00 28/06/2006 18:10
da Antrim a Puerto Rico

Scritto da: admin/moris 27/06/2006 20.36
So che nutri anche una forte simpatia per i dirimpettai...
Nel celebre "In Patagonia" di Bruce Chatwin, ci sono tanti personaggi scozzesi emigrati in Argentina....

E ne approfitto per ricordare il topic dedicato all'argentino di origini irlandesi più famoso del pianeta

LE ORIGINI IRLANDESI DI CHE GUEVARA



benissimo
ci sono riferimenti analoghi anche nei bellissimi racconti del Grande Soriano


posto qua intanto la storia di William Ferguson
protagonista nelle guerre di indipendenza Sud Americane

Ferguson, William Owens (1800-1828), army officer in the South American wars of independence, was born in Ballinderry, County Antrim, the eldest son of John Ferguson (d. 1845), from a family of linen drapers in Belfast, and his wife Agnes, née Knox (d. 1861). Their other children were John Ferguson (d. 1868), the poet, antiquarian and president of Royal Irish Academy Samuel Ferguson (1810-1886), Hester Ferguson, who married Archibald Macelkeran, Mary Eliza Ferguson, who married John Cowan, and Ellen Ferguson (d. 1841), who married William Haughton. The family were descendants of Scottish Presbyterian immigrants who settled in Ulster.
According to Ferguson's own account, in his formative years he was 'headstrong and difficult' (Journal). After getting into financial difficulties, he was sent to South America on a commission in Simón Bolívar's army in 1818.
During his short yet eventful life, William Ferguson stood out as an intelligent and intrepid officer, and Simón Bolívar entrusted him with important responsibilities. He joined the South American army on 4 November 1818 as second lieutenant, was promoted to lieutenant on 2 September 1819, to captain on 1 January 1820, to lieutenant-colonel on 9 December 1824 and to colonel on 15 March 1828. Ferguson served in the Battalion of Rifles of the Guards, in the Staff of the North, the Battalion Voltigeurs of the Guards and in the Staff of General Simón Bolívar.
William Ferguson participated in the campaign of 1819 in the lower Apure and was present at the action of Camarra. He also saw action in the campaign of the East against Cumana. He was taken prisoner by the Spaniards at sea and carried to Puerto Cabello where he was imprisoned for four months. He embarked on the war schooner Admiral Brown and was present at a naval action.
Ferguson commanded the troops who landed on the island of Puerto Rico. He joined the expedition in Margarita as aide-de-camp to the commandant general, Colonel Mariano Montilla. He served in the entire campaign of Río Hacha, was present in the actions of Fonseca, San Juan, Molinos, Gurumito, Moreno and the general actions of Río Hacha. He served in the campaign of the Magdalena and was present at the taking of the Fort of Savanilla. With his company, Ferguson fought and entirely routed the enemy's vanguard in Pueblo Nuevo. Ferguson participated in both surprise attacks at Turbaso and fought for eight months during the siege of Cartagena.
l'articolo prosegue
www.irishargentine.org/dilab_fergusonw.htm
_______________________________
"Last night I nearly died,
But I woke up just in time".
Duke Special