Puerta de Tierra in San Juan in Municipio de San Juan, Puerto Rico — The Caribbean (The West Indies)
Ataques a la Isleta
[Attacks on the Islet]
Since the early 16th century, the port of San Juan became one of the most important in the Americans. As as result, the city was attacked several times by European powers interested in controlling the port. The first to attack were the English, led by Sir Francis Drake and John Hawkins in 1595, and by George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland, in 1598. In 1625, there was a Dutch attack led by Boudewijn Hendrijks. In 1797, the English attacked again under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby. Among these, the only one that had a modicum of success was the 1598 attack led by the Earl of Cumberland, whose troops occupied the city for 33 days.
This area of the first line of defense was the scene of a very important battle that led to the defeat of the English during the 1797 invasion. The construction of this line had been completed shortly before the invasion and was key to the Spanish victory. Militiamen from all over Puerto Rico participated in this conflict. As a result of that triumph, the Spanish Crown granted San Juan the motto “Very Noble and Very Loyal” that appears in its coat of arms. Puerto Rican painter José Campeche (1751-1809) depicted the attack in a famous oil painting in the collection of the San Juan Archdiocese.
Caption: English plan "showing the disposition of the works thrown up against the place by the English Forces under Sir Ralph Abercromby, and the situation of the Ships of War [...] April 1797."
A principios del siglo XVI, el puerto de San Juan se convirtió en uno de los más importantes de las Américas. Ello ocasionó que la ciudad de San Juan fuera atacada en varias ocasiones por potencias europeas que querían obtener control de su puerto: en 1595 por ingleses bajo el mando de Sir Francis Drake y John Hawkins; en 1598 por ingleses comandados por George Clifford, Conde de Cumberland; en 1625 por holandeses dirigidos por Balduino Enrico (Boudewijn Hendrijks); y nuevamente por los ingleses en 1797, bajo el mando de Sir Ralph Abercromby, El único de estos ataques que tuvo algún éxito fue el del Conde de Cumberland, cuyas tropas ocuparon la ciudad por 33 dias. Durante la invasión de 1797 se llevó a cabo en este lugar, zona de la primera línea de defensa, una importantísima batalla en la cual los españoles derrotaron a los ingleses. Las fortificaciones de dicha línea, cuya construcción había sido culminada poco antes de la invasión, fue clave en el triunfo de los españoles. En dicha batalla participaron milicianos de todo Puerto Rico. Con ese triunfo, San Juan obtuvo de la Corona Española el lema de Muy Noble y Muy Leal el cual lleva en su escudo. El pintor puertorriqueño José Campeche (1751-1809) representó el ataque en un famoso óleo que forma parte de la colección de la Arquidiócesis de San Juan.
Pie de dibujo: Plano inglés mostrando la disposición de las fuerzas Inglesas bajo el mando de Sir Ralph Abercromby para el ataque a San Juan en 1797. 1815.
Erected by Paseo Puerta de Tierra.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Forts and Castles • Wars, Non-US. A significant historical year for this entry is 1595.
Location. 18° 27.631′ N, 66° 5.181′ W. Marker is in San Juan in Municipio de San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is in Puerta de Tierra. Marker is on PR-1 north of Ashford Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: San Juan PR 00907, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. First Line of Defense (within shouting distance of this marker); Guillermo Esteves Bridge (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fort San Antonio (about 400 feet away); Capilla Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (approx. half a kilometer away); Polvorín de San Jerónimo (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); Memorial de Pulse (Pulse Memorial) (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); Palma real (approx. 0.9 kilometers away); Segunda línea de defensa (approx. 1.1 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Juan.
More about this marker. Only the north side of the marker has been photographed.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 9, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 29, 2020, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 192 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 29, 2020, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. A close-up photo of the marker's south side. • Can you help?