Juan Williams Rebolledo

Juan Williams Rebolledo (* 1825 in Curacaví; † 24 June 1910 in Santiago de Chile) was a Chilean Navy Commander and Vice Admiral.

He was born around 1825 in Curacaví as the son of John Williams Wilson (aka Juan Guillermo ), a British frigate captain in the Chilean Navy, and his wife Gertrudis Micaela Rebolledo Sanhueza. He married Clara Noeglé, with whom he had five children: Juan, Hector, Leonor, Lucila and Elena.

In May 1844, he joined the Navy. In October 1844, he participated in supply trips for the previously founded by his father in colony Fuerte Bulnes at Puerto del Hambre to the Strait of Magellan. In 1849 he took together with Bernhard Philippi part in the exploration of Lake Llanquihue and Lake Nahuelhuapi, which aimed to prepare the settlement of German colonists.

From 1850 he commanded various naval vessels, including at the suppression of the revolutionary movement of 1851 and 1852 with the restoration of order after the rebellion of José Miguel Cambiaso in Magallanes. In 1854 he was appointed Lieutenant-Commander and conducted emissions from the Atacama coast.

With his ship Esmeralda, he fought in 1865 against the Spanish fleet. In the battle against Papudo on 26 November 1865, he conquered the Spanish warship Virgen de Covadonga in the Spanish- South American war. Thereafter, he was promoted to captain.

In 1877 he attained the rank of rear admiral. In Salpeter he was instrumental in the capture of the cities of Tocopilla and Cobija on March 27, 1879. Attacks on Iquique and Callao followed.

In 1886 he was appointed General Commandant of Valparaíso.

In March 1890 he was appointed Commander in Chief of the Navy. The Chilean Civil War of 1891, he was loyal to President Balmaceda and was discharged after his defeat in the naval service.

In 1894 he became chairman of the Partido Liberal Democrático. In 1902 he published the book Contienda de Chile y Perú contra España for Spanish - South American war.

1908 Juan Williams Rebolledo was appointed by law to Vice Admiral. On 24 June 1910 he died in Santiago de Chile.

The town of Puerto Williams was named after him in 1956.

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