Bombardment of Fort San Carlos
Encyclopedia
The Bombardment of Fort San Carlos, occurred during the Venezuelan Crisis on January 17, 1903; when two warships of the Imperial German Navy tried to penetrate into Lake Maracaibo
but were repulsed by the garrison of Fort San Carlos after a brief exchange of fire.
and SMS Falke were chasing a merchant schooner
who had evaded the blockade and entered the lake. Both ships intended to enter the lake and blockade the city of Maracaibo
.
Guarding the entrance that connects the lake with the Gulf of Venezuela
was the castle of San Carlos de la Barra. The shallow waters that connected lake Maracaibo with the sea were only passable for major ships in the strait that separated San Carlos from the island of Zapara, yet even here it was needed the help of a local pilot
to sort the sand banks and shallow waters of the passage.
The battle started when the fort's gunners opened fire on the Panther when she was crossing the bar. The Panther repplied the fire but the shallow waters prevented her from making an effective bombardment. Inside the fort, two of the gunners, Manuel Quevedo and Carlos José Cárdenas managed to score several hits at the Panther with their 80-milimeterKrupp
gun causing considerable damage to the ship. After half and hour of exchanging fire the Germans retreated.
Four days later the Panther returned to reduce the fort, accompanied by the protected cruiser
SMS Vineta, with a much larger armament. A typical bombardment ensued for 8 hours, although outgunned the Venezuelan garrison attempted to resist with their cannon but by the end of the conflict, Fort San Carlos was in ruins and burning. Shells also hit the nearby port; whether intentional or not, the bombardment killed twenty-five civilians, prompting the seizure of German and British citizens by Venezuelan authorities.
Lake Maracaibo
Lake Maracaibo is a large brackish bay in Venezuela at . It is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela by Tablazo Strait at the northern end, and fed by numerous rivers, the largest being the Catatumbo. It is commonly considered a lake rather than a bay or lagoon, and at 13,210 km² it would be the...
but were repulsed by the garrison of Fort San Carlos after a brief exchange of fire.
Bombardment
On January 17, SMS PantherSMS Panther
SMS Panther was one of six gunboats of the Iltis-class of the Kaiserliche Marine and, like her sister ships, served in Germany's overseas colonies. The ship was launched on 1 April 1901 in the Kaiserliche Werft, Danzig...
and SMS Falke were chasing a merchant schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
who had evaded the blockade and entered the lake. Both ships intended to enter the lake and blockade the city of Maracaibo
Maracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
.
Guarding the entrance that connects the lake with the Gulf of Venezuela
Gulf of Venezuela
The Gulf of Venezuela is a gulf of the Caribbean Sea bounded by the Venezuelan states of Zulia and Falcón and by Guajira Department, Colombia...
was the castle of San Carlos de la Barra. The shallow waters that connected lake Maracaibo with the sea were only passable for major ships in the strait that separated San Carlos from the island of Zapara, yet even here it was needed the help of a local pilot
Maritime pilot
A pilot is a mariner who guides ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbours or river mouths. With the exception of the Panama Canal, the pilot is only an advisor, as the captain remains in legal, overriding command of the vessel....
to sort the sand banks and shallow waters of the passage.
The battle started when the fort's gunners opened fire on the Panther when she was crossing the bar. The Panther repplied the fire but the shallow waters prevented her from making an effective bombardment. Inside the fort, two of the gunners, Manuel Quevedo and Carlos José Cárdenas managed to score several hits at the Panther with their 80-milimeterKrupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
gun causing considerable damage to the ship. After half and hour of exchanging fire the Germans retreated.
Aftermath
Protected cruiser
The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
SMS Vineta, with a much larger armament. A typical bombardment ensued for 8 hours, although outgunned the Venezuelan garrison attempted to resist with their cannon but by the end of the conflict, Fort San Carlos was in ruins and burning. Shells also hit the nearby port; whether intentional or not, the bombardment killed twenty-five civilians, prompting the seizure of German and British citizens by Venezuelan authorities.